NBA Live 19 Ratings: Best Small Forwards (SF)

NBA Live 19 is now out, and we’ve got a list of all the top small forwards in the latest edition of the game. Below, we’ll have an in-depth look at the ten small forwards with the highest Overall Rating, and provide a list of the best of the rest.

LeBron James (97)

Age: 33

Position: SF

Height: 6’8’’

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Traits: Playmaker

Best Stats: 99 Court Vision, 99 Contested Shots, 99 Defensive Awareness, 99 Stamina

The King proved in 2017/18 that, even at 33, he is still the best player in the world. He averaged 27.5 points on 54.2% shooting, 8.6 rebounds, 9.1 assists and 1.4 steals, leading an otherwise mediocre side to the NBA finals, and deserves every bit of his 97 OVR in NBA Live 19. With his contract having run out with the Cleveland, LBJ signed with the Lakers in the offseason, and will enter the new season in the first year of a four-year $154 million deal with one of the biggest franchises in the NBA.

Kevin Durant (95)

Age: 29

Position: SF

Height: 6’10’’

Team: Golden State Warriors

Traits: Wing Shooter

Best stats: 99 Contested Shots, 99 Shot off Dribble, 99 Draw Shooting Foul

Durant may still have plenty of critics, but having won the past two finals MVP's to go with his two rings, they are beginning to lose credibility. Last season he managed 26.5 points a game, as well as 6.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.8 blocks, playing a starring role in one of the best teams of all time. 2018/19 will be his final guaranteed years with the Warriors, with his deal - which earns him roughly $30 million per year - offering him a player option in 2019/20.

Kawhi Leonard (92)

Age: 27

Position: SF

Height: 6’7’’

Team: Toronto Raptors

Traits: Wing Defender

Best stats: 99 Defensive Awareness, 99 On Ball Defense, 96 Steal

Leonard's nine games last season yielded just 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists as he endured a season rife with injury, speculation and controversy. There will be some discussion about whether he still deserves an OVR of 92, but the chances are that he will remind everyone how good he is in 2018/19. The strange 2017/18 season saw his spot with the Spurs become untenable, and as a result the last year of his five year, $94 million contract will be played out in Toronto, a team which will spend the season trying to convince him to stay longer.

Paul George (90)

Age: 27

Position: SF

Height: 6’9’’

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Traits: Wing Scorer

Best stats: 96 Defensive Awareness, 95 Stamina, 94 On Ball Defense

George seemed destined to play just a solitary season at OKC to round out his contract, but he must have liked it there, as he signed a four year contract worth almost $137 million to stay during the offseason. The Thunder’s season didn’t end as they would have hoped, but George was a strong contributor throughout the year, putting up 21.9 points (40.1% from beyond the arc), 5.7 boards, 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game. 

Gordon Hayward (86)

Age: 27

Position: SF

Height: 6’8’’

Team: Boston Celtics

Traits: Wing Shooter

Best stats: 95 Stamina, 90 Driving Layup

Hayward earned about $6 million for every minute he was on the court in his debut season with Boston. After signing a four year deal which saw him earn just under $30 million in 2017/18, he gruesomely broke his leg just minutes into the Celtics first game. An All-Star in 2017, Hayward will be looking to bounce back in 2018/19. 

Khris Middleton (83)

Age: 27

Position: SF

Height: 6’8”

Team: Milwaukee Bucks

Traits: Wing Scorer

Best Stats: 89 Mid-Range Shot, 88 Free Throw, 88 Stamina, 88 Injury

Khris Middleton’s lights out performance throughout the 2018 NBA Playoffs highlighted what a capable offensive player he can be, and his high rating in NBA Live 19 is thoroughly deserved. Last season he put up a career high 20.1 points and 5.2 rebounds, to go with 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals. Heading into the second last year of a five year deal worth $70 million, Middleton will be hoping he can help Antetokounmpo lead the Bucks to a significantly improved 2018/19 season.

Otto Porter Jr (83)

Age: 25

Position: SF

Height: 6’8”

Team: Washington Wizards

Traits: Wing Scorer

Best Stats: 94 Stamina, 90 Mid-Range Shot, 89 3-point Shot

Otto Porter Jr has progressively improved in each of his five years in the NBA, and last season averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals, all of which are career highs. The Wizards clearly saw this progress continuing, because at the start of last season they offered him a four year contract worth over $106 million.

Harrison Barnes (83)

Age: 26

Position: SF

Height: 6’7’’

Team: Dallas Mavericks

Traits: Wing Scorer

Best stats: 94 Stamina, 91 Injury, 89 On Ball Defense

Barnes will enter the third year of his four year contract with Dallas earning just over $24 million for the season. The former Warrior, who has carried much of the offensive load for the Mavericks over the past two seasons, put up 18.9 points on 44.5% shooting last season to go with 6.1 rebounds. 

Jabari Parker (83)

Age: 23

Position: SF

Height: 6’8”

Team: Chicago Bulls

Traits: Wing Scorer

Best Stats: 92 Stamina, 88 Dunk, 88 Inside Shot

Parker managed just 31 games last season as he returned from an ACL injury, and when he played he clocked just 24 minutes per game for 12.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. Despite his injury history, the Bulls were happy to take him off Milwaukee’s hands, offering him a two year deal worth $20 million per season.

Brandon Ingram (82)

Age: 21

Position: SF

Height: 6’9’’

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Traits: Wing Scorer

Best stats: 90 Stamina, 86 Speed, 86 Inside Shot

Ingram, the second pick at the 2016 draft, will play out the final season of his rookie contract with the Lakers this season, earning a little under $6 million. If he can show anywhere near the sort of improvement he did in 2017/18, he will be in for a huge salary increase in 2019. Last season, he improved his points per game output by nearly seven points to average 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. 

The Best of the Rest