2024 NBA Free Agency Preview: Ranking The Top Power Forwards

🏀 Before we continue the 2024 free agency series, the latest Knicks-related gossip comes to us courtesy of The Ringer's Bill Simmons. 

In his FanDuel-sponsored podcast early this week, Simmons declared confidently that Knicks president of basketball operations would reel in a big fish at some point over the next 12 months, claiming that either Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Donovan Mitchell would be a part of the New York starting lineup by opening of the 2024-25 season.

"They'll get one of those three guys, I guarantee," Simmons said. "Giannis, Embiid, or Mitchell will be on that team a year from now."

Now, this declaration should be taken with a large grain of salt. Remember that four years ago (March of 2019), in an interview with Mike Francesa on WFAN, Simmons told Mikey to "bet the house" that Kevin Durant (then a Warrior) would sign with the Knicks when he hit free agency the following summer. "I'd bet it's Kyrie and Durant together," the Sports Guy added for good measure. 

We know how that worked out… 

🏀 Meanwhile, on the Giannis front, NBA scribe Marc Stein reported the Lakers and Knicks are potential landing spots for Antetokounmpo should he decide to leave Milwaukee. 

"The Lakers and the Knicks are already being mentioned as franchises presumed to interest Antetokounmpo down the road if he does decide to move on from Milwaukee, which just made a slew of moves (re-signing Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and replacing Mike Budenholzer as coach with Adrian Griffin) to try to appease its face of the franchise." 

FYI: I'm going to put together a mailbag column early next week, so please feel free to send in questions either in the comments below or via email (tsbeer7@gmail.com). 

Okay, on to the business at hand… 

After previously ranking the top point guards, shooting guards and small forwards expected to hit the open market next summer, today we highlight the best small forwards up for grabs.

1. Pascal Siakam / Toronto Raptors / Unrestricted:

In 2022-23, Siakam set career-highs with 24.2 points and 5.8 assists per game, to go along with 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 made three-pointers. He has also had considerable success in the playoffs in his career. He helped carry the Raptors to their first title in 2019, averaging 19.8 points (on 50.5% shooting), 7.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in the NBA Finals vs. the Golden State Warriors. He averaged 23/7/6 in that postseason. Siakam has one year (at $37.9 million) left on his current contract. Because he just missed being named to the All-NBA team last season, Siakam is not supermax ($290 million over five years) extension-eligible. The most Siakam can sign an extension for is $192 million over four years. He can ink a supermax deal next summer if he qualifies for an All-NBA team in 2023-24.