The Toronto Raptors have had many small forwards over the years, although a few have separated themselves above the others. Who are the top five small forwards in franchise history?
The small forward position has been a bit of a white whale for the Toronto Raptors. Especially as of late, seemingly every small forward acquisition has been injured or a significant disappointment. DeMarre Carroll, Landry Fields, Hedo Turkoglu; the list goes on-and-on.
The Raptors are hoping they have finally put a stop to that trend. The addition of Kawhi Leonard, along with the selection of OG Anunoby just one year ago, should provide the franchise a stable force at the position for years to come.
But that doesn’t change the historical mediocrity of the position. In fact, mediocrity is putting it far too kind.
When comparing the list to other positions, such as the franchise’s all-time centers or power forwards, it becomes evident that small forward has been a position of weakness for the Toronto Raptors since their inception.
That’s not to say there haven’t been a few nice players. In 23 years, you are bound to have a couple of guys at the position who can play. However, the list does lack both star power and depth.
Like any positional ranking, many players can be classified in multiple categories. For our list: Vince Carter and Jalen Rose were considered shooting guards, while Anthony Parker and Morris Peterson were labeled small forwards.
Without further ado, here is our definitive list of the top five small forwards in franchise history: