Ranking the best starting power forwards in the NBA for 2014-15

The term power forward has faced quite the evolution from the early days in the NBA. I grew up watching the "classic" power forward: back to the basket, rarely ventured out to mid-range. Rebounding was his forte', and he was the enforcer on defense. Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Charles Oakley, Dennis Rodman, of course Shawn Kemp.

My, how things have changed. The NBA's power forwards today are mobile, athletic, and as adept at playing down low as they are out behind the three-point line. With spacing a priority, the "Stretch-4" is all the rave in today's game. Though some things never change, the best power forwards in the league still rebound, defend, and enforce, just in different ways.

The rankings are a consensus of the SonicsRising crew and a few quests. Do you agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Tier 5: The Questionable Crew

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
30	Andrea Bargnani	27	30	29.0

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
29	Reggie Evans	21	30	27.8

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
28	Nerlens Noel	24	29	27.2

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
27	Terrence Jones	16	30	25.8

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
26	Cody Zeller	21	26	24.2

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
25	Kevin Garnett	15	28	24.1

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
24	Markieff Morris	17	29	23.8

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
23	Josh McRoberts	18	30	22.7

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
22	Jabari Parker	17	29	22.2

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
21	Enes Kanter	18	30	21.8

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
20	Jared Sullinger	14	26	21.3

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
19	Carlos Boozer	9	28	20.9

Notice the commonalities with this tier of players. They were at once high level starters (Carlos Boozer, Kevin Garnett), have yet to prove themselves consistently but are budding with potential (Nerlens Noel, Jabari Parker, Enes Kanter), or we think we know what they are, but we're just not sure (Jared Sullinger, Josh McRoberts, Markieff Morris, Terrence Jones).

Oh, then we have the Nutcracker, Reggie Evans and "Il Terribile" Andrea Bargnani (Who apparently thought the photographer was hot. Why else would you wink in your profile picture?).

They all have glaring questions coming into this season. Do KG and Boozer (who looks like your grandfather) have anything left to contribute to the the Nets and the Lakers respectively? Will Noel be more ready having sat out and watched a full NBA season? Can McBob (who looks like he's trying to out-sexy you) Sullinger, and Morris, Jones prove themselves as high level starters or are the destined for bench fodder? Can Kanter (aka the next James Bond villain) develop in the post and on defense enough to prove he's worth an extension?

This is a make or break year for almost everyone except the young ones in this tier.

Tier 4: The Underrated Ones

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
18	Amir Johnson	16	22	17.9

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
17	Channing Frye	15	21	17.3

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
16	Thaddeus Young	13	23	16.3

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
15	Nene	12	18	16.2

When Nene is healthy, his teams consistently win (Denver, Washington). He brings an underrated intelligence to the game. Many will tell you that Channing Frye was a major catalyst in the Phoenix Suns' surprising play last season. Amir Johnson has become one of the best defenders in the NBA, and you probably don't even know it, yet. Thaddeus Young has never been seen as a star, but he's one of the most underrated and versatile players in the league.

You know what's you're getting with this group, even if no one else notices.....yet.

Tier 3: The Consistent Starters

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
14	Pau Gasol	11	18	13.3

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
13	Kenneth Faried	10	14	11.9

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
12	David West	9	16	11.8

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
11	Paul Milsap	8	14	11.5

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
10	David Lee	9	15	11.3

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
9	Greg Monroe	5	16	10.2

Night in and night out this group brings it to the table. Even with their shortcomings, they're dependable with the skills that they possess, no matter the circumstance.

The "This is my GQ look" Spaniard, Pau Gasol may not be the defender he once was, but he still can distribute the ball like no other, he's crafty and dependable in the paint, and he's not going to muck up the flow of any offense. Faried is the epitome of an energy guy, with issues on the defensive end. David West is still a load down low and on defense, though he's growing older by the minute. Paul Milsap probably belongs a little higher in the rankings, even if he's never going to be that rim protector that would make him a true star.

David Lee and Greg Monroe are near double-double threats that may be living off their reputations this high in the rankings rather than their true games. Both have glaring weaknesses at that end, even if they put up numbers night in and night out.

Tier 2: The Steady Veterans

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
8	Zach Randolph	7	12	8.3

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
7	Serge Ibaka	5	8	6.8

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
6	Dirk Nowitzki	5	9	6.0

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
5	Tim Duncan	5	7	5.8

Zach Randolph still looks like a version of Malcolm Jamal Warner (of "the Cosby Show" fame) and he's still throwing up 17 points and 10 rebounds in his sleep. Dirk and Duncan are going into their 18th and 17th seasons respectively of putting up 20s and 10s (especially in the playoffs). Steady, dependable and though they are getting older, it certainly doesn't seem like it.

Serge Ibaka may be the only one that can leap into the upper tier of power forwards we'll look at next. He's developed his jump shot to the point of it being near-automatic from mid-range. He's nearly creating a new category of player by himself.

Tier 1: The Cream of the Crop

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
4	Anthony Davis	1	4	3.1

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
3	Kevin Love	1	4	2.4

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
2	Blake Griffin	1	4	2.3

Rank	Team	Highest Rank	Lowest Rank	Average Rank
1	LaMarcus Aldridge	1	4	2.3

How LaMarcus Aldridge is number one is beyond me. Technically he had one more first place vote than Blake Griffin (hence the same ranking average). Looking at the case for Aldridge, he killed it in the first round of last year's playoffs. His 23 points and 11 rebounds were......ok, that's probably about it. I will give credit for stepping up and increasing his workload to great results. He was a no-brainer All-Star and should be a starter given Kevin Love's migration to the Eastern Conference.

Though I have to nitpick with this ranking. Kevin Love had the better stats, Blake Griffin scored more and carried the Los Angeles Clippers when point guard Chris Paul was out with a shoulder injury, and Anthony Davis is widely seen to inherit the next "Best Player in the League" title after LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

Now this isn't to discredit LMA, but his hold on best power forward is going to be a fight all year.