NBA: Power ranking the 30 projected starting small forwards on each team
6. Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies
Desmond Bane probably doesn't get the attention he deserves playing for the Memphis Grizzlies but he's been a consistently good player since he made the jump to the NBA. Through four seasons in the league, Bane continues to improve as a player and has been every bit the supporting star that Ja Morant needs. As an "older" young player, Bane was experienced and seasoned when he made the jump to the league; that's probably part of the reason why he was so ready to play as soon as he was drafted. But even then, for a player that had somewhat of a shallow ceiling, Bane has emerged as one of the best players from that 2020 NBA Draft class.
Even if Bane doesn't have any more room to grow, he's an extremely valuable piece for the Grizzlies. Bane is a consistent 20-point-per-game scorer, has the potential to be a good defender, and has proven over the past two years that he's an underrated playmaker.
I'm not sure if Bane will ever reach All-Star status in the NBA, but he's one of the best wing players whether the general public will admit it or not.