Top 5 power forwards of 2017

Every NBA position has changed dramatically in the past few years, but you could argue none so much as the four, where the ability to pass, space the floor, make plays off the dribble, and guard the perimeter are now basically musts.

The last calendar year continued to stretch the definition of what a power forward can or should be. Here are the five players who did it best in 2017.

Anthony Davis

Davis' true position has always been a bit hazy, but since DeMarcus Cousins joined the Pelicans, Davis has played the bulk of his minutes at the four. No one has played the position better over the last 12 months.

Already blessed with a physical advantage thanks to his ungodly combination of quickness and length, Davis has added finesse, smarts, and a reliable 3-point shot. One of the game's most devastating offensive forces, he's continued to build himself into an similarly impactful defender, one of the league's best rim protectors and pick-and-roll smotherers.

He still doesn't have enough help in New Orleans, but at age 24, Davis' game is in full bloom.

Draymond Green

Another avatar for the increasingly apositional NBA, Green is the league's pre-eminent Swiss Army knife. If you hold the belief you are who you guard, then Green is a point guard and a center and everything in between. For the purposes of compartmentalization, he's the year's second-best power forward.

Green's mix of defensive versatility, offensive playmaking ability, and willingness to do all the dirty work is a huge reason the Warriors' addition of Kevin Durant was so seamless, and the biggest reason they have the league's No. 2 defense for the second straight year. Green is arguably as instrumental to the team's success as Durant or Steph Curry are. And, while he'll never get the same shine as those two, his efforts were rightly recognized in 2017 with the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Kevin Love

He took a while to settle into his role with the Cavaliers, but he's rediscovered his mojo and is back to playing like something resembling Minnesota Kevin Love.

With Kyrie Irving gone and Isaiah Thomas on the shelf, Love has had to step up and be a consistent secondary offensive option. He's being asked to facilitate more, getting increasing elbow touches and more shots in the restricted area, and shooting threes as efficiently as he ever has. And while he's had some rough stretches at the other end of the floor, his pick-and-roll defense has made strides. Trade rumors have dogged Love almost from the moment he arrived in Cleveland, but he's quietly become a pretty phenomenal complement to LeBron James.

Kristaps Porzingis

Porzingis hasn't been as consistently good in 2017 as the others on this list, but he merits inclusion for his electric start to the '17-18 season. He's made a quantum leap in Year 3, injecting a long-lost energy, optimism, and fun into the Knicks franchise in the span of about 30 games.

With the Carmelo Anthony-Phil Jackson soap opera finally over and the Triangle offense banished from New York, Porzingis is spreading his wings; picking and popping, busting dudes in the post, and shooting over everything that moves. He still has a ways to go as a passer and rebounder, but the 22-year-old is already one of the game's best pure scorers. And, with great shot-blocking instincts and far quicker feet than you'd expect from a guy who stands 7-foot-3, he can get it done at both ends.

LaMarcus Aldridge

This spot could easily have gone to Paul Millsap or Blake Griffin, but Aldridge has remained healthy and active while Millsap and Griffin have been unable to stay on the floor. Slow and steady won the race.

Aldridge's struggles last season were probably overstated - he was still the second-best player on a 61-win team - but he's been a completely different player this term, grabbing an increased offensive role with both hands and keeping the Spurs rolling for almost 30 games without Kawhi Leonard. Aldridge is probably the closest thing the league has to a traditional power forward: a methodical post operator who does the bulk of his damage with his back to the basket. He's found a way to make that game work in 2017.