i have to admit i didnt read all answers.
for me the biggest advantage of having a good small forward is the tactical variety compared to your weekly financial outcome
a) offensively: the opponent isnt able to put a pure pf/c on the sf-spot because your sf could shoot 3 after 3 and isnt able to put an pg/sg on the sf because your sf could outscore him by posting up.
b) defensively: your 'sf' could quite simply play ot of position at the sg or pf spot creating a hard missmatch for your opponent but is still able to defend the opponents pf or sg.
all based on the case that your tactical choices/guesses are right.
for reference look at Distler
(4599748)playing at pf-spot in a motion offense: e.g.
(29598028) and
(29598011)playing sg in a r&g offense: e.g. yesterdays game:
(29598092)or just play the sf in any given offense. (even if the game was lost: maybe take a look at the sf-matchuprating and boxscore in this game when he played vs a 50k sg most of the time:
(29598070)