Exec: Number Of Big Men In NBA Could Be Cut In Half By 2020

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 4:58 pm

In an analytical piece about how the Golden State Warriors are using Jordan Bell as a small ball center, Jonathan Tjarks relays an anecdote about how the number of traditional bigs in the NBA will continue to decline.

"There’s a positive feedback loop happening with small ball: The more teams play it, the less valuable every traditional 5 in the league becomes," writes Tjarks. "I talked to one executive who thinks the number of big men in the NBA will be cut in half by 2020. Every team will soon be looking for its own version of Jordan Bell, if they aren’t already."

The Warriors acquired the draft rights to Bell from the Bulls, who fell to the second round.

"The irony is that Bell is exactly the type of big man those teams need against Golden State," writes Tjarks. "He wouldn’t be as successful with less offensive talent around him, but a player with his skill set is inherently valuable."

The Warriors have a net rating of +14.9 when Bell has played this season, which is the fourth best mark on the team.

Via Jonathan Tjarks/The Ringer

ImSlower · Post #2 » by **ImSlower** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 5:23 pm

Yeah, yeah, rub it in, wiretap!

BadWolf · Post #3 » by **BadWolf** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 5:28 pm

It seems like half of first round of the draft 18 will be bigs, just like in 17.

Dino353 · Post #4 » by **Dino353** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:26 pm

This is a bunch of BS, Joel Embiid is proving you can win with a big who can catch the ball in the post and score in a variety of ways in the paint. Joel Embiid will be that center who brings the NBA big man back, he plays like a traditional center and dominates the game being one. He dropped 34 points on the Raptors and won so this big men not being able to make an impact crap is bogus.

DeAndre Ayton is another center I can't wait to see in the NBA, Ayton and Embiid will bring the big men back into the NBA.

smittybanton · Post #5 » by **smittybanton** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:44 pm

Not true. The nature of being a big will drastically change, though.

Smallball will not mean smaller players. Smallball will mean that only big men with guard skills can play in the NBA. Teams will prioritize guys 6'9-7'3 who can run, jump, dribble and shoot. More and more 6'10-7'0 guys will play on the wing.

The only guy Golden State has shorter than 6'7 is Steph Curry.

smittybanton · Post #6 » by **smittybanton** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:47 pm

smittybanton wrote:Not true. The nature of being a big will drastically change, though.

Smallball will not mean smaller players. Smallball will mean that only big men with guard skills can play in the NBA. Teams will prioritize guys 6'9-7'3 who can run, jump, dribble and shoot. More and more 6'10-7'0 guys will play on the wing.

The only guy Golden State has shorter than 6'7 is Steph Curry.

Now if the claim is that there will be a big pool of huge and skilled but slow paint protectors without NBA jobs, that I agree with. Simple solution. Expansion.

mplsfonz23 · Post #7 » by **mplsfonz23** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:49 pm

Damm. Here I was thinking Towns would be around for a while. Maybe we could trade him for a 6'9 center.

NYKnickerbocker · Post #8 » by **NYKnickerbocker** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:59 pm

damn, so everyone gunna use their bigman how the warriors use theirs. cant wait to see that

BallDontLie_ · Post #9 » by **BallDontLie_** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 7:27 pm

smittybanton wrote:Now if the claim is that there will be a big pool of huge and skilled but slow paint protectors without NBA jobs, that I agree with. Simple solution. Expansion.

Yeah let's put a team in Las Vegas with a roster full of 7 footers with an old school back to the basket game

rzzzzz · Post #10 » by **rzzzzz** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 7:40 pm

Dino353 wrote:This is a bunch of BS, Joel Embiid is proving you can win with a big who can catch the ball in the post and score in a variety of ways in the paint. Joel Embiid will be that center who brings the NBA big man back, he plays like a traditional center and dominates the game being one. He dropped 34 points on the Raptors and won so this big men not being able to make an impact crap is bogus.

with him in the game, Philly sure doesn't have any problem putting up big leads on everyone. (give them a bench and they might actually hold onto some of those leads.)

LiSTWithLani · Post #11 » by **LiSTWithLani** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 8:07 pm

rzzzzz wrote:
Dino353 wrote:This is a bunch of BS, Joel Embiid is proving you can win with a big who can catch the ball in the post and score in a variety of ways in the paint. Joel Embiid will be that center who brings the NBA big man back, he plays like a traditional center and dominates the game being one. He dropped 34 points on the Raptors and won so this big men not being able to make an impact crap is bogus.

with him in the game, Philly sure doesn't have any problem putting up big leads on everyone. (give them a bench and they might actually hold onto some of those leads.)

Exactly. Embiid, Porzingis, Jokic, Towns - Skill has always been a factor, but it's true that no longer will we see lumbering big bodies.

Post #12 » by **Harry Garris** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 8:44 pm

The Warriors have found success playing this way but no one else has... Also there are plenty of extremely talented big men drafted recently and coming into the NBA soon. Teams aren't going to start ignoring these guys to try to unsuccessfully copy the Warriors system.

smittybanton · Post #13 » by **smittybanton** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 8:54 pm

BallDontLie_ wrote:
smittybanton wrote:Now if the claim is that there will be a big pool of huge and skilled but slow paint protectors without NBA jobs, that I agree with. Simple solution. Expansion.

Yeah let's put a team in Las Vegas with a roster full of 7 footers with an old school back to the basket game

How you came to that interpretation is pretty astounding actually. Artist?

alienpick · Post #14 » by **alienpick** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:38 pm

This "exec" needs to be fired. What an idiot. Let's say everyone does what he says: then one team drafts a future Shaq/Ewing/Duncan. Who's gonna stop him? That guy will destroy the small ball teams, dominate the paint, grab all the rebounds and have a block party every night.

Again, fire this exec.

DCRYsing89 · Post #15 » by **DCRYsing89** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:51 pm

This seems silly, of corse the traditional lumbering slow paint protecting big men will be lowered.
But quicker more agile more skilldd big men a coming into the league.
The big men and future big men adapted to survive in the NBA.
At the end of the day the NBA is dominated by tall players, these tall players have to adapt but they still can be the most dominant force.

macNcheese3 · Post #16 » by **macNcheese3** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 11:13 pm

Kind of ridiculing, kind of believable. This would be a sad sad day.

Mwd1981 · Post #17 » by **Mwd1981** » Thu Jan 18, 2018 12:41 am

There will always be room for SKILLED big men. The unskilled bangers are gone though

Mwd1981 · Post #18 » by **Mwd1981** » Thu Jan 18, 2018 12:43 am

And this is a good thing. Who wants to watch teams like 94 Knicks?

anthony00 · Post #19 » by **anthony00** » Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:15 am

so basically the league will be boring and predictable

PDXKnight · Post #20 » by **PDXKnight** » Thu Jan 18, 2018 2:24 am

I don't believe bigs will be eliminated for a second. Bigs are changing for without a doubt, athleticism and shooting are becoming more of a focal point in today's game. While there's been a period in recent years where big man talent just hasn't been there compared to the 90's, I do think traditional bigs can give teams a unique edge especially if everyone else is going small ball and not prepared to face size.