NBA: Can big men still lead a championship contender?

The NBA may have ushered in a smaller style of play, but has that taken away a big man’s ability to function as the engine for a title-contending team?

The systemic changes the NBA has undergone in recent years is evident at every turn. Three-pointers are being shot at a record pace by every player on the court and coaches are trotting out lineups smaller than ever, ones built with speed in mind instead of size.

Of the previous eight NBA champions, seven could make the argument for their best lineup consisting of the downsizing of their frontcourt.

It’s not a coincidence that in NBA.com‘s recent release of the All-Decade Team for 2010, not a single traditional center can be found on any of the three squads.

The evolution of the game hasn’t led to the extinction of the big man. Rather, it’s fostered a period of evolution.

Bigs who come into the league tend to have guard-like abilities sprinkled throughout their skill-set, while some who have witnessed the changes first-hand may try to adapt to maintain relevancy.

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The on-court product has been unlike anything the NBA has ever seen before. Centers are stepping out beyond the arc with regularity and some are even handling the basketball outside the restricted area.

On any given night, you’ll find guys like Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid doing their best point guard imitation with passable levels of success.

This trio certainly represents the new age of the modern center. The faces of their respective franchises, they’re trying to lead their squads to the promised land in the previous ways of Hakeem Olajuwon and Tim Duncan.

There’s been no concrete indication that they cannot lead a team to the ultimate goal, but the writing on the wall is clear. Despite their versatility, all three ranked among the top seven in post-ups per game last season.

It’s a way of life that’s proved fruitful for their statistical careers but raises a fundamental issue as it pertains to the success of their teams.

Big men aren’t point guards. They’re not even forwards. They cannot dominate the basketball like James Harden or control the flow of the game like LeBron James.

For all their new-found perimeter skills, they still rely upon teammates to feed them the basketball, and that leaves them susceptible to specific defenses.

There are only so many places to go with their back to the basket. Opponents can send a double team to quickly get the ball out of their hands. Defenses can front and send help from the weak side.

A ball-handler can maneuver his way out of tricky situations with a plethora of space in front of him, but the same can’t be said when the baseline acts as a second defender for those stationed near the rim.

These traditional tactics are what make Jokic such a unique talent. He is a point center in every sense of the word, functioning as the initiator in pick-and-rolls while also bringing the ball up the court with surprising regularity.

He can’t evade traps as easily due to a lack of foot speed. Considering his ball-handling and passing abilities, he’s far more successful on the perimeter than his contemporaries, allowing him to be continuously involved at the offensive end, even late in games.

A steady diet of post-ups isn’t a death sentence in 2019, but rarely is it not assisted by perimeter excellence. It’s why Embiid, alongside Ben Simmons, has the Philadelphia 76ers flying high while KAT, with an underwhelming Andrew Wiggins, puts up his numbers in vain.

For all the box scores he stuffed during his first seven seasons, Anthony Davis‘s greatness never amounted to more than 48 wins with the New Orleans Pelicans.

He and LeBron James form arguably the league’s most dynamic duo as members of the Los Angeles Lakers, but how potent can LA be when their second-best player is so reliant on their first?

The center position is still ripe with talent. Every aforementioned player will rack up All-Star appearances in the coming years. Guys like Andre Drummond and Rudy Gobert are in the midst of stellar careers while others like Deandre Ayton and Mitchell Robinson seem due for their time.

Those who can submit to the requirements of a modern-day big man can still find themselves a crucial part of a championship team — check Marc Gasol. Finals MVP, however, demands a level of usage and impact they might not ever be able to provide.