For as long as basketball has existed, size has been considered almost a prerequisite to a success. Consider how many of the dominant teams in NBA history had dominant big men — George Mikan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan — at their core.
The modern NBA, though, finds itself in a far different place. The two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors had six centers on their roster last season — and none was as effective as the team’s 6-foot-6 power forward, Draymond Green. The Houston Rockets presented the Warriors with their biggest challenge last season, and the Rockets spent large portions of the Western Conference finals with another 6-foot-6 player, P.