Is Lauri Markkanen a small forward or a power forward? With the NBA being “positionless”, does it even matter? It turns out that yes, it does in fact matter. Despite what so many want from NBA prospects these days, it turns out positions are still important. Sure, now it’s based more on skill than size, as it used to be, but positions still matter in the NBA, which is why Markkanen’s classification is so interesting.
Size-wise, he’s a power forward. He’s 7’0, 240 lbs, but he shoots like a guard. His ability to hit a shot from anywhere on the court and do so at a high efficiency isn’t exactly a big-man skillset.