There’s no denying how much the NBA has changed in the last decade. Much of that change can be attributed to the influx of shooting talent into the league, including at the center and power forward position. Teams are running more pick and pops, more offensive sets with 5 men on the perimeter and just overall are constructing their offense to generate more threes due to this influx of shooting talent. As, arguably, the most active position on the offensive and defensive end, bigs and specifically centers have had to change their playstyles the most in the new era. This change in playstyle has not only led to more threes from centers, it’s also led to coaches coveting new traits from bigs.
Lateral movement, speed, anticipation and discipline on the perimeter are starting to take presence over height, length and athleticism. Although those characteristics are still very much important, the league is starting to move away from how dependent they are on them(Height, length, athleticism).
So who have we seen that embodies these changes the best and how have they changed how the league sees efficient offense and defense? This article will take a look at the top 5 small ball bigs and how they have modernized and changed basketball.
Note: Although AD and Giannis are not considered traditional bigs, I don’t consider them small ball bigs either seeing as they are not as “small” as the job description would infer. If you want to consider them small ball bigs, they are easily 1 and 2 in the rankings. As for Bam, he’s more 5 than he is 4 and most of these guys are 4s that can play the 5, not the other way around. All three of these guys can be considered small ball 5s but won’t be in the case of my list.
5. Maxi Kleber
I’ve touched on Kleber’s defense in the past, but just to review he is extremely switchable and versatile on that end. He’s not a flashy shot blocker but it’s because he makes it so hard to get beat off the dribble with his elite anticipation and foot speed. He uses his length and strength to wall off bigger and faster creators making him the perfect small ball 5 for any team in the league.
On offense, a majority of Kleber’s value stems from his shooting and rolling. He’s a very talented shooter, cashing 41% of his 212 3 point attempts. A majority of those makes came off of catch and shoot situations created by the Mavs’ guard play, in which he made 42.1% of his 202 catch and shoot threes. He’s very good in pick and pop scenarios, making sure he sets the screen clean and gets out quick to create as much separation between him and the big as possible. His base is very wide and his form is very robotic but there’s no noticeable hitches or anything that would prevent him from being a proficient three point shooter as you can see by the percentages.
At 6’10, his rolling ability is not capped by his height. He’s got long arms and legs so his stride length and catch radius are extremely good for a “small” ball 5. He ranked 75th percentile as a roll man this season and shot 3% below league average at the rim. Not ideal but good enough.
4. Larry Nance Jr
I’ve written about Nance’s defense as well, but his offense is what warrants his place on this list.
His offense is incredibly unique. He averaged a modest 9.3 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game and 3.1 assists per game on 55.7 TS%. He shot 47% from the field, 36% from 3, 61% from the line, 38% from midrange and 66% at the rim. Overall, very average numbers if they are taken at face value, which would be a colossal mistake.
Nance is a very good pick and pop big that moves fluidly off of hand offs and knows how to relocate and find pockets of space on the perimeter. His smaller frame makes him more mobile than the average big, hence his high level foot speed and lateral movement. This isn’t just useful on defense, it is massive on offense. He doesn’t fly around the court like Duncan Robinson or Joe Harris but he’s much faster than Valanciunas or Vucevic. His form is very good and he’s comfortable shooting off of movement. Despite the lackluster percentage, Nance is a very reliable outside shooter and stretch big.
His passing is his other unique offensive characteristic. He’s adept at hitting back door cutters and his kick outs are extremely accurate. He can find guys out of the post or sling the ball from the top of the key. He sees all levels of the defense and he has the touch to exploit them.
As a small ball 5, Nance’s ability to defend, shoot and pass at a high level makes him one of the most coveted assets in the NBA amongst contenders despite being considered an undersized big and relatively unrecognizable name.
3. OG Anunoby
Anunoby has a great argument for second on this list, but I dropped him a level for reasons I’ll get into down the line.
Regardless, despite being a small forward, OG excels as a small ball 5 due to a combination of insane physical tools and elite feel for the floor on the defensive end. He can shoot, finish through contact and set screens which means he’s quite good on offense as well! Let’s get a little more specific though.
OG Anunoby is a treat to watch on the defensive end. He plays with a great amount of grit and uses his strength to his advantage. Unlike prototypical wings that are built like Anunoby, he’s not slow footed or clumsy. He’s very smart about the way he moves to avoid losing his balance and he is extremely clever about leveraging his strength over certain opponents. He puts opposing players in jail cells on the perimeter, in the post, in the paint, whatever or wherever. His help side defense is also very good.
On offense, Anunoby is much more impressive than one would think. He averaged 16 points per game, shot 40% on 6 threes per game and shot 5% above league average at the rim. He excelled at posting up smaller guys, shooting off the catch and finishing at the rim. He ranked 71st percentile as a roll man. His stretch ability becomes so much more valuable since teams have to fear OG at the rim just as much as they do from 3.
2. RoCo
RoCo’s defense is extremely underappreciated and misunderstood. Before I get into what he does well, let me explain why RoCo’s defense is still elite despite his on-ball defense being weak.
Off-ball defense is way more valuable than on-ball defense, and it’s not particularly close. For example, if a player plays elite on ball defense and shuts off an opposing player completely, it will all be for nothing if his teammate gets beat off-ball and allows an open layup or open 3 pointer. On-ball defenders can play all their cards right and the possession can still end up in a bucket, whereas off-ball defenders can play a much larger role in getting a stop.
That’s what RoCo excels at, off-ball defense. He’s an elite help side rim protector, plays in passing lanes very well and does a good job tracking and blowing up actions. For more about RoCo’s defense, read this article by MondgreenG.
As for RoCo’s offense, he is a very good floor spacer and can erupt for big scoring performances. He’s great off the catch, off movement and has a small bag of moves to go to if his defender closes in such as jab steps or side steps. He’s no Jayson Tatum from behind the line but he gets the job done.
1. Draymond Green
The man that completely revolutionized the small ball 5 role and changed the way NBA coaches saw offense and defense. His pick and roll game with Curry and Klay on the wing flipped basketball on top of it’s own head and his defense put the fear of god in offensive coordinators. And he’s still doing it about 6 years later.
He’s everywhere defensively and he takes on any and every matchup the opposing team throws at him. His rim protection at the 5 is generational, he contests everything and has perfect timing. On the perimeter, he’s a menace. He moves his feet incredibly well and does a great job mirroring his competition, even when that competition is Kawhi Leonard, Luka Doncic, or Giannis. It doesn’t matter, Draymond finds a way to keep them within his reach. For bigger players, he uses his brute strength to wall them off and does a great job timing up potential blocks or steals. For faster players, his anticipation is off the charts. He clearly reads the scouting report before every game, he knows every move a player is about to make before they make it. He’s extremely intelligent and does a great job forcing guys into their 3rd or 4th move before they inevitably have to pass or take a bad shot
Now, a lot of that was all talk about prime Draymond but he is still extremely dominant just slightly slower and a little less capable of taking on tougher match ups. Easily still a top 4 defender.
On offense, Draymond’s scoring is essentially nonexistent at this point in his career. At one point, he was a reliable shooter and could create off the dribble when called upon. Now, with a decrease in athleticism and speed he can’t really do that and his shooting touch has diminished. But, he’s still one of the best passers in the NBA and even without any scoring gravity he’s still managed to be a great playmaker by exploiting the smallest of angles and gaps. His passing touch is very good and he has premier vision. He’s aggressive and not afraid of making the tougher passes.
So how exactly do these guys, who other than Draymond are currently not top 30 players in the NBA, change the scope in which coaches view offense and defense? How did they change the game?
For one, a player does not have to be a superstar, all NBA or even all star level player to change the dynamic of their team or the league. They just have to provide something unique, something the league has never seen before or not seen to a certain extent. And that’s what these guys do.
There’s multiple advantages to playing a small ball 5 in favor of a traditional big such as spacing the floor or switching everything on the defensive end. They can make pick and rolls or pick and pops more dynamic than other 7 footers can by being adept passers or high level shooters. They exploit teams trying to exploit mismatches by willingly switching their big onto a perimeter player like the Mavs do with Kleber. It may seem like a mismatch, but that’s the trick.
All these skill sets and effects have one thing in common: They are unique. They’re different, they are a change of pace in comparison to what the league was doing and still is. And that’s the point. Small Ball 5s are meant to throw other teams off of their game plan, confuse players and blow up offensive or defensive schemes. Depending on the level of skill of the small ball 5, it tends to have a great amount of success especially in the playoffs when perimeter players shine and spacing is needed the most.
These 5 guys are at the top of their profession when it comes to playing the 5 as a forward, but they are not the only 5 in the league capable of playing within this role and they certainly won’t be the last 5. NBA scouts and coaches are beginning to see a trend in the draft and a trend in what skill sets certain players try to perfect over the off-season. We’re starting to see 4s shoot an alarming amount of threes, switch onto guards more often and be given reps at center by their coaches. We’re starting to see more undersized 5s that don’t make their money blocking shots or dunking the ball, but rather shooting and moving their feet exceptionally well.
As the decade goes on, don’t be surprised if more and more high level draft picks fit this mold, because GM’s and coaches alike are starting to catch on that they are going to need a small ball 5 in their rotation if they want to contend.
CubeHoops 