Despite the claims made by some pundits, the big man has been experiencing a renaissance in the NBA.
Nikola Jokic is the reigning NBA Finals MVP. Joel Embiid is the reigning regular season MVP, and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis is perhaps the best two-way star big man in the game today. On the next tier down are standouts Domantas Sabonis, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis.
The Lakers should give serious consideration to starting Davis at the 4 and splitting his minutes between the 4 and 5 spots, as they did during the 2019-20 season when they won the NBA championship. That would require beefing up their depth at the center spot, and they may be able to do that in Thursday’s draft.
One intriguing center prospect Los Angeles recently worked out is Dereck Lively II from Duke University.