this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023
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Modern basketball is very different from the basketball of the 2000s, 90s, 80s, etc. With the death of the traditional big man, advent of spacing, positionless small ball, fast pace, it seems like certain types of players are being driven out of the NBA. Ben Wallace could not survive this league.

So is it still possible for someone to maintain a long career in the league without developing a reliable 3 point shot? And what would they have to specialize in to justify their value?

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[–] Rithgarth@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

That Giannis guy seems pretty good

[–] wrongerontheinternet@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Embiid is only okay from three (he's below league average), and Giannis is terrible from three. Those are often recognized as two of the top three players in the league. You don't exactly have to dig deep to find players without good three point shooting who have carved out long / solid / valuable careers.

[–] drmr623@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Who is out here ranking embiid 3rd? I almost always see Steph and Luka above him

I'm not sure Steph is still there though he was at one point... Luka is a controversial one because his box score stats don't seem to translate to point differential most of the time (though last year was easily his best year on that front). Embiid won the MVP last year, I don't think ranking him top three is that controversial. At least if we're talking regular season.

[–] penguin_torpedo@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Embiid shot 40% from 3, I think it was a season ago

He never has. He had two seasons barely above average (37+%) but he's a career 33% three point shooter. That's about the league median, but not the league average (partly because average is always above median, partly because good three point shooters shoot the majority of threes).

[–] whtge8@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Ben Wallace couldn’t survive in this league? Have you seen how much Gobert makes?

[–] TuqiDuque12@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Not that it means Ben wouldn't survive, but I don't think you realize the extent to which Ben was bad offensively.

Part of it could mitigated because of the spread pnr offense, but he was much worse then Rudy offensively

[–] hezzyskeets123@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Gobert might as well be Steph Curry offensively compared to Ben Wallace

[–] photacos@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Uhh no, did you see that clip from the other night he couldn’t even score on a mismatch right by the basket… stood around and waited for a triple team to swarm instead of trying to score from about 6 feet away

[–] FKJVMMP@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, Ben Wallace would have just dropped the pass instead.

[–] Raptorsthrowaway1@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Have you heard of this Greek guy?

[–] TuqiDuque12@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

You have to be super good and an insane athlete, Giannis, Prime Westbrook etc. because as soon as you declined a bit, you basically become what John Wall was last year or what Bledsoe has been post Milwaukee

[–] granttheginger@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Rudy Gobert, Kevon Looney are two guys who don’t shoot 3s and have been in the league for a while. There are plenty of others as well

[–] nikop@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

There are like a hundred Capelas and Mitch Robinsons in the league

[–] DJ_Drayen@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

People are commenting about Giannis here. Which is fair, but a better answer would be Jimmy.

That man's 3 is so shaky that I'd rather him take a step inside the arc than than even fake attempt them. Though it helps that for some reason, his 3 ball becomes 50/50 when it comes to clutching up for some reason (this is hyperbole, but damn it sure feels like it).

[–] Alternative_Lov@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are tons of other things players can do very well that will keep them in the league

Saying Ben Wallace couldn’t survive in the league is asinine

[–] Anxious_Star_5710@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes lol. That man was offensively worse than Gobert and his free throw shooting was bad. He would not be playable come the post season.

[–] buddaycousin@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

It's true, because the rules have changed so much. Nobody cares about post defense. Defensive rebounding is a low priority. Shooting 3s and drawing fouls are all that matters.

[–] growsonwalls@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Giannis has entered the chat ...

[–] EAS1000@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Literally DeRozan

[–] pokexchespin@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

dwight made it to 36 and played 18 seasons

[–] growsonwalls@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Luka, Devin Booker, Demar Derozan, Jimmy Butler and Trae Young are all below average 3p shooters.

[–] lkn240@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

LBJ too most years.

[–] JoJonesy@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Yes, although it’s pretty tough to do if you’re not a big man. A star-level guard or wing can get along ok without one, but as soon as there’s an athletic decline it usually becomes pretty dicey for ‘em.

In the modern NBA you really want four guys who are at least a threat to shoot at all times— not necessarily four good shooters, but at least guys you can’t completely ignore on the perimeter. You can get away with three sometimes, if they make up for the lack of spacing with defense, but it’s still gonna cause problems (see: Cavs in the playoffs this year)

Plenty have, and plenty will continue to have. The majority of playoff/play-in teams last season were starting a non-shooting big, for example.

[–] TheMagicMan56@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

The majority of starting centers don't have a three point shot.

Jarrett Allen, Mitchell Robinson, Nic Claxton, Bam Adebayo, Clint Capela, Jakob Poeltl, Daniel Gafford, Mason Plumlee, Isaiah Stewart, Steven Adams, Deandre Ayton, Ivica Zubac, Kevon Looney, Rudy Gobert, Dwight Powell and Walker Kessler were all starters for their respective teams last year and have a basically non-existent three point shot. That means that 17/30 starting centers don't have a three point shot at all.

You also have guys like AD, Domantas Sabonis, Jusuf Nurkic, Jonas Valanciunas and Alperen Sengun who can't hit the three ocassionaly but shoot a really low volume so they're also not solid shooters.

So basically 22/30 starting centers don't have a "solid three point shot".

[–] NPCzzzz@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Ben Simmons has hung around without even taking them

[–] Ok_Hornet_714@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Draymond hasn't hit more than 30% of his 3s since 2016 (which was also the only year he shot than 33% from deep)

So yeah, it is possible.

[–] trevortins@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I think you have to be a center or a pf to even have a chance and even then you need a very elite skill. Like Rudy’s defence, Ben’s playmaking/defence and Giannis is just dominant.

[–] dash_44@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Boban is still in the league right?

[–] freshprinceofsolair@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Demar derozan

Tell me you only watching highlights and 2k without telling me...

[–] lkn240@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Giannis can't shoot 3s and is one of the two best players in the NBA. WTF even is this?

[–] calipiano81@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Kevon Looney