LEAGUEWIDE
How does Kawhi-Aspiration deal compare to others in the NBA? We asked 50 sponsors
Joe Vardon, The Athletic
Beyond Positions: A New Framework for Evaluating Basketball Prospects
Slam Dunk Scouting
Basketball has always been a game of roles, but the way we define those roles has changed dramatically. The traditional five-position model of point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, center was once sufficient to describe how players operated on the court. But in today’s game, those labels are increasingly obsolete. A 6ft 7in wing might initiate offense like a point guard, while a 6ft 2in guard might play exclusively off-ball. Positional size no longer dictates function, and versatility has become the currency of modern basketball.
This shift hasn’t made the game less structured but has instead made it more complex. Coaches now build systems around skill sets rather than positions. Scouts evaluate prospects based on usage, fit, and translatability, not just height and listed role. And players themselves are developing across multiple dimensions: guards who rebound like forwards, bigs who shoot like wings, wings who pass like point guards. The game has become a fluid mosaic of overlapping responsibilities.
To make sense of this evolution, we need a new language, one that goes beyond surface-level traits to describe how players actually impact the game. That’s where subarchetypes come in. This framework breaks players down not just by position group of guards, wings, forwards, bigs, but by function. It identifies what a player does, not just what they are. From tempo-shifting guards to chaos wings and rebounding engines, each of the 24 subarchetypes reflects a distinct role within modern basketball ecosystems.
Whether you’re scouting high school prospects, analyzing college rotations, or projecting NBA roles, this system offers a sharper lens for understanding player value, team fit, and developmental trajectory. It’s not just about classification, it’s about clarity. And in a game that’s constantly evolving, clarity is power.
How NBA is fixing 1 of fans’ biggest complaints: Painfully long replay reviews
Chris Dodson, Clutch Points
Why These 5 NBA Free Agents Don’t Have a Team Entering Training Camp
Eric Pincus, Bleacher Report
Most important NBA player on every Atlantic Division team
Fansided
‘Under’ under-the-radar NBA players: 4 lesser-known names who could contribute for the 2025-26 season
Morten Stig Jensen, Yahoo Sports
TEAM-SPECIFIC
BKN: The ABA 73-74 Nets are still the youngest team to win a pro hoops title
Ray LeBov/Bill Melchionni, No Weak Stuff
BKN: Point guard competition takes center court as Nets push pace under Jordi Fernández
CJ Holmes, Daily News
The rest of the team-specific stories and today’s draft-related stories follow for paid subscribers