Reason II: 103 NBA games is a drop in the bucket
If a full NBA season is 82 games, Jahlil Okafor played just slightly more than one NBA season. 1.25 seasons hardly defines an NBA career. Try as you might, no player is defined by one NBA season. None.
Daily Knicks
It’s all they’ve got.
On one hand yes, there is a trend among the NBA right now to be backcourt-centric. On the other hand, there are good reasons for that. NBA centers and front court talent have not been as plentiful in recent drafts. In fact, many teams have continued to load up on back court talent and continue to fall short of or in the playoffs. The Washington Wizards, the Boston Celtics, the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers all have had glaring needs up front. And yet, they have taken talent where they can find it.
Be patient
So while the trend to the small ball game format is certainly ongoing, I don’t think any team playing small ball is necessarily better, just more common.
But even if the trend gave indisputable evidence, that is merely the current trend. At some point, someone will invent a scheme to give big men more value. Right now the price of the big guy is deflating. Just ask Nerlens Noel, who sought a max contract. He is nowhere near the offensive peer of Okafor, but he can play solid D.
Right now, the NBA says “so what?” and is not rushing to sign him up.
That is the value of the NBA center right now. Cheap labor for a roster, necessary ingredient to win it all. Some team (talking to you Sixers) will figure out the way to translate the center into a key component of championship play soon. At just 103 games experience, you can bet Okafor will be a factor in that future.