NBA may move to position less all NBA

[celticsclay]

League is considering making the move for next season
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/267229/NBA-NBPA-Will-Consider-Removing-Positions-From-All-NBA-Teams

I have no problem with it as we have already made the move in the all star game.

[Roy H.]

I wouldn't want to see it purely positionless; I don't think we need five guards.

I'd say perhaps two forwards / centers

Two guards.

One position for either.

[RJ87]

There's so many player contract incentives tied into making All-NBA that I think the league really needs to flesh out and clearly define the criteria for All-NBA before moving to a positionless format.

[Roy H.]

There's so many player contract incentives tied into making All-NBA that I think the league really needs to flesh out and clearly define the criteria for All-NBA before moving to a positionless format.

That's a good point.  You've got to make sure any change took into account the fair expectations of the players and the teams when they negotiated these incentives.

[celticsclay]

I wouldn't want to see it purely positionless; I don't think we need five guards.

I'd say perhaps two forwards / centers

Two guards.

One position for either.

Good point Roy I hadn’t thought about 5 forwards or 5 guards making it. That would not really be fair. I think your suggestion. I think then only people this could hurt are like gobert and towns and maybe someone like ayton if he develops (no longer having a third center spot they are competing for.

[footey]

I wouldn't want to see it purely positionless; I don't think we need five guards.

I'd say perhaps two forwards / centers

Two guards.

One position for either.

Good point Roy I hadn’t thought about 5 forwards or 5 guards making it. That would not really be fair. I think your suggestion. I think then only people this could hurt are like gobert and towns and maybe someone like ayton if he develops (no longer having a third center spot they are competing for.

I disagree. What is a guard? What is a forward? Sometimes Jaylen is a guard (this year) and sometimes he's a forward (prior years).  If the five "best" players are guards, so be it.  That is very unlikely to happen but if it does, it is because the league as being played favors more nimble guys who can shoot.  I think the only disconnect is when two guys who are obviously centers (e.g. Embiid and Jokic) both making first team; it  doesn't really feel like a starting team with both of them on the team. But All NBA team never plays!!

[bdm860]

I wouldn't want to see it purely positionless; I don't think we need five guards.

I'd say perhaps two forwards / centers

Two guards.

One position for either.

Ya, truly positionless there would be some years I'd just hate the results.  Using MVP voting for a proxy:

In '94: Hakeem, David Robinson, Pippen, Shaq, and Ewing finished top 5.  That would put 4 Centers on your first team and a SF.

In '95: Robinson, Shaq, Karl Malone, Ewing, Olajuwon.  4 Centers and a PF.

In '00: Shaq, Garnett, Mourning, Malone, Duncan. 2 Centers, 2 PF, 1 PF/C.


I kind of feel like things like All-NBA Team, All-Defensive Team should actually have some semblance of a team somebody might actually put out on the court.  But of course, on the other hand All-Rookie Team has never worried about positions.


Maybe the NBA should move away from "Teams" and go to individual player rankings, where instead of 1st Team, 2nd Team, 3rd Team, voters rank their Top 3 Centers, Top 3 PFs, Top 3 SFs, etc.    They're still recognizing 15 players that way.