NBA: Which player archetypes are an endangered species?

The NBA’s Endangered Species list

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: Andre Drummond #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts against the Miami Heat during the second half at American Airlines Arena on February 22, 2020 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

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1. Glass cleaners

At the high school and collegiate level, rebounding is essential to succeed. Therefore, big men who were elite rebounders at the lower level were pretty much guaranteed to be a top draft pick barring any extreme circumstances. Nowadays, though, that skill alone won’t be enough to be drafted.

Power forwards and centers are required to have some sort of shooting ability from beyond the arc. That’s why Andre Drummond (13.8 boards per game for his career) was traded and Towns (a career 39.6 percent 3-point shooter along with 22.7 points and 11.8 rebounds a night) is highly regarded as the best offensive frontcourt player in the league.

Another recent trend is the teams who usually lead the league in rebounding are lower-tier due to their lack of shooting. The top rebounding teams in the NBA this season included the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers. The Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Pelicans were among the top rebounding teams last season.

This trend has some teams moving away from seeking a pure elite rebounder and focusing more on acquiring two superstars who excel at multiple facets of the game, especially shooting.

Current “Endangered” glass cleaners: Bismack Biyombo, Willie Cauley-Stein, Andre Drummond, Marcin Gortat, DeAndre Jordan, Hassan Whiteside

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