What the Shift Did to Rosters
Once shot selection changed, personnel decisions had to follow. Centers who could only score with their back to the basket became harder to play alongside modern spacing, while forwards and even some centers who could shoot from distance became more valuable regardless of their rebounding or defensive numbers. Teams stopped drafting and signing players purely for size, and started asking whether a big man's game could survive next to four shooters spread around the arc. That question did not exist in a serious way before the mid-2010s. It is now one of the first things a front office evaluates in a draft prospect or trade target, alongside the more traditional questions about athleticism and defense.
