As any GM approaches a draft, free agency, or the trade market, he is forced to compare and value players across different positions with different skillset. Often, need serves as a key differentiator. That mindset sometimes comes back to bite teams — who can forget James Wiseman being picked one pick before LaMelo Ball because the Warriors needed a center more than a point guard. Teams can benefit by understanding the tradeoffs of acquiring different positions and players with different skills across those positions.
This analysis hopes to answer which stats can separate players at different positions — big men who can pass are much more rare than guards who can pass, and their rarity makes them perhaps the most valued subset of the player pool relative to their peers. It’s how Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid dominate the league. For younger players, this analysis can show what key skill or skills can potentially set them apart from an average player and get them paid like a star at their position.
Note: the solid white lines on the below graphs represent the overall, cross-positional value of each skill, while the dashed line represents neutral value
Point Guards
Traditionally, point guards are the facilitators of an offense — high assist players who may not score as much themselves. Recently, point guards have increasingly become the drivers of their teams’ offenses both as scorers and facilitators. Steph Curry, Trae Young, Luka Doncic lead this point guard renaissance, as both the faces of their respective franchises and of the league’s offensive revolution. While the drawbacks of a having singular offensive engine are acute when they are off the court or guarded more aggressively, the data shows teams continue to value scoring PGs.
Point guards can benefit disproportionately from making three-pointers and getting steals. In the early 2010s, assisting point guards were valued highly, but are now only valued at league-average rates. Turnover-prone point guards, however, have been penalized more than league average, making the tradeoff between assists and turnovers a financial one as well as an in-game one.
Rebounding guards like Russell Westbrook do not see their work on the glass adding much value, but may add value if they bring that same approach to steals.
Shooting Guards
Shooting guards interestingly make less per made three than the rest of the league, perhaps an indicator that they are expected to be able to hit deep shots and don’t get rewarded for it as a result.
In the 2000s and early 2010s, assisting shooting guards were extremely highly valued, but that excitement has cooled in recent years.
Small Forwards
Small forwards, along with power forwards and centers, make disproportionately more for assists. Shooting small forwards have been valued at a similar increasing rate to other positions, both in terms of points and threes. For small forwards, creating offense for others through assists appears to be the most value-creating skill.
Power Forwards
Power forwards also make more for assists and follow the league-average lines for scoring. A recent rise in the value of made free-throws has also become prevalent for both power forwards, as teams value getting fouls and making shots from the free throw line.
Centers
Centers again make more for assists, but interestingly don’t get penalized nearly as much for turnovers as any other position. Passing big men are extremely valuable, even without a stellar assist-to-turnover ratio.
Big men who can pass are much more rare than guards who can pass, and their rarity makes them perhaps the most valued subset of the player pool relative to their peers. It’s how Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid manage to dominate the league. The impact of the NBA’s shooting evolution can be seen in the increasing value of shooting three point shots, especially for point guards.