If we go position by position, SF is usually strong all time. But now, SF is kinda relatively weaker.
The best SFs in the game are:
Jaylen Brown, Butler, Lauri, Derozan, Ingram, etc
WHERE IS LEBRON/TATUM/KD/KAWHI?
They are now Power Forwards. They strengthen the PF spot. But left the SF weaker.
Ofc, I know some people will argue things like
“SF and PF are basically both Wings or Swings (Small Wing and Tall Wing)”
““There is no SF and PF now. Only Forwards””
But still , technically the Best SFs now is converted into PF for some reason.
Leaving Brown as the only Top 15 player in SF spot.
SG for sure
Ant, DBook, Spida, and who else? Nobody in top-25 I’m guessing
Kyrie if considered SG.
Then maybe Jdub and Lavine.
JDub & LaVine nowhere near NBA Top-25 man
SF WAS strong when the shot diet of every team was basically a pull up middy. The best SFs in the past 2 decades have been the best at draining those jumpers. You DONT want your 2nd/3rd string SG/SF to be going for middies shooting 30% Instead you want them to shoot layups and 3s.
It’s ball handlers, wings, and bigs
To answer OPs question: this happens quite a bit. Aging player in KD, Kawhi, and LeBron get slower, less athletic while developing “traditional” post moves in later life. That, coupled with the small ball meta of today’s NBA, would obviously shift them over to the 4.
SG is a bit weak right now too because a lot of players who’d traditionally be considered SGs (SGA, Luka, and even Cade) are now PGs. We might even see Ant be a PG if Minnesota decides they want DDV starting.
Probably SG right. There’s Book, Ant and Mitchell and that’s about it.
The archetype is pretty much dying as players that size would handle the ball more and just become the point.
It’s a center and guard league right now.
yuki and edey masterclass incoming
Celtics just won with their forwards playing pretty key roles, so this feels premature.
Warriors won their most recent championship by hoarding as many 6’8 wings as they could get