Size has always mattered in the NBA. Today, it matters less than ever.

Deandre Ayton #13 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrates on the court after the team defeated the USC Trojans 75-61 to win the championship game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 10, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. For as long as basketball has existed, size has been considered almost a prerequisite to a success. Consider how many of the dominant teams in NBA history had dominant big men — George Mikan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan — at their core.

The modern NBA, though, finds itself in a far different place. The two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors had six centers on their roster last…