In today's NBA? Size matters like never before

A look at one of the league's most pertinent trends

The NBA, if you haven't noticed, has become huge.

That was one of my standout takeaways from phone calls with team personnel throughout the preseason, in addition to our — proven correct! — hypothesis that front offices and owners were starting to have sticker shock about rising player salaries to a degree that would drive down the overall value of various rookie scale contract extensions. I heard over and over, on top of the mounting dread regarding contracts that consume an ever-higher percentage of a team's salary cap, that countless teams were proud of how large their rosters are.

Hawks folks were thrilled about how big their squad now stands with 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porziņģis rounding out a frontcourt alongside massive forwards Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher. The Sixers started Adem Bona next to Joel Embiid in exhibition play. Denver has played Jonas Valančiūnas next to Nikola Jokić. The Mavericks stunned Lakers head coach JJ Redick when they debuted their supersized lineup that, despite a 2-3 start, still features the 6-foot-9 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg at point guard.

"I think it's a trend that I think will stick for a while," Redick told reporters postgame.

Why, though? Especially when the league was not very long ago seemingly so ready to pronounce that NBA big men were going extinct?