The reception undersized point guards like Trae Young and Ja Morant have received in this year’s trade window has been genuinely surprising.
Many expected championship-caliber teams to throw everything they had at the chance of acquiring players of that talent level, yet that simply hasn’t been the case. On one hand, Trae was tarded in exchange for an aging CJ McCollum, whereas no team is ready to make a big splash for Ja.
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For Jeff Teague, a former point guard himself, this trend has only strengthened his belief that all NBA teams are gradually shifting toward a more European-style approach, wherein relying solely on an undersized point guard as the franchise centerpiece is no longer viewed as sustainable, especially in an era where the same position is getting filled by taller athletes.
Is the trend in the NBA changing?
There is real evidence to support that argument. The very definition of a point guard has evolved in today’s NBA. For instance, Luka Doncic is 6’8″, playing that position for the Lakers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 6’6″, playing that position for the OKC Thunder and Stephon Castle is 6’6″, playing the PG role for the Spurs.
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Naturally, this trend has pushed teams toward valuing size, length and versatility at that position, rather than the traditionally small and fast floor generals.
Moreover, given how Ja and Trae have rarely ignited buzz despite being available on the trade market, it has reinforced Teague’s belief that NBA teams are no longer interested in chasing players under 6’3″. Put simply, every team appears far less interested in committing major assets to shorter guards who can be targeted physically on the hardwood.
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“They’re trying to make it more of a European-style game. They just don’t wanna pay short people no more. They’re going to start moving to the Luka-type guard point forward,” Teague said on an episode of his ‘Club 520’ podcast. “I can’t win with my star player being a point guard.”
Trae and Ja are dealing with the repercussions of their antics
That being said, the situation is not purely about height.
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Another side of this conversation lies in the narratives around both Ja and Trae. For instance, Morant is increasingly viewed as a high-risk asset who can not only create problems for himself with his off-court antics and injury woes, but is also detrimental to a team’s structure if plans are not run according to him.
Similarly, it was reported that even Trae’s increasing restraint to help out defensively and give his all during training sessions made him an intensely complex superstar to deal with.
So, while, for now, undersized point guards have failed to generate the kind of interest most expected, it still remains unclear whether this is purely a philosophical shift or a coincidence driven by individual circumstances. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, one will get a clear answer when more players are traded from one team to another before the deadline arrives.
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But for now, at least Teague has identified a trend that most do not even realize at this point in the league.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.