When word spread in August that New Orleans starting small forward Solomon Hill would be sidelined for a significant portion of the season with a left hamstring injury, E’Twaun Moore quickly realized that it might impact his role in 2017-18. A 6-foot-4, six-year NBA veteran who’s generally considered a shooting guard, Moore has plenty of experience at other positions. In fact, he believes versatility and adaptability have been a factor in keeping him in the NBA.
“That’s helped me out with sticking in the league,” Moore said. “Teams want guys who can do multiple things. We are down a player now, with Solomon out, so if I have to help fill that void, I’ll look forward to it. If there is another position I need to play, like point guard, that’s one of the things that’s helped me stay valuable. I will definitely look forward to the challenge.”
Few late second-round picks last long in the NBA, but the No. 55 overall selection in the 2011 draft by Boston signed a four-year free-agent contract with New Orleans last summer. He’s seen a change in philosophy and style of play since his rookie season, placing him in an array of different situations. As his career has progressed, he’s been relied upon to play small forward in many downsized lineups, particularly during his two-year Orlando stint and last season with New Orleans. Relying on a 6-4 player at one forward spot can present some defensive challenges, but so many teams have followed Golden State’s lead in going small that Moore rarely deals with a substantial height disadvantage.
“When I first came into the league, and one of the reasons I got drafted, was everyone wanted big shooting guards, big small forwards and true point guards,” Moore said. “But after my first two or three years in the league, everything began changing. Now there are a lot of combo guards, guys who can play multiple positions and can handle the ball, drive. The wings now are not as big as they used to be. There are really only a couple wings now who are really big and skilled – Paul George and Kevin Durant. They’re probably the biggest guys (you face as a small forward).”
Based on his on-court experience in recent seasons, the 28-year-old is well-prepared to shift over to the “three” position if necessary. After Hill’s injury, New Orleans’ coaching staff spoke with the Chicago native about the possibility of being needed more there.
“We’ve talked about it a little bit,” Moore said. “Some of the coaches have said, ‘You might have to play small forward some.’ Offensively, we’re mostly interchangeable (between the wing positions), but on the defensive end, it means you’ll probably have to guard bigger guys. I’ve done it the past couple years, so it’s not new. It’s fun and I look forward to it.”
Offensively, Moore has seen his skill set become more valuable, particularly with an extreme increased emphasis on three-point shooting and spacing. Moore shot 37.0 percent from beyond the arc in his first season with the Pelicans, connecting on a career-best 77 makes. Over the past two seasons combined, he’s shot a hair under 40 percent on treys.
“Teams want to play faster, shoot a lot of threes and be able to get up and down the court,” he said of the Golden State-inspired trend. “To do that, you have to have players who are skilled and versatile.”