I think it's more about having versatility than it is about playing small... For example, the reason the Warriors were so good was that they could play any way they wanted - they could go small or they could go big. Bogut was integral part of them beating the Grizzlies huge line up, but then didn't work against the more mobile Cleveland core and they went small. It's not all small and it's not all big. It's about giving the coach the versatility to play any style that would help him win a game, because if one way doesn't work he can always adjust and go the the other way and at least try to change the flow of either a game or playoff series.
That's one of the reasons this pick keeps growing on me. It gives us A LOT of versatility with our front court, especially if Lyles starts knocking down the jumpshots.