Four NBA conference finalists, four paths. The league has more parity than ever, and it’s by design. Commissioner Adam Silver has wanted a more NFL-like model of contenders and fewer of the dynastic mainstay franchises that plant their flags in late spring.
The goal: June belongs to no one.
It seemed like a foregone conclusion a month ago that the Boston Celtics would be here or that a year ago the Indiana Pacers would have a long runway. It certainly looked that way for Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, but they haven’t been back to the NBA’s version of the Final Four since their 2023 title run.
Some teams have repeatedly knocked on the door but have yet to break through, including the Minnesota Timberwolves. Others seem at the doorstep, such as the Detroit Pistons, hoping to build through continuity and perhaps some opportunistic personnel moves.
So, while the Oklahoma City Thunder-San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks-Cleveland Cavaliers matchups have the NBA’s full attention (the Knicks can close out the Cavs in Monday’s Game 4, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN), the other 26 franchises are quietly at work.
There are plenty of roster-building lessons from the 2026 Thunder, Spurs, Knicks and Cavs. But which franchises would benefit most by taking a page from their blueprints?
Jump to a team:
Thunder | Spurs
Knicks | Cavaliers
Lesson: Don’t panic
It will be incredibly difficult for another front office to emulate Sam Presti’s calculus, considering the Thunder were built by desperation from the LA Clippers, with the oft-discussed 2019 Paul George trade netting Oklahoma City a future two-time MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the draft pick that would land Jalen Williams. The genius of Presti was recognizing what the NBA market called for at the moment and going counter, taking a step back in the wake of the Golden State Warriors’ dynastic run. Meanwhile, other teams were lining up for their moment in the sun, creating leaguewide desperation to pry open a championship window. It wasn’t just the Clippers who fueled this current version of the Thunder. The Houston Rockets acquired Oklahoma City franchise icon Russell Westbrook in exchange for Chris Paul and a bevy of draft picks.
And when the Thunder were upset in the second round in 2024 after tying for the best record in the Western Conference, Presti kept a cool head. His biggest moves felt like transactions on the margins, such as trading Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and signing free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein to a short, cap-consuming deal that aligns with Oklahoma City’s books. Presti will eat from the trough of the Clippers forever, but being able to balance the urgency of the present while not fully sacrificing the future is almost impossible to replicate.
One team that should emulate: Boston. The Celtics still have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to build around, but their first-round collapse this postseason reopened familiar conversations about whether the star wing duo should be broken up. Perhaps Boston should instead emulate a few of the Thunder’s most recent additions. Like Oklahoma City, the Celtics won a championship after finding the right mix of veterans in Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. All three left last summer as part of Boston’s cost-cutting moves.
Other teams that should be watching closely: Milwaukee, Memphis, Clippers, Indiana, Chicago, Utah, Golden State.
Lesson: Positions? What positions?
Spurs general manager Brian Wright has been quietly building a versatile group of players who operate similarly and perhaps have some overlap, but he seemed to eschew conventional thinking in some ways.
Trading for De’Aaron Fox in the same year as having Chris Paul step in and, more importantly, after having drafted Stephon Castle, felt like too much of one thing, especially when people weren’t sure how much Fox contributed to winning and with him being up for a contract extension. Three players, three timelines.
And the most critical player, Victor Wembanyama, needed a foundation. What ensued was the Spurs gathering a bunch of switchable, versatile players who still had room to grow without stepping over each other. And Fox has been great as a younger vet on a big-money contract. The Spurs were building even while losing, allowing Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell to develop before getting Julian Champagnie on a two-way deal. Before you knew it, here comes Dylan Harper and Castle, players who can get to the basket on their own, defend their positions and, most importantly, funnel the rock to Wembanyama near the rim.
The Spurs seemed to build this team knowing Oklahoma City would eventually be the obstacle. Yes, lottery luck hit with Wembanyama, but it’s what the Spurs’ front office did after that that has them two wins from the NBA Finals.
One team that should emulate: Houston. As with Fox in San Antonio, Houston’s investment in an expensive star such as Kevin Durant was a gamble. But the Rockets have the makings for what succeeds in the NBA; they just need time and seasoning from Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard and perhaps Alperen Sengun. More veteran leadership in the return of Fred VanVleet from a knee injury and another year of experience is what this group needs, rather than a seismic upheaval in the wake of a first-round upset.
Other teams that should be watching closely: Washington, Sacramento, Atlanta, Portland, Phoenix, Brooklyn
2:28
Quentin Richardson: The Cavs can’t stop Jalen Brunson
Quentin Richardson discusses the Cavaliers’ lack of energy after their loss to Jalen Brunson and the Knicks in Game 3.
Lesson: Resist temptation
On one hand, the Knicks gave up a treasure trove of draft picks to acquire Mikal Bridges, who could turn out to be the final player in piecing together this June puzzle. But for the first one, go back to 2022, when the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks were battling in the first round.
Donovan Mitchell, as everyone knew, was angling for New York that summer. Meanwhile, Dallas guard Jalen Brunson was up for free agency after the front office bungled extension talks. Instead of the splashy move, the Knicks chose to sign Brunson outright instead of trading draft picks for Mitchell.
Leaning into Brunson as the centerpiece meant trading ball-dominant RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for lower-maintenance 3-and-D wing OG Anunoby. New York then acquired Josh Hart for a first-round pick and reserve wing Cam Reddish. The biggest risk came when trading former All-NBA forward Julius Randle for Karl-Anthony Towns, but through two seasons, the big man has proved to be a perfect fit with the Knicks’ starting group.
Less than a year after making that major splash to land Towns, the Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks entered into a quiet but exclusive negotiating period to see if a deal could be had for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Nothing materialized, but the Knicks’ prudence proved to be the right move. And through old-fashioned, player-by-player team-building, the Knicks are on the brink of their first Finals appearance since 1999.
One team that should emulate: Detroit. Cade Cunningham has shown he is the goods. The Pistons are ahead of schedule in their development, but every move should be made with Cunningham’s long-term development in mind, similar to New York and Brunson. Detroit just needs more shooting to go with the defense and athleticism it already has.
Other teams that should be watching closely: Lakers, Philadelphia, Toronto, Dallas
Lesson: Take the big swing; worry about fit later
The Cavaliers were not content in meandering through the second post-LeBron James era. So, one year after drafting Evan Mobley with the third pick in 2021, Cleveland jumped at the opportunity to acquire Donovan Mitchell after the All-Star guard requested a trade out of Utah.
Four years later, Cleveland traded for another ball-dominant scoring guard in 36-year-old James Harden, whose relationship with the Clippers had soured around a lack of an extension. No one was sure the relationship with Mitchell would last this long, and perhaps that stands to be tested this summer, but no doubt it has been successful during the franchise’s run to its first conference finals since 2018.
Koby Altman keeps tweaking the roster, even with its obvious flaws, but hasn’t veered toward a rebuild just because a title seems like a mirage. They would not have made it this far without Harden. His defensive limitations at his age affects their ceiling, but he ultimately raised their floor.
One team that should emulate: Minnesota. The Timberwolves seem as if they are always searching for the next splash. Already this spring, they’ve been mentioned in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes and with Ja Morant. Like Cleveland, Minnesota won’t be a free agent destination, but it doesn’t mean Wolves president Tim Connelly is afraid to take big swings. This franchise should be as desperate as any to find a No. 2 star next to Anthony Edwards.
Other teams that should be watching closely: Orlando, Miami, Denver, Charlotte, New Orleans
