If You Want to Make the Finals, Build Through the Draft

When you're watching the NBA Finals, something should stand out about each roster. Not the stars on both sides, but rather the way these rosters were constructed. When you look at talent for both teams, you may notice that almost every important player is playing for the team that drafted them. This year's Finals were no different, as the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics both built their rosters through the draft. 

Throughout NBA history, the majority of championship teams have constructed their roster from the ground up by using the draft as the key to success. Whether it's Magic Johnson's Lakers, Michael Jordan's Bulls, or Tim Duncan's Spurs, almost every championship roster was driven by homegrown talent. The same can be said for the Warriors, whose longtime success in the draft propelled them to their fourth championship in the last eight years. Sure, there are some exceptions, such as the 2019 Raptors and 2020 Lakers, whose top two players were acquired by free agency or trade. However, both teams used previous draft selections to acquire a big time star who proved to be the missing piece, whether it was Kawhi Leonard for the Raptors or Anthony Davis for the Lakers. 

Despite this, there are still teams who set out build championship caliber rosters to pursue marquee players who are either free agents or on the trade block. This year's Nets and Lakers are primary examples. The Nets went into the season hoping that their big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden would lead them to a championship. Instead, Kyrie's refusal to take the Covid vaccine, Durant's knee injury, and Harden's desire to seek a trade culminated in the trio playing only two games this season. Even when Kyrie returned full time, the Nets got swept in the first round and with Kyrie's future uncertain, Durant might be the only one left by the time next season starts.

Out west, the Los Angeles Lakers believed they needed a third star, and would acquire Russell Westbrook on draft night. With a big three of LeBron James, Westbrook, and Davis, the Lakers looked set up to be on a collision course with the Nets. However, Los Angeles wouldn't even make the play-in tournament, as their supposed big three only played 21 games together. While their 11-10 record suggests the Lakers could've made the playoffs had all three been healthy, they would've been an early exit as they were never more than three games above .500. As of now, it's hard to imagine that the Lakers could be successful next season without parting ways with one of the three players.

On the other hand, the Golden State Warriors returned to the NBA's pinnacle after two non-playoff seasons thanks to the talent they've developed over the years. Besides Andrew Wiggins, their whole core is made up of players who they took a chance on in the draft. The first three guys that typically come to mind are Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. They set the foundation for Golden State's' long time success and each of them have been on the team for every single one of their championships during this dynasty. Additionally, Golden State's 2019 draft pick Jordan Poole developed into a reliable scorer, averaging 17 points off the bench in the playoffs. The most impressive part about Golden State's success in the draft is the fact that Curry was the highest selection at number seven, with Thompson being the only other lottery pick at 11. 

As for the Boston Celtics, their success in the draft started in 2013 when they traded franchise cornerstones Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets for a ransom of long term picks. Fast forward to 2022 and Boston's top three players - Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart - are all prized possessions of the trade. Tatum is clearly the alpha dog of the three, but Brown has developed his game beyond dunking, while Marcus Smart became the first point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton in 1996. Boston has also seen Robert Williams and Grant Williams take significant steps this season. Robert Williams in particular has a really bright future and could win a DPOY. Although Boston lost in six games, they are still very much contenders after some had written them off earlier in the season. 

Any team will gain more attention from the media if they manage to acquire a star or two. They will be on national TV plenty of times and tickets will go up significantly. However, this isn't always the right formula toward building a championship team, as most of these moves don't yield the long term results many would expect. When watching the NBA Finals, general managers should realize that both teams have a least one major contributor who they previously drafted. This year was just another addition to the long list of Finals matchups where both teams had gotten to this point through the draft.