Which NBA Deals Provided the Biggest Lessons?

The NBA is a league where imitation is common. Teams closely watch successful playoff runs to adopt winning strategies. Conversely, failures are studied to avoid repeating mistakes.

After a busy year of trades and free agency, it`s time to analyze the lessons learned about building a successful team. While the upcoming playoffs might shift perspectives, many key moves from last summer and the trade deadline have already shown their impact, for better or worse.

Here are eight lessons from the past year`s transactions to guide teams aiming to improve this summer.

1. Don`t Trade a Generational 25-Year-Old Superstar Without Warning

This lesson should be obvious, but experience has made it clear.

Since February, the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, faced fan backlash, and saw most of their key players injured. (Partly due to Anthony Davis` return from injury, Dallas has won four of their last five games and is back in play-in contention.)

2. Surround Young Stars with Shooters for Best Results

Detroit Pistons` Cade Cunningham is a leading candidate for Most Improved Player. But is his improvement due to personal skill growth or a better team environment?

After a league-worst 14-68 record last season, the Pistons often used outdated lineups with poor spacing, reminiscent of their 2004 championship season, not today`s NBA. They ranked near the bottom in 3-pointers made, attempted, and accuracy. Only Jaden Ivey made over 100 threes, but at just 34%.

This offseason, Detroit hired a new coach and added shooters to support Cunningham. Malik Beasley signed and now leads the league in 3-pointers made. Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. were also added for shooting.

While Detroit`s overall 3-point shooting is average, the improved spacing has benefited both the team (now in playoff contention) and Cunningham. He`s an All-Star and leads the league in assists to Beasley for 3-pointers. This lesson is crucial for teams like the Orlando Magic, who struggle with 3-point shooting and need to support young stars like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

3. Be Cautious with Expensive Free Agents in Their 30s

Here are the biggest contracts for free agents who switched teams last summer:

• Paul George (34 years old): four years, $212 million
• Isaiah Hartenstein (26): three years, $87 million
• DeMar DeRozan (35): three years, $74 million
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (31): three years, $66 million
• Tobias Harris (32): three years, $52 million
• Klay Thompson (34): three years, $50 million

Only two of these players` teams improved, and one success is the youngest player, Hartenstein. The older free agents have largely underperformed.

George`s first season with the Philadelphia 76ers was disappointing and injury-plagued. His scoring decreased, and he struggled to compensate for Joel Embiid`s absence. The Sixers likely expected decline from George, but later in his contract, not at the start.

Caldwell-Pope also hasn`t met expectations in Orlando. While injuries hurt the Magic, they expected more from him. His 3-point percentage dropped significantly, and he scored his fewest points since his rookie year.

DeRozan and Thompson have decent stats for the Kings and Mavericks, but haven`t elevated their teams significantly. They might face each other in the play-in tournament. Thompson`s deal also limited Dallas`s roster flexibility due to salary cap restrictions, hindering their ability to replace injured players.

4. Don`t Sacrifice Current Talent for Long-Term Financial Concerns

The Timberwolves` trade of Karl-Anthony Towns was primarily financial. His large extension and upcoming extensions for Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels meant high luxury tax payments.

To be proactive, the Timberwolves traded Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to reduce costs. However, this made a potential Finals contender worse.

Towns is likely to make All-NBA with the Knicks, and his former team has regressed without him. The Timberwolves had already lost more games by February than all of last season and are now fighting to avoid the play-in after reaching the conference finals last year.

The main goal of owning an NBA team, especially one like the Timberwolves without a Finals history, should be winning, not just profit. This is a crucial lesson for owners, particularly the Boston Celtics, balancing a high luxury tax bill with a championship-caliber roster.

5. You Don`t Always Need to Trade Unhappy Stars

In today`s NBA, teams often trade unhappy star players. The assumption is that a trade is inevitable, so it`s best to move on quickly.

The Cleveland Cavaliers offer a different example. Rumors suggested Darius Garland might want a trade if Donovan Mitchell extended his contract. Mitchell signed, but Garland stayed. The Cavaliers reportedly never considered trading Garland, and he didn`t request a trade.

The Mitchell-Garland backcourt works. Both became All-Stars, and the Cavaliers could have their best season ever.

Not all situations resolve peacefully (the Heat might regret not trading Jimmy Butler). But trading an unhappy star isn`t always the only option.

6. Midsize Contracts are Valuable

Contending teams often have a top-heavy roster with few mid-range contracts. The Nuggets and Suns have many high-salary players and few in the mid-range.

However, midsize contracts are valuable, especially for trades, due to salary-matching rules.

The Warriors` pursuit of Jimmy Butler illustrates this. They signed Buddy Hield, De`Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson to midsize contracts. Hield performed well. Melton was traded for Dennis Schroder (another midsize contract), and then Schroder and Anderson were used to trade for Butler.

The Suns, lacking midsize contracts, couldn`t acquire Butler without trading a star. They needed a direct salary match, while the Warriors could combine smaller contracts. Consequently, the Suns are struggling, while the Warriors are thriving after acquiring Butler.

7. Avoid Overpaying for Non-Stars in Trades

The Knicks were successful with signings like Jalen Brunson and trades for Josh Hart and OG Anunoby. To continue this, they traded for Mikal Bridges, another Villanova player.

However, the cost was high: five first-round picks and a swap to the Nets. This price was similar to deals for Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell, and Rudy Gobert. But those players were perennial All-Stars, while Bridges wasn`t a top player. Role players shouldn`t cost so much.

Even if Bridges was a missing piece, his performance in New York is less efficient than in Phoenix, and his defense has declined. The Knicks` defense is average and worse with Bridges on the court. Against top offenses, their defense is poor for a playoff team.

With a poor record against top teams, the Knicks are still below the top contenders, and the Bridges trade limits their future improvement options.

8. Enhance Your Strengths

The Thunder were already strong last season with the youngest roster and best record in the West. GM Sam Presti improved them by signing Isaiah Hartenstein and trading Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso.

Despite having a top-five defense, the Thunder sought even better defenders. Caruso is ranked as the most impactful defender, and Hartenstein is also top-ranked. This has created one of the best defenses in NBA history, contributing to the Thunder`s historic point differential.

In the NBA, you can`t have too much of a good thing. Great defense? Add more defenders. Great shooters? Draft more shooters. Great playmakers? Sign another. Top players complement each other, and this philosophy has driven the Thunder`s success.