Its a copycat league. Every time we get a new set of NBA Finals teams, the league looks at how they were built and attempts to match that or draw on its for inspiration when shaping its own rosters in the next transactional windows, which in this case is the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Draft will open up in Late June, after the NBA Finals concludes and 29 other teams will be attempting to get to where the final one is standing. A key way to do that is copying how the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are built.
Of course, you can not win a title in this league without top of the roster guys. An NBA team needs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Tyrese Haliburton and to flank them with a Jalen Williams and Pascal Siakam. However, it goes deeper than that for Oklahoma City and Indiana.
In both of these two teams routes to the NBA Finals, they have called on the likes of Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ben Sheppard, Obi Toppin, Thomas Bryant, Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard each having moments or games to flip series along the way helping these teams climb mountains to reach the peak of the sport.
While other rosters fell short, not having quality players to turn to in an attempt to jumpstart a pre-planned rotation that was flat on a given night or didn’t have the matchup answers to a certain problem.
Depth is key again in the NBA, not only is the season long and injuries can happen, but with teams having multiple style of plays within a 48 minute game you never know what archetype you need on a given night.
In the 2025 NBA Draft, teams seeking to fill out its roster should not just aim for the high upside swing or the ceilings lofted in highest in the air. Instead, selecting a safe, playable and quality player that can make an impact early and often on a cost controlled talent.
There are lessons to learn from this NBA Finals.
