Parity has become the defining feature of the 2026 NBA postseason, and the league’s final four clubs have taken markedly different routes to get here. With Oklahoma City facing San Antonio in the West and New York meeting Cleveland in the East, front offices across the NBA are studying each contender’s roster-construction playbook for clues on how to reach next June.
The Thunder and Spurs resume their series this week, while the Knicks can clinch an NBA Finals berth by winning Game 4 against the Cavaliers on Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Oklahoma City Thunder — Lesson: Stay Calm
General manager Sam Presti’s long game began with the 2019 deal that sent Paul George to the LA Clippers and delivered Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plus the draft pick used on Jalen Williams. A separate trade that year moved Russell Westbrook to Houston for Chris Paul and multiple first-round selections.
After a surprising second-round exit in 2024, Presti avoided drastic change. He shipped Josh Giddey to Chicago for Alex Caruso and signed free-agent center Isaiah Hartenstein on a short, cap-heavy contract that fits the team’s timeline. Boston, and any club wrestling with whether to break up a talented core, could benefit from Oklahoma City’s patience.
San Antonio Spurs — Lesson: Ignore Traditional Positions
Victor Wembanyama’s arrival via the 2023 lottery gave San Antonio a centerpiece. General manager Brian Wright then stacked the roster with interchangeable parts, trading for De’Aaron Fox the same year the Spurs drafted Stephon Castle and added veteran Chris Paul.
Wing scorers Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell have developed alongside two-way contributors Julian Champagnie, rookie Dylan Harper and Castle, creating a versatile unit built to switch defensively and feed Wembanyama at the rim. Houston, searching for the right mix around its young nucleus, is viewed as a prime candidate to copy San Antonio’s approach.
New York Knicks — Lesson: Resist the Splash
Instead of surrendering assets for Donovan Mitchell in 2022, New York signed Jalen Brunson outright. That decision cleared the path for subsequent moves: sending RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto for OG Anunoby, dealing Julius Randle for Karl-Anthony Towns and, most recently, acquiring Mikal Bridges for a haul of draft picks.
The Knicks even explored a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo last offseason but ultimately held firm, opting to build piece by piece. Detroit, with Cade Cunningham at the helm, could emulate New York’s measured strategy.
Cleveland Cavaliers — Lesson: Swing Big, Sort Fit Later
Cleveland accelerated its post-LeBron rebuild by trading for Mitchell in 2022, then doubled down four years later by acquiring 36-year-old James Harden from the Clippers. The pairing of two high-usage guards has flaws, but Harden’s playmaking lifted the Cavs to their first conference finals since 2018.
Minnesota, intent on finding a second star for Anthony Edwards, is cited as the next franchise that might benefit from Cleveland’s all-in mentality.
With four different models on display, the 2026 conference finalists have underscored a simple truth: there is no single path to the NBA’s biggest stage.
Source: ESPN
