NBA Conference Finalists Offer Roster-Building Lessons for Other Teams

The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers reached the 2026 NBA conference finals. Each team followed a distinct roster-building path, and other franchises are reviewing those methods.

The Thunder roster was assembled after earlier trades and draft selections. Officials added players on short-term contracts and made marginal trades to fill specific needs. The team maintained flexibility while keeping future draft assets. Boston officials are among those expected to study the Thunder model. The Celtics lost in the first round and face decisions about their core players.

Antonio officials acquired De'Aaron Fox while also having Chris Paul and Stephon Castle on the roster. The moves created overlap at the guard position. General manager Brian Wright has emphasized versatility over traditional positional roles.

The Knicks can close the series against the Cavaliers in Game 4 on Monday at 8 p.m. ET. Other teams, including Milwaukee, Memphis, Indiana, Chicago, Utah and Golden State, are also monitoring the finalists' methods.