Big Three no more?
The league could be ushering a "new era" of team development and construction, if the 2024 NBA Finals are any indication.
The Dallas Mavericks vs Boston Celtics matchup for the Larry O'Brien trophy marks the sixth consecutive season that the league will be celebrating a different NBA champion.
The trend started with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers (2020), the Milwaukee Bucks (2021), the Golden State Warriors (2022), and the Denver Nuggets (2023). None of those teams made it to this year's conference finals.
"Really speaks to the level of competition, the depth of talent league-wide, the amount of parity that we have in our league right now," said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum in a call with international media.
"So I do think that what we're seeing is a new era of team development and team composition and roster," he added. "We believe that spreading out our talent across the league is great for the league. We're seeing that in terms of the amount of parity and the number of teams going into a season that are competitive and think they have a chance for a championship."
With that in mind, here's how the core of the teams in the 2024 NBA Finals have been built.
Boston Celtics
The Cs are seeking their first title since 2008 and are going for a record 18th overall.
- Jaylen Brown: Selected third overall in 2016 NBA Draft
- Jayson Tatum: Selected third overall in 2017 NBA Draft
- Payton Pritchard: Selected 26th overall in 2020 NBA Draft
- Luke Kornet: Acquired during 2020-21 NBA season
- Al Horford: Acquired during 2021 offseason | Traded from Oklahoma City
- Sam Hauser: Signed as undrafted free agent during 2021 offseason
- Derrick White: Acquired during 2021-22 NBA season | Traded from San Antonio
- JD Davison: Selected 53rd overall in 2022 NBA Draft
- Kristaps Porzingis: Acquired during 2023 offseason | Traded from Washington
- Jrue Holiday: Acquired during 2023 offseason | Traded from Portland
- Jordan Walsh: Draft rights traded from Sacramento in 2023
- Oshae Brissett: Signed on July 2023
- Svi Mykhailiuk: Signed on August 2023
- Neemias Queta: Signed on September 2023
- Drew Peterson: Signed on December 2023
- Jaden Springer: Traded from Philadelphia in 2024
- Xavier Tillman: Traded from Memphis in 2024
- Joe Mazzulla: Hired as head coach during 2022 offseason
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs are seeking their second franchise championship, led by the high-scoring duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
- Dwight Powell: Acquired during the 2014-15 season | Traded from Boston
- Maxi Kleber: Signed during the 2017 offseason
- Luka Doncic: Selected third overall in 2018 NBA Draft, acquired by Dallas on draft night | Draft rights traded from Atlanta
- Tim Hardaway Jr.: Acquired during the 2018-19 season | Traded from New York
- Josh Green: Selected 18th overall in 2020 NBA Draft
- Jaden Hardy: Selected 37th overall in 2022 NBA Draft, acquired by Dallas on draft night | Draft rights traded from Sacramento
- AJ Lawson: Signed on December 2022
- Kyrie Irving: Acquired during the 2022-23 season | Traded from Brooklyn
- Dereck Lively II: Selected 12th overall in 2023 NBA Draft, acquired by Dallas on draft night | Draft rights traded from Oklahoma City
- Dante Exum: Signed during the 2023 offseason
- Brandon Williams: Signed on December 2023
- Olivier-Maxence Prosper: Draft rights traded from Sacramento in 2023
- Greg Brown III: Signed on August 2023
- Derrick Jones Jr.: Signed during the 2023 offseason
- Markieff Morris: Traded from Brooklyn in 2023
- PJ Washington: Acquired during the 2023-24 season | Traded from Charlotte
- Daniel Gafford: Acquired during the 2023-24 season | Traded from Washington
- Alex Fudge: Signed on March 2024
- Jason Kidd: Hired as head coach during 2021 offseason
