Drafting vs. Free Agency: Which is the way to go in today’s NBA?
July 9, 2022
On June 23, the 2022 NBA draft took place. As these college prospects finally had their life long dreams come true, an often debated question came to many viewers’ and analysts’ minds: should teams focus on building their rosters through the draft or through free agency?
It’s not an easy question as there are benefits to each kind of roster building.When it comes to the NBA draft, teams have the opportunity to sign players to rookie contracts where they can excerpt their services at a fraction of the price of what star players in the association cost. Having a home-grown team could theoretically help a team gather more superstar-caliber players, at least for a period of time. And loyalty seems to be an important factor for fans and players alike, as players like Kevin Durant have been constantly criticized for their lack of loyalty within the association.
With free agency (and trade, for that matter), programs can focus on building their team with the players that are most established in the association, rather than taking a chance on a college prospect that could be a hit or a bust.
One of the best examples to look at regarding this debate is none other than the 2022 NBA Finals with the Warriors taking on the Celtics.
The Golden State Warriors are a team built almost completely from the draft. Their three core players, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, were all drafted by the team and have played their entire careers for the Dubs. Curry and Thompson were both drafted towards the middle of the first round, while Green was drafted in the second round. The Warriors drafted these three players and gave them time to develop, especially Curry, who became an All-Star in just his fifth season in the NBA.
Beyond the big three, the Warriors also drafted big-man Kevon Looney and up and coming fan-favorite Jordan Poole. They were not signed in free agency, they weren’t traded for — rather, they were drafted but split time between the NBA and the G-League.
The Boston Celtics‘ top two players, All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Taytum, were both drafted and developed by the team. 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart was also drafted and developed by the team, as well as promising center Robert Williams III.
Both teams fought long and hard to earn their place in the NBA’s top stage. Especially the Celtics, who survived three elimination games before the Finals. The team went 3-0 when facing these games to keep their season alive.
These championship contenders were built from within the organization, as countless hours of scouting and working out prospects allowed them to build incredible teams. Other teams who focused more on trading and signing free agents did not find as much success this season, a testament to the process of drafting and developing players. Players like Al Horford and Andrew Wiggins were acquired to bolster their rosters, but ultimately their core came from their own draft room on those fateful June nights.
Ultimately, fans love to watch free agency and predict where their favorite players are going to go. At the end of the day though, most championship teams are built through the draft, as the advantages of drafting your stars over signing them are vital to achieving at the highest level of success.
