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Message: [QUOTE="nelsonmuntz, post: 4841898, member: 833"] That is certainly conventional wisdom. Of course the NBA Final Four over the last 20 years completely undermines this assertion. How many teams got a big star win the Top 5 pick and then built up the team with "dime a dozen" role players? The 76ers are still trying to get out of the second round with that strategy. Recent NBA champs and the source of their top players: 2023 Nuggets - Jokic (2nd round). Murray (7th pick), Porter (14th) and Gordon (acquired star) 2022 Warriors - Curry (7th), Thompson (11th), Green (2nd round), Wiggins (acquired star) 2021 Bucks - Antetokounmpo (15th), Middleton (throw in on trade between two mediocre point guards), Holiday and Lopez (acquired stars) 2020 Lakers - Lebron and AD (acquired superstars), KCP (acquired quality player), Kuzma (27th pick) 2019 Raptors - no lottery picks on team 2018 Warriors - Curry (7th), Thompson (11th), Green (2nd round), Durant (acquired superstar) 2017 Warriors - Curry (7th), Thompson (11th), Green (2nd round), Durant (acquired superstar) 2016 Cavaliers - Lebron (acquired superstar), Love and JR Smith (acquired stars), Kyrie (HOMEGROWN TOP 5 PICK) You have to go back 8 years to find where one of the Top 4 players on a title team was a homegrown Top 5 pick. The way teams actually win titles is to find that superstar, which generally comes out of the first round, and then fill in stars around him through trades and free agency. With the exception of the 2020 Lakers, the Covid champ, the other recent champions were deep with quality players that could actually win games for teams. [/QUOTE]

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