Is AK right?
Not long ago, Chicago Bulls’ Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas boldly remarked, “I think [there are] different structures that you can try to get to [a] championship. There’s 2-3 star players and then a lot of role players, or you can build it [with] 9-10 very good players. And I think now we’re leaning towards [having] a lot of solid, good players.”
The backlash from said statement was fierce. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor posted, “In NBA history who are the championship teams with no stars and 9-10 very good players?” ESPN’s Jamal Collier’s post echoing Karnišovas’ sentiment was met with disgust not only from Bulls’ fans, but from fans and pundits around the league.
Karnišovas’s roster building strategy came under fire
It’s almost impossible to agree with the Bulls VP of basketball operations’ ideology. Recent NBA Champions have rostered Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, and so on. Not one of those players falls under the “very good” category. They’re all multi-time All-Stars.
Several NBA buffs mentioned the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons as the most recent team to win an NBA Championship with a squad composed of “very good” players. But, as numerous aficionados pointed out, calling Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, and even Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince “very good” is an insult. The former two are Hall-of-Famers while the latter three made either an All-Star team or an All-Defensive team in their illustrious careers.
Nevertheless, Karnišovas might be onto something. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement has made roster building extremely difficult. No longer are the days of the infamous “big threes.” Paying three superstars max salary is a death sentence, just ask the Phoenix Suns. 106 percent of Phoenix’s salary cap was tied up in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. All to miss the postseason altogether.
The days of complete, well-balanced, versatile teams are here. While nine to 10 very good players might not be the best strategy, one to two stars surrounded by six or seven good players is the newfound tried and true method. And, if any remaining team best resembles this strategy, it’s the Indiana Pacers.
The Indiana Pacers are a perfect example of a well-balanced roster
The 50-win Pacers fielded one All-Star this season—Pascal Siakam. While Tyrese Haliburton holds the mantle as Indiana’s most important player, he’s only a two-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA Third Team selection. The rest of the roster has combined for zero All-Star and All-NBA selections.
Yet, Indiana has advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in two consecutive seasons. The Pacers’ success is undoubtedly attributed to their deep roster. 11 Pacers appeared in 45 or more contests and averaged at least 10 minutes per game. Rick Carlisle’s extended rotation saw seven different players average double-digits, the same amount as a season ago.
Deep into the postseason, Carlisle’s rotation went 10 deep against the New York Knicks in a thrilling Game 1 victory. While Haliburton hit the most important shot of the night, Aaron Nesmith was the unsung hero, dropping 30 points, including 20 and six three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Haliburton also led his team in plus/minus, at plus-15. However, second-year pro Ben Sheppard came in right behind, recording a plus-14 in merely seven minutes of action. Carlisle’s trust for Sheppard was evident, as he trotted the 23-year-old out with the game on the line. Sheppard played the final seven minutes of the game and was tasked with defending the Clutch Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson. Sheppard held Brunson to six points (one from the free throw line) and a turnover on 2-of-4 shooting.
The Pacers’ depth ultimately led to the victory, and Karnišovas should take note. Indiana’s roster was the 16th most expensive in the NBA, only $9 million more than Chicago’s. The Bulls, soon-to-be similarly financially constructed (with extensions for Coby White and Josh Giddey looming), must prepare to build a similar roster to that of the wildly successful Pacers.
The Bulls will be armed with a $14.1 million non-tax midlevel exception to sign a quality role player. Moreover, like the past season, Billy Donovan will rely on a deep roster with multiple moving parts. A well-balanced roster, coupled with two pseudo-stars, the Bulls are on the right path. Still, these “pseudo-stars” must take the next step to near or All-Star level, while their counterparts must elevate their games to be trusted in high-pressure situations like Nesmith and Sheppard.