The NBA still has had teams that are well put together than can win the title on majority top-heavy veteran extensions like the Knicks, but there is a real youth shift happening to where the Top 2 players are going to be on their rookie contracts or "fun maxes" and that's how teams win. That's just the reality. You have to draft well and hit on multiple core rotation players on good contracts to have the financial flexibility to fill out with key veterans. That's the NFL model for the most part right now, is win while the QB doesn't take a massive cap share so you can build out the rest of the roster.
Haven’t really made this point yet, but have been marinating on the thought…
If the Yaxel stuff is THIS real (I have no reason to believe it’s not)… the Warriors basically got the NBA version of a QB on a rookie contract.
Yaxel locked up for his athletic prime at 4% of the cap. Absolutely nuts.