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Reading the 2017-18 Offseason: Rosters, Rebuilds and Draft Picks

The snippets on this page come from a familiar stretch of the NBA calendar: late summer, when free agency has mostly settled and front offices are filling the last spots on their rosters. Several of the storylines above are about that moment. They cover depth at point guard in San Antonio, veterans still waiting for a phone call, a rebuilding Chicago team, and the long story of Brooklyn's traded draft picks.

Why point guard depth matters

Teams coached by Gregg Popovich have long valued ball movement over one player dominating the ball. That puts real weight on backups who can run the offence without turning it over. For a club in that position, carrying several capable ball-handlers is insurance against injuries over an 82-game season. It also gives the coaching staff room to rest starters, which the Spurs were well known for.

Unsigned veterans

Players who go unsigned deep into the offseason often face a hard choice. They can take a minimum contract, wait for injuries to open a spot, or look overseas. Cap space is usually spent by then, so late signings tend to be short, cheap deals. For fans tracking a local roster, these moves are worth watching. A late addition can end up playing real minutes by midseason.

Rebuilds and the Nets picks

Chicago entered 2017-18 after trading Jimmy Butler, which signalled a full reset around younger players. Brooklyn's situation was a cautionary tale for the whole league. The 2013 trade with Boston sent away the Nets' own first-round picks, so the team could not benefit from losing. Analysts often cite it when discussing how to value future picks against established veterans.

Applying it closer to home

The same questions shape basketball at every level around Dallas:

• Who handles the ball when the starter sits?
• How does a roster handle injuries?
• Is a program building for this season or the next?

You can follow these questions through the current roster and the upcoming schedule. Older pieces live in the archive.