"The modern NBA is typically a league built around competitive windows rather than perennial contention. Every team has missed the playoffs at least once in the past decade, except for the Boston Celtics (who last missed in 2013-14). As they build and pay their rosters -- especially under the current collective bargaining agreement -- teams must understand their competitive cycles and strategize accordingly. As the 2025-26 season begins, which teams need to win now, and which would prefer to compete later instead?"
"The Now or Later rankings are made up of two parts with equal weight. The first is money score, based on each team's projected total payments across upcoming seasons, with spending for the current season counting the most. The second is draft score, based on the value of the future first-round draft picks that each team holds, factoring in the protections and swaps that affect what each pick might be worth."
The modern NBA centers on shifting competitive windows rather than sustained perennial contention, with every team missing the playoffs at least once in the past decade except the Boston Celtics. Teams must align roster construction and pay decisions with their competitive cycles under the current collective bargaining agreement. The Now or Later model scores all 30 franchises using two equally weighted components: a money score capturing projected payments with emphasis on the current season, and a draft score valuing future first-round picks accounting for protections and swaps. High payroll commitments and depleted future picks indicate urgency to win now and limited flexibility to change course.
Read at ESPN.com
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