The complexity of teambuilding in the NBA comes not from the need to win, but the need to win consistently. Many teams could mortgage their future for an all-out, single-season bid. There are always draft picks to trade and veterans to overpay. Owners could, in theory, spend well above the luxury tax line for the sake of fielding the best possible team. Shortcuts to winning just a few more games are everywhere, and all of them come at a cost.
For that reason, making real, continued progress demands a more artful approach. The Indiana Pacers seem to have one in mind.