Just a few short weeks ago the dynamics heading toward this evening were drastically different. Injuries to key players Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, who pre-injury, sat atop the key free agent watch dramatically shifted pundit’s perspectives.
The Toronto Raptors earned their first franchise title, arguably with the toughest path to claim the gold ball. And, they did it without one lottery pick on the squad besting the Warriors in spite of their experience and loaded roster. To say that experience hasn’t changed how General Managers are viewing the draft would be underselling the Raptors accomplishment and how the NBA is arguably more affected by trends than any major league sport.