This is what happens when you get the ideal blend of certainty, optimism and cold reality in the NBA. They've all fallen into place since the NBA Finals ended, setting off this flurry of dealmaking that beats any trade deadline day in recent memory.
It helps to have the lottery done and the playoffs complete. The lottery teams know exactly what picks they have and the teams that reached the postseason have a sense for their distance or proximity to a championship. For instance, the Boston Celtics found themselves with the No. 1 overall pick and decided that they'd rather move down to the third sport belonging to the Philadelphia 76ers while picking up another first-round pick for next year.