So let's look at some under-the-radar signings that will impact the championship picture either now, or, in one prominent case, potentially in the future. Last season's contenders largely did a good job of that. This, essentially, is the path traditional contenders need to take to develop depth. The Lakers carved out max cap space, but when Kawhi Leonard didn't take it, they had to use that space to build a worthwhile supporting cast around their stars. Milwaukee was hard-capped and needed players like Portis and Bryn Forbes to leave money on the table for an opportunity to win in order to build a remotely palatable bench. The two most recent champions had several. The 2019 Raptors are the only recent champion not to keep a below-market-value free agent in their rotation. Championship teams are star-driven, but the often exorbitant price of those stars makes these teams extremely reliant upon the bargain bin. Miami's nabbed Shane Battier and Ray Allen with back-to-back mid-level exceptions. Golden State's dynasty lived off of minimum-salary role players. The 2020 Lakers had Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris.
