As the NBA Finals near, all eyes are on the conference finals -- including those of the other 26 franchises looking to get to this point in the near future. The majority of the league's front offices have shifted into offseason mode, looking to either find the stars who can make them contenders or adding support with the right role players.
The NBA's most successful teams inevitably serve as templates for the rest of the league. That's particularly interesting this season, as both Western Conference finalists have built around their homegrown stars with risky trades and big payoffs, while the Indiana Pacers took advantage of injuries to the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoffs and by adding two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam at midseason.
It's notable what these rosters all lack: key players added through high-priced free agency.
Let's break down how each of the four remaining teams built their rosters and what it tells us about putting together a championship contender in the modern NBA.
