>>I also don't think its coincidence that most people think
>the
>>2 best front offices in the NBA right now are the Warriors
>and
>>the Spurs and those 2 teams rarely draft "1 and done"
>>players.

Out of the last five first round draft picks for the Spurs, two were one-and-dones and a third was a two-and-done. They were all end of the draft picks, as you pointed out. They have a great scouting department-- I actually just read a piece on NBA scouts in which everyone agrees that they work harder and collect more data than anyone else.

The Warriors are different for a variety of reasons, but their last three draft picks contained a one-and-done and a two-and-done. These players were also picked at the end of first/top of second, as you noted.

Even the best teams, the ones at the end of the first round, draft underclassmen, because they're the ones who tend to have the most raw talent.

>Alright, but this is another opportunity for me to ask an
>actual NBA fan: The success those teams have enjoyed means
>they're routinely picking at the back of the draft. So is that
>an apples to apples comparison or are they just maximizing the
>impact of their lower draft position?

They're maximizing to some extent, but neither the Warriors nor the Spurs are led by lower draft picks. The top three players for both the Spurs and Warriors last year were all Top 15 picks in their drafts.

I'd also argue that it's less about how well a team picks and more about how well a team develops its talent. The Spurs and Warriors don't magically pick the best NBA prospects every season. They turn talented prospects into pro caliber players who know their role and fit their culture. Guys like Kawhi Leonard and Draymond Green both took tremendous steps as players over their first three seasons as pros, doing things they didn't even do in college, really. Same with guys like Tony Parker, Danny Green, Patrick McCaw... shit, even Steph Curry, who started well, by Year 4 had topped anything even those who loved him in college expected him to do at the next level.

Whereas certain teams can have high draft picks that all "bust"-- does that mean they're shitty scouts or that those one-and-dones weren't ready for the pros? No, because every lottery pick bust was almost always a consensus lottery pick. Those teams just suck at player development and helping foster a culture of success.

Drafting is important enough, sure, but the player development that a team does is roughly a thousand times more important.

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