On a February day that saw one contender crash and another rise, that saw two future Hall of Famers change teams and roughly [checks abacus] 375 second-round draft picks change hands, the most profound lesson was the one we already should have learned:
In the NBA, everything—everything—is ultimately about the superstars.
Catering to them. Reassuring them. Providing the role players they like. Jettisoning the ones they don’t. Maximizing their talents, their careers, their championship windows. And—when things go haywire—maximizing their trade value.
