For the first time in NBA history, eight different teams have won the championship over the same number of seasons from 2019 to 2026. The Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks have lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
This is solid evidence of unprecedented parity around the league and how it punishes teams that stack excessive talent on their rosters.
Teams have the option to build through the draft or via free agency to blend the right mix of players for sustained success.
In previous decades, we have seen franchises like Boston, Los Angeles, the Chicago Bulls, the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors dominate the league with two- and three-peats.
However, the modern Collective Bargaining Agreement’s second apron has made it difficult for teams to build a sustainable team of multiple stars as they will be heavily penalized if they go beyond the luxury tax.
It also discourages franchises from building superteams because they lose their flexibility in their finances and trade assets.
It sparked an idea for teams to just build through the draft and tank for several seasons to get as many high draft picks as they can. But they still acquire stars and role players via free agency and trades.
A great example is the Nuggets with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray (2023), the Celtics with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (2024) and the Thunder with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren (2025). They drafted key players and obtained others who complemented their stars.
Meanwhile, the Raptors with Kawhi Leonard (2019), the Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis (2020) and the Knicks with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns (2026) were built by acquiring big names in free agency and blockbuster trades.
Finally, the Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton (2021) were a combination of home-grown talent and free-agent acquisitions, and the Warriors with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green (2022) managed to win another one with their championship core.
Apart from the punitive luxury tax system, there are a lot of other factors in the league today that don’t allow teams to go back-to-back.
The last franchise that won back-to-back titles was the Warriors in 2017 and 2018 with its superteam, while the last three-peat team was the Lakers from 2000 to 2002. Increased competition, injuries, salary-cap pressure and the physical/mental toll of a deep postseason run are just a few examples.
The current system the NBA employs continues to be effective in driving balanced power throughout the league. It gives fans more excitement and unpredictability, which also benefits the NBA's long-term sustainability.
With massive trades and transactions continuing to happen this offseason, expect that the competition will reach its climax in the upcoming campaign.
