NBA players were consumed by rumors and imagined scenarios last week, as the trade deadline approached and front offices shipped players around the league. But now comes the hard part for teams: trying to incorporate new players in the midst of a season.
Lineups have to change. Guys have to learn when and where certain players prefer the ball. Getting up to speed on defense is often a process, too, since figuring out which teammates are (and aren’t) capable of guarding opponents straight-up, without needing to switch, takes time. And while practice would be a great place to acquire that knowledge, day-to-day workouts are pretty scarce in the jam-packed NBA schedule once the preseason ends in October.