Editor's note: Welcome to NBA Insider Daily! Devoted readers familiar with the "Per Diem" column can still look forward to both Kevin Pelton and Tom Haberstroh this season, and they are joined by fellow Insiders Bradford Doolittle and Amin Elhassan. Every day, one of them will tackle the big topics in the NBA from every perspective including advanced metrics, scouting and reporting.
Three years ago, during the NBA lockout, one of the main battle cries for owners was the need to revise the collective bargaining agreement to better foster parity. Many skeptics saw this as a smokescreen for the desire for more money, but regardless of whether it was sincere or subterfuge, the new CBA's harder cap measures have encouraged more movement among free agents. And while there is a clear divide between Western Conference and Eastern Conference teams, the talent is more evenly spread among the teams.
With most modern championship contenders built around "big threes," this spreading of talent has resulted in multiple big threes popping up around the NBA. During the offseason, I wrote about the best backcourts and best frontcourts, but the reality is that teams look to find the best combination of at least three cornerstone players who complement one another, regardless of traditional position.