A bombshell broke: after securing the team's absolute cornerstone, the San Antonio Spurs promptly made modest reinforcements to address the roster's weaknesses.
The team successfully signed free agent Derek Anderson, filling the gap in the perimeter rotation left by veteran Elliott's departure.
With this old-and-new, balanced inside-and-out lineup, the San Antonio Spurs remained firmly among the Western Conference's elite.
While some rejoiced, others suffered. The Chicago Bulls, another traditional powerhouse, had completely become the biggest losers of the offseason.
The Bulls' front office had cleared cap space early, stockpiling enormous bargaining chips and setting their ambitions sky-high.
They set their sights on a host of top free agents, including Duncan, Hill, Tracy McGrady, and Eddie Jones.
The front office was brimming with confidence, believing the Bulls' prestigious legacy would be enough to attract superstars.
But reality gave the Bulls a brutal slap in the face.
Every top star had already found a destination. After working through the entire offseason, the Bulls ended up with nothing.
What drove Chicago fans even deeper into despair was that Tim Thomas, a quality young player developed by the team itself, turned around and joined the Milwaukee Bucks.
Their massive cap space was left completely unused. They gained no reinforcements, and the roster had regressed instead of improving.
The once-dynastic team had completely fallen into the awkward predicament of having no veterans to lead and no young players ready to contribute.
Commentators across the league agreed that the post-Jordan Bulls had completely dropped out of title contention.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference took a more cautious route to strengthening their roster.
The team quietly signed forward LaPhonso Ellis, continuing to build up its frontcourt strength.
There were no earth-shattering trades and no max-contract signings. They only sought to steadily improve the roster's