As two of the most surprising teams in the NBA, the judicious play of the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics has jolted them into the top three of the Eastern Conference standings.
After taking over as Raptors general manager in 2013, Masai Ujiri has assembled a competitive squad without mortgaging the team's future. With seven players on the roster aged 23 or younger and four first-round picks coming in the next two years, Toronto's place among the Eastern Conference's elite appears safe for years to come.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge - a man with a Ph.D in stockpiling assets - is in a similar situation south of the border after collecting a number of first-round picks in a 2013 trade with Brooklyn Nets.
Now, the issue for both executives is deciding what to do with their myriad assets.
A NBA roster holds up to 15 players, and with rotations usually running nine or 10 deep, there's often little room to store and develop young talent. Ainge and Ujiri would be smart to move some of their sought-after assets ahead of the Feb. 18 trade deadline in exchange for veteran help that could contribute to extended playoff runs.
General managers will usually do anything in their power to avoid trading away first-round picks - a practice that's often viewed as career suicide in NBA circles. However, Toronto and Boston are in the unusual position of being overloaded with young talent and will likely be forced to trade away an asset or two to avoid going over the roster limit next season.
While first-round picks are important commodities, GMs also run the risk of placing too much value on them. Problems can ensue when teams view a faceless asset as the best possible outcome.
Celtics fans may recoil at the thought of losing the Nets' 2016 first-round selection for fear that it might turn into LSU phenom Ben Simmons. However, with just a 13.8 percent chance (as of the All-Star break) of landing the No. 1 pick and a 42.6 percent chance of selecting in the top three, the first-rounder is more likely to become a good - but not great - player. Boston could still land a star, but acquiring one via trade involves less risk.
Meanwhile, many general managers would likely prefer the Los Angeles Clippers' 2017 first-rounder, which the Raptors own, over Delon Wright - even though that selection will presumably be lower than Wright's draft position (21st overall). Ujiri should take advantage of that line of thinking and trade the pick in a win-now move.
While it's difficult to build a contender without going through the draft, it's also not a ticket to guaranteed success.
The Celtics are in desperate need of a scorer, with 2016 All-Star Isaiah Thomas almost single-handedly carrying the offense. Boston scores just 98.7 points per 100 possessions with Thomas out of the lineup - a mark that would put them just above the 29th-ranked Los Angeles Lakers in offensive efficiency.
Boston has been linked to offensive juggernaut Kevin Love in recent days, a player that perfectly addresses the team's need. It would likely cost the Celtics a number of first-round picks, but if they can acquire a player of his caliber, they should.
Ujiri will likely look to acquire a power forward in a potential trade, particularly one who can stretch the floor and fit comfortably within Dwane Casey's defensive system.
Adding Ryan Anderson or Markieff Morris to the roster wouldn't be a flawless move, but could be enough to catapult the Raptors to the Eastern Conference finals.
Every GM would love to have a consistent influx of young talent, but the odds of hitting on a first-round pick year after year is unrealistic. Ainge and Ujiri would both be wise to move a portion of their future for a chance at a deep postseason run.