The “what if” moment that changed every NBA team forever

Throughout the NBA’s 76-year history, legends have been made and championships won, but equally interesting is what could have been. For every NBA champion or dynasty, there has been an unknown variable that factored in somewhere down the line. What if X player hadn’t gotten injured or a miraculous shot hadn’t gone in?

What if a coin flip came up as tails instead of heads? Or what if a team had enough forethought to look past fit and focus on talent? All of those things have come into play, with each of the NBA’s 30 teams having at least one big regret or question that could have permanently changed the trajectory of their franchise. In fact, for most NBA fans, there is at least one moment—or several—that they wish could have played out differently, but what would the ripple effects of that be?

Would it result in a championship, a dynasty, or lead to another unknown “what if? With so many to choose from, let’s go through and take a look at each “what if” moment that changed every NBA team forever. We’ll go in alphabetical order, starting with the Atlanta Hawks’ fateful decision to pass on a future Hall of Famer.