In a time where free agency is sought after and trade requests are rampant, let’s look at teams who have pretty much kept their core intact.

I will rank them based on number of tenured players. I will count a player as tenured with the team if he’ll be playing his 5th season with the team in the upcoming 2023-24 season. That’s the number in the parentheses – their n^th year with the team this season.

If a player hasn’t played in a season due to injury or whatever reason, the year will count as a year of service for the team as long as they are in the roster. Embiid was drafted in 2014 but missed playing a game in his first two seasons, but those two seasons would count since he’s been rehabbing and working out with team personnel and in team facility. Jokic was also drafted in 2014 but didn’t join the team until 2015. Him missing the 2014-15 season would not count in his years of service since during that season he was playing in Europe and technically not part of the Nuggets roster yet.

Here is the complete list:

60% of the teams in the league have only kept two players or less within the last 5 years. I think it’s a testament to player movement in this era.

The Clippers have more tenured players in their team. But in terms of keeping a core intact for a long period of time, that’s the Warriors, with the Bucks coming in second.

The Celtics have broken up their core in this offseason. If Mrs. Smart named Marcus as Jayden, he may have still been with the team.