It benefits a young player to be on a contending NBA team. Doesn’t it? 

It’s hard to say. On the one hand, they’re getting valuable experience that most young players won’t. This holds especially true for lottery picks.

Normally, they spend the first few years of their career near the bottom of the NBA’s standings. 

On the other hand, that limits their opportunities. In turn, those limited opportunities may hinder their development. For evidence, look at the Golden State Warriors. 

James Wiseman has looked considerably better since they traded him to the tanking Detroit Pistons. Could Jonathan Kuminga look better in a lower-pressure environment? 

Should the Indiana Pacers find out?