One of the most important ideas from Greg McKeown’s Essentialism is the “reality of tradeoffs.” It’s a concept that is simple to understand but often overlooked in the coaching profession. Tradeoffs are not something we choose to have—they are a fact of life. When we say yes to one thing, we are inherently saying no to something else. The same is true in coaching. Every decision we make about how we structure our team, our system, and our practices comes with a cost.
In basketball, tradeoffs are everywhere. If you decide to pack in your defense to protect the paint and take away dribble penetration, you’re likely giving up more open three-point attempts. If you extend your defense to apply pressure and deny passes, you become more vulnerable to backdoor cuts or foul trouble. Every tactic you choose favors one priority while making you more vulnerable elsewhere.
It’s not about avoiding tradeoffs. It’s about recognizing and owning them.
The same reality applies to how we use practice time. If you spend 20 minutes working on your zone offense, that’s 20 minutes you no longer have to refine your pick-and-roll coverages. If you allocate more time to shooting drills, something else has to be cut. You cannot do everything. That’s not a limitation of your planning—it’s a truth about time and energy.
Many coaches struggle with tradeoffs because they want it all. They want their team to be great in transition and also flawless in the half-court. They want to be a tough defensive unit while also playing fast and scoring 90 points. They want to build strong relationships with players but also obsess over every detail of scouting and film breakdown. But the most effective coaches understand that every choice creates a ripple effect. They aren’t chasing balance—they are making deliberate decisions based on what they value most.
This is where clarity of purpose becomes vital. If you haven’t taken time to define the identity of your program, you’ll be far more likely to chase conflicting goals. But when you know what matters most—whether that’s toughness, discipline, pace, or execution—you can make decisions in alignment with that identity. Tradeoffs become easier to accept when they serve a bigger purpose.
The reality of tradeoffs should not be discouraging. In fact, it should be freeing. You don’t have to do everything. You simply have to do the right things for your team, and do them well.
As you look at your next game plan or practice schedule, ask yourself this: What am I choosing to prioritize? What am I willing to give up? Tradeoffs aren’t a sign of weakness—they are a sign that you are coaching with intent.
Get our guide to becoming a Coaching Essentialist: The Coaching Essentialism Handbook