The NBA players really did this smart.
Big move, lots of press, take advantage of the leverage to get some clear concessions, then end the strike to preserve leverage for later.
The point of a strike is to win gains. They won some gains, not remotely everything they wanted. (And from the beginning I would have liked some more labor-focused demands.)
They return to work now and preserve the chance to strike later. Bank the gains and move on.
All in all reasonably popular and with some concrete benefits.
Just generally well played.