The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are, far and away, the two best teams in the NBA. They’ve met in the NBA Finals each of the last three seasons, and little seems to be changing in the league’s landscape that indicates things will be any different for the foreseeable future.
But if only major injuries or the pending nuclear apocalypse will keep the Warriors and Cavs from the NBA Finals, what’s the point in going all-in to win if you’re any of the other 28 NBA franchises? It’s a question that’s becoming harder to answer with any optimism around the league.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe took a deep dive into how other NBA teams can keep pace with the Warriors, even if they manage to keep the existing group together for years to come.
The whole piece is fascinating, including some anecdotes about how Kevin Durant found a way to fit in with the Warriors. It also explores a bit of overlooked information about how Golden State was able to sign Durant in the first place—the league and its Players Association failed to renegotiate part of the CBA when the league’s new exorbitant television deal kicked in. That influx of salary cap money allowed Golden State the room to add Durant without sacrificing much of the team it already assembled.
The most notable moment of the piece is when other GMs around the league are asked how they will keep up with the Warriors and Cavaliers in the immediate future. Many say they’re less likely to make a major move with short-term success in mind given how unlikely it is to get past Golden State or Cleveland and reach the finals.
Most team executives around the league agree there might be some small overall chilling effect on win-now transactions in the wake of Golden State’s run. Middling teams without a star could attempt a multi-year process-style bottoming out, though none appear primed to do so. “As a response to the Golden State mega-team, I hear the NBA is considering giving out banners to teams who don’t get swept,” chuckled Daryl Morey, Houston’s GM.
Morey was joking. He has James Harden on the Rockets, and they’ll likely be competitive against the Warriors while they are at their peak. But until something significant breaks in Golden State, it will always be an uphill battle.
“They are not unbeatable,” Morey said of Golden State. “There have been bigger upsets in sports history. We are going to keep improving our roster.”
Other quoted GMs agree that there’s always a mega team to chase down, but with the Warriors poised to stay at the top for years to come, many teams may view that chase in the macro sense rather than going for it all in one season.
