The Latest Installment

If you are over twenty-five, then you can recall the last real dynasty in the NBA. The 2000-2003 Lakers dominated the league and went on one of the greatest playoff runs in the association's history. A time in the association where hero ball was on its way out and low post dominance still held some sort of significance. Shaquille O’Neal was shouting expletives at his owner during training camp in Hawaii and Kobe had a taper fade. Ah, the good ol’ days. Well, those days are long gone, and there is a new sheriff in town. The Golden State Warriors locked up their third NBA title in four years last Friday night without much resistance from Lebron’s Cleveland side stamping a new era in basketball. The champs sent Lebron packing, likely to a new city, in the form of long range bombs and swagger on their way to solidifying their dynasty. A dynasty that given the probability of new league money and a front office with a hole burning in their pocket that looks to be here for the near future.

This installment of the Golden State Warriors is more than impressive. They have truly embraced the new NBA and its international influence. Playing positionless basketball, spreading the floor with shooters has worked, and the rest of the league is now playing catch up. Their willingness to do whatever it takes to keep this thing rolling means the rest of the league is in for a long haul.

To put this team in a historical context, they rest near the top with the greats when you consider their Hamptons five lineup. All five have been all star performers at some point in their careers. All five can shoot from the perimeter and put the ball on the floor to make plays. How they matchup against the teams of the 80’s and further past is unfair. There were less teams in those days meaning the rosters were more stacked across the board. Yet and still this is the best team we have seen since the Lakers of the early 2000’s including the Heatles and all of their stars are thirty or below.

The question following any great dynastic run is: where does the rest of the league go from here? Most likely back to Oakland for the Finals next year. But before that, we wait. We wait for Lebron James to shift the NBA landscape once again, wherever he decides to take his talents next. Any great protagonist has a nemesis. In this case, contrary to Lebron’s previous failures in the past in the role of villain, he happens to fit that narrative. Wherever he does go, it will likely be to a contender and probably in the East to contend with the Warriors.

The reality is that you are going to have to outspend the Warriors to beat them. The Rockets took them to seven games this season, but their roster will likely not be the same next year. Clint Capela will want to get paid, and Chris Paul and Trevor Ariza can walk if they please. Early on, it looks like we have the first domino that could potentially fall in the quest to dethrone the Warriors. Kawhi Leonard has demanded a trade from San Antonio and the Los Angeles is first on his list of choices. Dependent on what Paul George decides to do, the Lakers could be on their way back. Should George choose, LA James could follow. The Lakers have the cap space to sign both he and Lebron with enough young pieces to make a trade with San Antonio make sense.

As with any great dynasty, the trick is keeping them together. Egos and money usually being the culprits. What this Warriors team has in their favor is they do not have any major ego guys. On top of the fact that their coach is of the tree of the greatest manager of talent and egos of all time in Steve Kerr. They seem to be willing to sacrifice to keep the winning going. Money is a different story. Draymond has already stated that he will not be taking less money when his contract is up. A player that, should he depart for greener pastures, would be detrimental to the team's hopes of winning a title moving forward.

Warriors GM Bob Meyers recently was quoted as saying that Kevin could get “whatever he wants” in terms of a contract with the team. A statement that should signify the commitment the Warriors organization is ready to make long term. Despite that, the Warriors do have real decisions to make moving forward. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are next in line to get big money which will push the franchise over the salary cap into the luxury after next season. Green is up for the super max given he makes an All-NBA team or wins defensive player of the year. Should they bring all four guys back after next season, the price will be sky high. This qualifies as one of those “good problems.”

Golden State has built the perfect formula from scratch. They built through the draft and acquired through free agency. A roster scenario in which they can just keep adding cheap players through free agency year after year. I would be anxious to see the ring tree that is constructed once this run is over. Everybody eats, indeed.