Limited James’ options
The offseason will be colored by the Warriors, but indirectly. All other teams will invariably have to tailor rosters with the end-view of beating them in a best-ofseven affair. And, of all the talent on tap in the market, none will be the subject of more
If there’s anything the Warriors’ romp in the 2018 National Basketball Association Finals proved, it’s their ascendancy. True, they had to go through the gritty Rockets, whose tight rotation and loss of point god Chris Paul in Game Five ruined what could have otherwise been a successful playoff run. Then again, there was likewise every cause to contend that their championship experience and sheer skill would have pulled them through regardless of the level of competition before them.
That said, the Warriors exhibited their most potent selves in the title series, handily overcoming the hapless Cavaliers. And in light of the pronouncement of back-to-back Finals Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant that he will be staying with them, their videogame-like composition is secure. They have three Larry O’Brien Trophies in their mantel, and more will be coming, rightfully setting them up for a reign of dynastic proportions.
Interestingly, the offseason will be colored by the Warriors, but indirectly. All other teams will invariably have to tailor rosters with the end-view of beating them in a best- of- seven affair. And, of all the talent on tap in the market, none will be the subject of more planning than LeBron James, whose unparalleled combination of brains and brawn were on full display in the immediate past postseason.
Peppered with the usual queries, James was noncommittal in his post-mortem. His disclosure that he “pretty much played with a broken hand” — suffered when he hit a whiteboard in frustration after Game One of the Finals — bears noting, though. It may well be a portent of things to come. In 2010, The Decision that had him “taking my talents to South Beach” was preceded by a mysterious elbow injury suffered in the playoffs.
Needless to say, James will survey the landscape with his eye on how to beat the Warriors. Even as he insists that his legacy is secure, he understands that his exertions mean squat unless he ends a campaign with his arms wrapped around hardware. Seeing the obstacles he needs to hurdle, he knows that his options are limited. The reigning kings of the court boast of four All- Stars and a system that makes them the unprecedented darling of advanced analytics, and yet they went through the wringer to defend their championship. In the face of such hardship endured by the victors, he can only imagine what he has to endure chasing after rainbows with anything less than superb support.
In large measure, James has only himself to blame. Certainly, its his fault that the Cavaliers haven’t been able to move past the present, and are thus hampered by salary-cap realities to keep up with the Warriors. Because he keeps the Cavaliers guessing as to what his intentions are every offseason, they’re left to scramble and buy talent that they believe will appease him in the here and now even at the expense of the there and then.
Moving forward, this will be the challenge of any organization that deals with him. Is James worth the headaches? Of course. But because he continues to insist that negotiations progress on his terms, the competitiveness of his teams has an ultimately inadequate ceiling. Meanwhile, the Warriors are savoring yet another triumphant run to the top, where they figure to be for some time to come.