Warriors too good for NBA’s own good
If the last couple of weeks in the NBA have taught us anything, it’s that this is the Golden State Warriors’ world and everyone else is just a part of it.
This is what the NBA has become. The Warriors. And everyone else.
The chase is on this July. And while it has been entertaining to see all of the roster changes, it also is inevitable where it’s leading.
Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Co. are going to win another championship trophy next June.
Once the super team was put together, a super trend followed.
The NBA never has been this lopsided, which is bad for the fans. No one wants to go into a season knowing an outcome.
We want to see upsets, watch teams evolve and be glued to the drama of the postseason.
But until another super team emerges that can overtake the Warriors, none of that will happen.
This ultimately will hurt the NBA.
The good thing about free agency this year is that teams are trying.
The Rockets have had one of the best offseasons so far.
In addition to locking up James Harden for four more years by extending his contract, they traded Pat Beverley and a bunch of bench players for Chris Paul. And while that raised some eyebrows,
it was a smart move.
General manager Daryl Morey went for the power play, making the Rockets better equipped to compete in the extremely tough Western Conference, but it might not be enough to win, given the arsenal of weapons in the Bay Area.
The Warriors remained pretty much intact. They kept their core, which ripped through the playoffs en route to the team’s second championship in three years. Then they added some role players to provide additional depth. It’s tough to compete with that.
No rest for the West
Other teams are taking their swings, too.
Oklahoma City was a one-man show last year. It was a good show, featuring league MVP Russell Westbrook, who carried the Thunder on his back while averaging a triple-double.
But as good as Westbrook was, OKC struggled to even make the playoffs and was quickly cast aside by the Rockets in the first round.
The Thunder shocked the world last week by acquiring Paul George. With George and Westbrook on the same team, Oklahoma City has upgraded and gotten a little closer to Golden State.
The Spurs were second to the Warriors last year in the West, but it still is fun to talk about the what-ifs. Starters Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard were hurt for part of the playoffs.
On Thursday, San Antonio made an attempt at closing the gap by signing Rudy Gay.
Gay is coming off an Achilles tendon injury, so it is tough to say how he will look when the season starts, but this is a nice addition to the Western Conference’s second-best team.
And Minnesota added Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague among others to its mix, making the Timberwolves another team to keep an eye on.
But even with all of these changes in the Western Conference, it is hard to say that things will be much different next season.
The Warriors remain the favorites. You could make an argument for the Spurs or the Rockets at No. 2. And while the Thunder and Timberwolves will be better, they likely won’t jump those three.
Obviously, things can change. Players get injured. Chemistry doesn’t work out. Someone steps up. Someone doesn’t.
For the Warriors to be dethroned, a lot of things have to happen.
East remains least
The Eastern Conference is hardly worth watching anymore. LeBron James and the Cavaliers will have some competition from Boston, which picked up Gordon Hayward.
But ultimately, James and his crew will come out on top and meet the Warriors in the NBA Finals again. And lose. Again.
The East is laughable compared with the West, which is a turnoff for fans.
While the league has seen dominant teams over the years, it rarely has been a given that one team is so dominant. That’s the case right now.
Challenge continues
Free agency isn’t over, and teams are going to continue to make moves in the upcoming days.
Hopefully, there will be a few more big ones that make teams more capable of challenging the Warriors.
The league needs more balance and soon before interest begins to wane.
Fans like drama in their sports. They like surprises.
With super teams dominating the landscape, there is less and less of that.
Until someone can catch up to the Warriors, the NBA offseason is going to be more entertaining than the regular season and the playoffs.
Welcome to the new NBA.
jenny.creech@chron.com twitter.com/jennydialcreech