| The rivals
It’s good to be the king, and the Warriors, with two championships in three years and a collection of stars very much in their prime, have every reason to think they can extend their reign for years to come. But all across the NBA kingdom there are challengers plotting to storm the castle. Several teams made major offensive moves in an effort to lift themselves to the Warriors’ level. All of the offseason reshuffling proves that the Warriors are not just the class of the league, they’ve set such a high bar that the other contenders know they have to make aggressive moves in order to have any chance of reaching it. There are a handful of teams doing all they can to catch Golden State, which may be a useful source of motivation for the Dubs. Feeling a little heat from behind is a good way to keep their own fire lit.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Paul George joining Russell Westbrook (pictured) in Oklahoma City seems like a more natural fit. Though he’s an accomplished scorer, George is used to playing off the ball, which means Westbrook can continue to have it in his hands most of the time. A three-time All-Defensive Team selection, George will also help OKC try to contain all of the Warriors’ firepower. Picking up the Knicks’ Carmelo
Anthony in a late-summer trade adds offense, but it will take time to get the new pieces to mesh — not helpful for a championship quest.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs’ history demands they be taken seriously, but it’s hard to see how they’ll get back to the Western Conference finals. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are past their prime, LaMarcus Aldridge hasn’t been the kind of star the Spurs can lean on in the playoffs, and they lost free agent Jonathon Simmons, who developed into a key player last season. The two-way greatness of Kawhi Leonard and the brilliant coaching of Gregg Popovich will keep the Spurs in the hunt, but they will not be the Warriors’ biggest worry.
Minnesota Timberwolves
There’s no doubt that the Warriors are keeping a close eye on Minnesota, where coach Tom Thibodeau has been reunited with swingman Jimmy Butler, whom he coached for four years in Chicago. Butler, a veteran who scores, defends and is a locker room leader, should be the perfect addition for the young, talented T’wolves. Center Karl-Anthony Towns, who averaged 25.1 points and 12.3 rebounds last year, is already one of the league’s better big men, and he hasn’t reached his ceiling yet. He and small forward Andrew Wiggins both have All-Star Games in their futures. Towns and Wiggins may still be a little too green to go deep into the postseason, but the Wolves have a core that should make them a real headache for the Warriors a year or two from now.
Boston Celtics
In the East, Boston lured free-agent forward Gordon Hayward from Utah to rejoin his college coach, Brad Stevens. But the Celtics didn’t stop there. In a bold move, they acquired Kyrie Irving, who forced a trade from the Cavs, for a package that included Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder and the Brooklyn Nets’ first-round draft pick in 2018. Boston will miss the defense of Crowder and Avery Bradley, whom they traded to Detroit to clear salary cap space for Hayward. But with Irving, Hayward and big man Al Horford, they have a trio of All-Star caliber players along with promising young wings in Jaylen Brown and rookie Jayson Tatum. That might be just enough to keep Cleveland from reaching the Finals for the fourth straight year.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs didn’t expect to spend the summer trying to get their house in order, but Irving’s request to be traded threw everything into disarray. They did well to get the package from Boston, even if Thomas’ injured hip forces him to miss the first few weeks of the season. Crowder is a defensive-minded forward who’s better equipped to defend Kevin Durant than anyone they had on their roster, and the Nets’ lottery pick should help them acquire a promising piece for the future. The possible departure of LeBron James (pictured) as a free agent next summer is hanging over their heads, but for now, Cleveland has enough to be considered co-favorites in the East with the Celtics. The Warriors, of course, would be happy to see the two teams battle it out so that the winner staggers into the Finals.