All the moves leave Warriors unmoved still
The Warriors could use some pleasant news after hearing Kevin Durant’s tirade against the media Wednesday night. They got it Thursday, when the NBA’s trade deadline passed without any of their Western Conference rivals posting themselves as a major threat.
Ranking the contenders, in order, once the dust cleared:
1. Oklahoma City. No deal was made, but perhaps none was necessary. The Thunder play tremendous defense, Paul George is showing why his faith in Russell Westbrook was justified, and center Steven Adams is close to becoming the third star on that team. Westbrook has pulled back drastically on his 3-point shooting, to everyone’s relief, and his gaudy numbers aren’t for show. He’s more of a team leader than ever before. If defensive-minded Andre Roberson comes back from his knee injury (he has had multiple setbacks), that’s a lateseason acquisition in itself.
2. Denver. Who would have thought the Nuggets would face the trade deadline without any major concerns? They’re ranked below OKC here only because of their relative lack of experience, and that counts significantly in the playoffs. This is a team that shares the ball and seems to have all of the critical roles sorted out, with Nikola Jokic making a case as the NBA’s best-ever passer among centers. The Nuggets can engage Golden State in some thrilling games, but they’ll have no staying power in a best-of-seven series.
3. Houston. While James Harden deals in a realm of scoring surpassed only by the great Wilt Chamberlain, the Rockets have added depth in Austin Rivers, Kenneth Faried and Iman Shumpert, acquired from Sacramento on Wednesday. In truth, when you’re talking about facing Golden State, these are all castoffs. Unless Chris Paul is at full strength and ready to charge through the playoffs without injury (that’s a lot to ask), the Rockets will be short on star power.
Kobe Bryant spoke the truth to ESPN the other day, saying “I don’t think (the Rockets’) style is ever going to win championships . ... Not with one player dominating the ball. ... If you put one player at the top of the key, or on the wing with the screen-and-roll, you’re always in front of the defense. Teams can key on that, especially in the playoffs. It’s easy to defend.” On the plus side, Thursday’s moves got the Rockets out of luxurytax territory, and they’re likely to be players on the upcoming buyout market.
4. Utah. It’s a shame, from the Jazz’s standpoint, that Memphis guard Mike Conley didn’t want to be traded to Utah. Pairing him with Donovan Mitchell could create a smart, beautifully balanced backcourt to go with Rudy Gobert’s formidable defense and Joe Ingles’ shooting from the wing. This team will be fun to watch in the playoffs, especially from the standpoint of Quin Snyder’s clever coaching, but it’s still a player or two short.
That’s about it. Portland and San Antonio have the potential to get past the first round, but the road ends there. Sacramento is really a team to watch; now that De’Andre Fox and Buddy Hield have established themselves as a fabulous backcourt, youthful big men Marvin Bagley and Harry Giles are starting to make a huge impact — with Harrison Barnes a very nice addition from Dallas. The real story, from a national standpoint, is Los Angeles — now and for the future.
The Lakers are looking like a complete disaster right now. They didn’t get Anthony Davis, even after offering virtually the entire roster aside from LeBron James. The young players know they aren’t fully trusted by LeBron or head coach Luke Walton, who could be fired if the team doesn’t make the playoffs, and the locker-room atmosphere has gone sour. You wonder now, with James moving past his prime, if the Lakers can attract any top free agents this summer.
The crosstown Clippers know that Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler and Davis have all included them as a desirable destination. They already had cap space for two maxlevel signings this summer, and the pre-deadline maneuverings created even more room, not to mention a flock of draft picks that can be used in trade. Fascinating, isn’t it? The Clippers have no superstars, and they gave up an excellent player in Tobias Harris (to Philadelphia), but consultant Jerry West is helping create a handsome blueprint for the future.
Forget this season. If the Clippers don’t make the playoffs, they get to keep a firstround pick that otherwise would go to Boston. Tanking is a sensitive issue these days, but it can be done with a measure of tact. The Warriors’ 2012 first-round pick was topseven protected, meaning they had to finish among the league’s seven worst teams. They shut down Stephen Curry in early March (he had ankle surgery in May), tinkered with roster options, lost 17 of their last 20 games and drafted Barnes, a cornerstone player on their 2014-15 championship team.