Warriors built for lengthy conquest
WITH EXCEPTION OF SUPERSTAR DURANT, CORE GROUP ASSEMBLED THROUGH DRAFT
On the verge of a second NBA title in three years, the Golden State Warriors could just be getting started.
Loaded with four all- stars and potentially Hall of Famers in Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, the Warriors under Steve Kerr are the standard bearer for excellence in team composition, chemistry and success.
Normally carrying four all-stars in a cap league would be cost prohibitive but there are unique circumstances where the Warriors are concerned.
For one the Warriors have built primarily though the draft.
While Kevin Durant is an obvious exception, the other three Warriors’ cogs are all home grown.
Curry came along in 2009 as the No. 7 overall pick thanks in large part to the Minnesota Timberwolves who had two picks before the Warriors and foolishly took two point guards in Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn.
Next came Thompson in the 2011 draft where the Warriors flushed out the second member of the eventual Splash Brothers at No. 11.
The 2012 draft netted the Warriors three more pieces but none bigger or more important to their future than the 35th overall pick that brought them Green.
Durant would join the fold in July of 2016, but that’s three-quarters of the Warriors core that came directly from the draft.
LeBron James, who knows a dynasty when he sees one, explained how he views the Warriors now and into the future.
“The best thing with Golden State’s situation is a lot of their guys are drafted,” James said. “Three of their best players were already drafted, so they were able to hold on to them because they own the Bird rights, if everybody knows the CBA. So they’re able to keep Steph, Klay and Draymond and able to go out and sign someone else like they did this past summer by just getting rid of a couple pieces in Harrison Barnes and not re-signing (Leandro) Barbosa and ( Andrew) Bogut and guys from last year’s team. So that allowed them to go do that.”
Normally a new collective bargaining agreement will address a perceived loss of parity in the league by making it tougher for super teams to formulate but the way the Warriors have been built can’t be regulated against.
Yes, there are free agents in the fold in Durant most notably and lesser lights Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, but they are limited.
Even the new CBA that comes into effect this summer and extends through the 2023-24 season will not hamper the Warriors going forward.
Unless all of a sudden Golden State becomes an unpopular place to play this could just be the beginning of a long run and James knows this.
“This has been the best team in our league the last three years,” James said. “They won a championship, and last year it was the greatest regular- season team we’ve played, and probably one of the best post- season teams that anybody’s ever seen as well. But we were just able to overcome that. Now they’re playing like one of the best teams once again.
“T her e have been t i mes throughout my career where I’ve seen teams just in the midst of something that can last for a long time,” James said. “And obviously this team is built to be able to do that with the talent they have. So we’ll see what happens. Obviously you never know what’s going to happen, but as it stands right now, they look pretty good as far as the future.”
Going into this summer, the Warriors have some work to do to keep the core intact. Curry has to be re- signed which figures to be costly. Iguodala and Livingston, two key support guys, need to be re-signed. Throw in the likelihood that Durant signs a long- term deal turning down his player option and you can see the payroll getting dangerously high and prohibitive.
Durant, though, has already come out in these playoffs and said he will structure any new deal in order to ensure the Warriors can bring back their core. If that means taking a shorter term or less money, KD says he’s willing to do so.
In the East, teams like the Raptors and Celtics and Wizards look at the possibility of getting past the Cavs and James in the Eastern Conference and pretty much throw up their hands.
The fact that James is doing the same kind of shudder when he considers the future of the Warriors has to be concerning for everyone.