Warriors well-built for success over the long haul
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[June 14, 2017]
By Rory Carroll
OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) - The Golden
State Warriors made a strong case to be called one of the best teams
in NBA history after a near-perfect run through the playoffs
resulted in their second title in three years.
The scary part for the NBA's 29 other team
s? This may just be the beginning.
That is because the Warriors boast an intimidating starting lineup
featuring four All-Stars in their 20s who are likely to be with the
team for years to come.
Two-time reigning league MVP Stephen Curry is expected to sign the
richest contract in NBA history this offseason as the league's best
three-point marksman will be eligible for a five-year deal worth an
estimated $207 million.
"I'm just excited to do something special," Curry said during the
presentation of the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy on Monday in
Oakland after his team beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA
Finals. "I'm ready to do it again."
If so he will have help from shooting guard Klay Thompson and
do-it-all power forward Draymond Green, who are already locked into
long-term contracts with the Warriors.
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And then there is Kevin Durant. The 7-foot (2.13 m) small forward
and 2017 Finals MVP has said that after his controversial decision
leave the Oklahoma City Thunder and join the Warriors last offseason, he is not eager to move again.
Durant is so dedicated to winning multiple championships that he is
reportedly considering taking less money from the team in order to
free up space to re-sign key reserves like Shaun Livingston and
Andre Iguodala.
That all spells trouble for the rest of the league, who saw the
Warriors capture a title in 2015, win a record-setting 73 games the
next regular season before Durant moved to the Bay Area and the team
became a juggernaut.
"They're going to be around for a while," Cavaliers forward LeBron
James said after suffering his second Finals defeat in three years
to a Warriors team that went 16-1 in the playoffs.
"Pretty much all their big-name guys are in their 20s, and they
don't show any signs of slowing down."
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Golden State Warriors players and coaches celebrate with the Larry
O'Brien Trophy. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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And the team's coaching staff is equally formidable.
After being sidelined for part of last season and again during the
2017 playoffs with back pain, head coach Steve Kerr returned during
the Finals and said he intends to coach "for a long time."
General Manager Bob Myers, who helped assemble the Warriors lineup
after the franchise spent years as the league's laughing stock, and
savvy owner Joe Lacob fill out the rest of the team.
The big question this offseason is what, if anything, will
contenders like Cleveland, San Antonio and Boston do to counter the
champion Warriors.
Some reports have suggested James, the best player on the planet,
may head to California to join the Lakers or Clippers in 2018,
likely bringing talented players along in an effort to topple the
Warriors if the Cavaliers fall short again next year.
One thing is clear - if no one can assemble a truly special team,
the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy could very well reside in the
Bay Area for years to come.
"After the parade, the narrative will shift to 'So, what does the
league plan to do about this?'" wrote Ray Ratto, a veteran Bay Area
sports columnist.
"Right now, the only answer seems to be 'not a damned thing.'
Because that's the only answer that makes sense. This is Golden
State's era."
(Editing by Frank Pingue) [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights
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