Kevin Durant is a four-time scoring champion, the 2014 NBA MVP, and one of the greatest scorers of all time. There is no denying how great of a player Kevin Durant is. He is a once in a generation type talent. Add him to a team that put up the best record ever at 73-9 and was one win away from winning back to back championships; that just doesn’t seem fair. When Durant chose to ditch Oklahoma City for Golden State, the Warriors assembled one of the most talented (if not the most talented) cores we have ever seen. In Durant and current MVP, Stephen Curry, the Warriors have arguably two of the top three players in the world; not to mention two other all-star caliber players. They also have arguably the best three shooters in the game with Durant, Curry, and Klay Thompson.
Does Kevin Durant to the Warriors Really Guarantee a Championship?
Now that the already great Warriors added Kevin Durant, a championship next year seems like a forgone conclusion. But should the rest of the NBA simply concede the title to Golden State? Not so fast my friend. Recent history suggests we should wait a minute before crowning the 2017 NBA Champions. Having the most talent does not always guarantee victory. There is something to be said about a team that plays cohesion and gels as a unit. Sometimes it takes superstars time to learn how to play together , and with the Warriors assembling so much talent, it could actually be a long learning curve. If recent history has shown us anything, it is that year one is not always smooth sailing.
The Miami Heat
The Warriors should look no further than their NBA Finals opponent for the past two seasons. When LeBron James and Dwyane Wade teamed up, it was a very similar situation. Two of the top five players in the world joined forces, along with perennial All-Star Chris Bosh. While the Miami Heat did win two championships with this core, the first year they fell flat on their face in the NBA Finals. Really, much of that first season was rocky and an eye sore to watch as James and Wade took turns running the offense rather than playing together. It was a big adjustment for the two of them. The same situation took place when James returned to the Cavs to play with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
Irving and James also seemed to take turns many times during the first year and once again the “Big Three” failed to win the championship in year one. Besides looking at James/Wade or James/Irving, the other factor in this situation is how will the other all-stars react? Chris Bosh and Kevin Love both struggled with their roles and at times looked lost on the floor. Both were questioned repeatedly by the media about their roles and why they weren’t performing as they used to. Their numbers dropped and at times both appeared unhappy from the outside. We have yet to see how Klay Thompson or Draymond Green may react in a similar situation. Not everyone can handle a reduced role and with a “Big Four” someone’s role will almost certainly be significantly diminished.
On Paper Does Not Always Translate on Court
Golden State has all the makings of a team that could possibly be the greatest team ever on paper. If the team stays together for multiple years, there is probably no one on planet earth that thinks they will not win a championship together. Luckily for the rest of the NBA the game is played on the hardwood and even with all of that talent, there are many questions that need to be answered in Golden State. No one truly knows how all of these guys with coexist out of the gates, and after all, there is still only one basketball. The Warriors may already be title favorites, but the 2017 Larry O’Brien Trophy is still up for grabs.
