Two weeks ago, this corner mentioned that Kevin Durant will end his career in Texas, where it all started. Now, he is with the Houston Rockets. The destination was not much of a surprise: the Rockets had that combination of intention, need, and assets.
Houston finished 2nd in the West, so they are possible contenders. However, they got bounced in the first round by a playoff-veteran team (Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant’s former team). Now they have a need for a highly experienced leader, and KD fits the bill.
What’s more surprising is the price. This is a bargain for the Houston Rockets, not giving away Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, and they can easily cover the contributions of the players they lost. They didn’t get crippled like the New York Knicks after the Carmelo Anthony trade.
Are they contenders? That’s the wonder of the West. It’s so competitive, it’s difficult to anoint anyone. But they are better than they were last year. At least in a better position to compete in the postseason.
Dynasty?
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The NBA under Adam Silver has achieved what David Stern could not: Parity. In Stern’s 30 years in power (1984-2014) there were only eight NBA champions: Celtics, Lakers, Pistons, Bulls, Rockets, Spurs, Heat, and Mavericks. There were also eight different champions from 2014 to the present.
Side note: Parity was never the goal for Stern. He wanted the superpowers to thrive, and relished long-drawn rivalries. Silver had to clean up his mess, and he managed to do it in eight seasons. Winning the CBA without any lockouts is a big win, and the current iteration has teams reeling since this is the most restrictive salary cap in decades.
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No team has repeated as champs since the Warriors superteam in 2018. Teams have been disbanded quickly, and we can see that with the Celtics trading Jrue Holiday, an integral piece to their 2024 title team.
So now, we say that the OKC Thunder are in the best position to repeat as champs. Sounds convincing, and pundits would agree, except for one thing: That’s the same description they gave the Boston Celtics a year before. Be very careful.
Major Players on Draft Day (and Beyond)
With the Kevin Durant deal out of the way, here are a list of teams that still have high interests and motivations to strike deals. They are likely to initiate movements that could lead to domino effects across the league.
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Philadelphia 76ers
Never count out Daryl Morey, especially when he’s trying to answer the question: Are we contenders?
He only has one answer – “We have to be.”
The Sixers have the third pick, when there are two sure picks (Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper). The chaos will start from them. They have three All-Stars, but two are perennially injured. Suffice to say, they are no longer tied to Joel Embiid or Paul George’s timeline. They don’t have that “championship or bust” monkey on their backs.
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However, this is an unprecedented gap year for the East. The Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and recently, the ECF champ Pacers are facing major injuries that could hamper their campaign. The window is wide open.
Could the Sixers trade the 3rd pick and assets to get a veteran, or simply just trade down and get future draft assets?
Memphis Grizzlies
They are not exactly blowing it up, but as seen in the Desmond Bane trade, they are willing to listen. Jaren Jackson Jr is due for a major extension, which is the team’s priority, as per the press conference.
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JJJ can harbor huge interest, and the Grizzlies don’t see themselves as contenders anymore (otherwise, they would not have traded Bane), at least in the short term.
Boston Celtics
The salary cap really bit one of the best 7-men cores assembled. They are already actively shopping Kristaps Porzingis, but even Jaylen Brown is not untouchable, sources say.
The Denver Nuggets also have to make huge decisions, since there is no way for them to improve without trading a major piece from their championship core. Seeing the Celtics do it, they might feel obliged, especially in the West.
