It is rare that you see the landscape of the NBA change in the magnitude that it did on this 4th of July. In fact, we haven't seen this big of a news story in a long, long time. The last time the NBA was struck by such news was back in 2010 when LeBron James announced he was going to South Beach to form a super team with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. But that was six years ago and some pondered if we would ever see something like that ever again. Well, now we are in the middle of another seismic shift in the dynamic of the NBA. Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors.
The best team in basketball just got better
It is a hard concept to wrap your head around at first. One of the best players in the world joining a team that won 73 games. Joining one of the most dominant teams in NBA history. The best part about this is that the Warriors didn't even give up much to get Durant. They essentially swapped Harrison Barnes to get him. There were only a few replacements that would fit Barnes's role if the former North Carolina Tar Heel would leave the Warriors. One of those replacements was Durant.
In fact, Durant's fit with the Warriors will depend on a lot of things if it wants to work. On paper, it looks like a fantastic fit, but not everything that looks good on paper works out. Just ask the 2012 Los Angeles Lakers. For Durant's fit to work, it will take some sacrifice on him and his teammates.
For Durant, he will have to be able to not be "that" guy on this team. After being the main man his whole career in Oklahoma City, Durant now enters a place where he is not the alpha dog. It's Steph Curry's yard and he runs the show. Everything offensively for the Warriors runs through the MVP and he will get his shots. Durant will have to live with watching Curry take almost or as many shots as he takes, with some of them being a little questionable. Granted Durant played with Russell Westbrook whose style is that of a gun-slinger mentality, he should be used to it. But Curry is a different type of player than Westbrook.
The same change will have to happen for Curry but the big "if" comes to Klay Thompson and if he can get his shots. Will Klay's role in the offense change and by how much? One thing we know is that Thompson will still be running around the screens trying to get open. It's just a matter of how many times he will get the ball.
Warriors could be even better than last year
By swapping Barnes for Durant, the Warriors chances of winning the NBA titles went from favorites to super favorites. Think about it. They now have two of the top three players in the league. Two. Now the rest of league have to play catch up to Golden State. The only team that can even come close to the Warriors are the Cleveland Cavaliers and even then they would struggle against the Warriors.
With the Thunder handicapped with the loss of Durant and the possible loss of Westbrook next summer and the Spurs getting older, the Warriors top rivals are faltering.
If Durant and the Warriors find the right touch, they could dominate the league for the next five to six years. They are miles ahead of everyone else. Or you could say they are light years away.