Many teams are currently in their window (Bucks, Celtics, Suns, Sixers, Nuggets, etc). Who are the teams that are still 2-3 years away, but will be championship juggernauts for years to come?
Many teams are currently in their window (Bucks, Celtics, Suns, Sixers, Nuggets, etc). Who are the teams that are still 2-3 years away, but will be championship juggernauts for years to come?
Rockets, OKC
I don’t see the high end talent on the rockets that would make a genuine contender
IF:
Sengun becomes an all-star. You can argue he already is. One of Jabari or Jalen Green develops into a borderline all-star. FVV’s 3rd year is team option and he has the biggest salary. We send him away for another all-star. DB is on 4 years, he stays a good roleplayer.
Good amount of if, and all-star Sengun + one borderline star is nowhere near the top end talent of a true contender. Teams that win titles these days pretty much always have a superstar at a top-25ish all-time level of talent, and still other actual star players around them.
I like what Houston is building, but there is a level of top end talent necessary to win it all, and barring any highly unexpected development curve I don’t see that guy there at all.
You missed another AS that we get instead of FVV.
Contending and winning are different. Sixers have been also contending for years.
Sengun is legit, and I feel like Green has looked better when he’s off ball which is a lot more this year. I’m not sure if that developes into a title team but I’m confident they’ll be REALLY good
That’s nice. Here’s a list of the best players on title teams over the last 30 years:
Jokic, Curry, Giannis, LeBron, Kawhi, KD, Duncan, Dirk, Kobe, KG, DWade, Shaq, Billups, Jordan, Olajuwon
Outside of the always outlier 04 Pistons(who may have had the greatest defense of all-time) and Chauncey Billups, every guy on this list is an MVP level player at their peak, top-25 all-time talent. You could easily argue ~8 or 9 of a top-15 all-time is in this group.
Houston has nice pieces. I like what they’re building. History shows though that there is a hard ceiling on you if you don’t have the high end talent that historically wins you championships.
Sengun will be jokic level good in 2 years
Pacers and Wolves are far more prepared than the Rockets and I barely see them as championship contenders in the future
I think you already are.