Who will be the next NBA Dynasty?

Who will be the next NBA Dynasty?

James Harden’s move to the Brooklyn Nets turned a lot of heads in the NBA world.  The Nets now have Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in their roster. A trio that could push them towards the NBA Championship and maybe even push the current Nets franchise to the dynasty tag. 

They aren’t the only current NBA team with the potential to become a dynasty and follow in the footsteps of other legendary NBA teams.

What is a Dynasty in the NBA? 

Dynasties in the NBA are far and few between. To claim this prized status a team must not just win one NBA Championship but be successful in multiple seasons.

Due to the short timeframe each roster has together, it is not a surprise that there haven’t been too many teams that are seen as dynasties in the NBA. The roster will need to gel quickly and rely on every player from their star man, down to the rookie getting minimal minutes.

It isn’t just title’s that make a team a dynasty. Often they will play an attractive style of play and wipe the court with other teams. 

What teams are seen as Dynasties?

When we talk about NBA dynasties, there are a few that are obvious examples.

Michael Jordan’s Bulls

The team that comes into the mind of many straight away is the Chicago Bulls side led by Michael Jordan in the 1990s. 

Jordan was at the Bulls for two spells in the ’90s. In his second spell, he was accompanied by Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman on the court. The trio helped make the Bulls ‘96-’98 team one of the greatest of all time by completing the three-peats.

Showtime Lakers 

The Lakers of ‘79-‘89, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played an exciting style of basketball, leading to their ‘showtime’ nickname. 

Abdul-Jabbar is still the current record point scorer in the NBA, 38,387 points. Jabar was paired with one of the best NBA assist players, in Magic Johnson. The pair couldn’t have asked to be partnered with a better partner on the court.

During this spell, the Lakers won five Championships and reached eight finals in total. They dazzled the basketball world with their fast-break offensive, breaking down the courts in a matter of milliseconds.

Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers 

These two will both stand in the history books as All-Star players. The two didn’t necessarily see eye to eye all the time but they created yet another legendary Lakers team and are considered to be one the greatest one-two punch duos the league has ever seen.

Over their 5-year period together, they secured a three-peat from ‘99-’02 and averaging 57 wins in regular-season games per season.

The pair’s dominance came to an end as they let off-court incidents and their pride takeover. Shaq was traded to Miami Heat just as Kobe was entering his prime. Leaving many asking, what if?

Curry’s Warriors

Steph Curry will go down as one the greatest 3-point shooters of all time. This Warriors team, to some, may already be a dynasty but they still have time left to keep their record going.

A disappointing season last year didn’t fit in with the Warriors winning record, that was carved since 2014. Before last season, the Warriors enjoyed a bullish run, which saw them reach the NBA finals five seasons in a row, winning 3 of them. 

In the prime of the Curry era, the Warriors had Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Kevin Looney and DeMarcus Cousins. The Warriors will be hoping to bounce back this year and get back to their best. 

An honourable mention also needs to go to the Boston Celtics ‘big three’ (1981-1987), Duncan’s Spurs, and Russell’s Celtics (1956-1969).

Out of the teams mentioned above, it is hard to look past Jordan’s Bulls as being the greatest dynasty. The team put together by Phil Jackson had everything and most importantly, they had Michael Jordan. 

What team could be next?

As we’ve seen from the teams above, they all have a leading man or men. As in any sport, it is important to have a player who is the focal point for the team. The teams I’m about to discuss all have a player, or two, who can push them towards being a potential dynasty.

KD, Irving and Harden’s Nets

The Nets dream trio will be a threat on the offensive but question marks still stand over the Nets defensive game.

KD, Irving and Harden will score big points for the Nets going down the court. One thing Steve Nash needs to do is sure up their defence, something Irving highlighted recently. 

Many have flagged the fact the Nets don’t have a ‘big man’ in their roster. DeAndre Jordan isn’t the same player he was and it seems Steve Nash doesn’t have the confidence to give DeAndre the starters minutes.

The Nets since the Harden trade:

122.6 offensive rating
– Best in league
– Would be the best of all time

119.9 defensive rating
– Worst in league
– Would be the worst of all time pic.twitter.com/B5EbhfuEzH

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 1, 2021

LeBron’s Lakers 

LeBron James is yet another L.A Laker who will go down in the NBA Hall of Fame. LeBron is often compared to Michael Jordan for his influence on and off the court. He will go down as one the greatest of all time. 

The Lakers team, led by LeBron and Anthony Davis, won the NBA Championship last season and are expected to repeat that this season. 

It seems appropriate to mention King James, likewise would it seem fitting to associate one of NBA’s all time ‘GOATs’ with a dynasty. With the guidance of LeBron, the current Lakers team could easily cement themselves as a dynasty. This would mark a fitting end to James’ career and more-so challenge Jordan’s status as the all time ‘GOAT.’ 

European led Mavericks

The Mavericks are in the midst of a European revolution with stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porziņģis.

The signing of all-star Doncic has propelled Dallas into contention for the NBA Championships. Doncic is matched well with fellow European and 7 ft 3 in tall, Porziņģis. Kristaps has struggled with injuries recently, keeping the big man fit will be important for Dallas over the next few years. 

If fit the pair have the potential to lead Dallas to glory in the NBA but will need more support from the rest of the roster. The Mavs currently find themselves in a sticky situation this season and will need their European stars to pull them through.

We love to see it ? @luka7doncic | #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/nXlInJ5pmi

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) February 4, 2021

New Orleans’ Young Stars 

This team is one for the future. Despite losing Anthony Davis to the Lakers, they have built a team that has future success in their sight. They also managed to get useful draft pick options built into the deal for Davis when he was traded to LA.

Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are the two standout players from the team. Williamson came into the NBA as one of the hottest properties in the draft. Zion has continued his development now in the NBA and looks set to become a superstar in the near future. Williamson has also helped Ingram become an All-Star player and further his development.

There are other outsiders with a chance to make something special with their teams. The Milwaukee Bucks have the MVP of the past two seasons, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek power forward is a future Hall of Fame player whom the Bucks are building their team around and hoping for glory. Also, keep an eye on the 76ers and Celtics young talent.

We hope you enjoyed the article ‘Who will be the next NBA Dynasty?’ Who do you think has the most potential to become the NBA’s next dynasty? Which team do you think has had the best dynasty of all time? Let us know!

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