Starting at the bottom of the pile, the Philadelphia 76ers have their work cut out for them. But with new talent on the roster, and a bright future ahead of them, can these Philadelphia 76ers overtake the Golden State Warriors atop the NBA?
If you examine the history of the NBA championship series, two things stand out. The first thing noticed is the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers have not appeared in the championship game since 2001, the year that Allen Iverson and Dikembe Mutombo led the 76ers in a Cinderellas-like season, only to be turned away in the championship against the Los Angeles Lakers by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. But the second surprising fact is the turn-style effect of teams appearing in the championship series.
With few exceptions, the top teams seem to rise to the top of the NBA for no more than three seasons. While the reasons for each individual situation can vary greatly, that is the likely period of time reflecting the contract duration for the top players.
Top players demand the team’s top salary. To make room, the team must often part ways with very important support players in order to meet their stars compensation expectations. Subsequently, the team becomes weaker, not stronger, as the supporting cast of the team is diluted via attrition.
And so, right now the meter is running on the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. Both teams have or intend to reload for the 2016-2017 NBA season, but each have some questions going forward. While the Warriors have signed the ultimate free agent in Kevin Durant, he still must demonstrate that he enhances, and doesn’t detract, from last season’s chemistry. Meanwhile the Cavaliers have their own pitfalls, as they recently waived Dahntay Jones, a player who played a minor role but in a major way to help defeat the Warriors.
The Cavs waived Dahntay Jones because his $1.6 million salary would have become guaranteed Monday for the entire 2016-17 season. BUT ...
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 31, 2016
That’s pretty much the challenge atop the NBA, how to stay there.
Next: The Climb