The Next Era of the NBA
Although we haven’t seen any actual basketball being played in a few months, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how good of a place the NBA is truly in.
I believe there are eras to the game which are defined by the players who play during that era. We had the Wilt vs. Russell era, the Larry vs. Magic era, the Kobe and Shaq era mixed with the Spurs dynasty. Then there was the LeBron era which flowed into the LeBron vs. the Warriors dynasty. As far back as I can remember, there have been a key set of guys who have defined the NBA and how it played out. Now I feel as though a new era is beginning. The only question is, who is going to define the next era?
In my personal opinion, I believe the next era of basketball won’t be able to truly start until LeBron James is either retired, or no longer in a position to dominate the league. The young guns who are supposed to take over the next era of basketball won’t be able to do so until the older guys aren’t as effective. Because of this, I think what we are seeing in the current state of the NBA is a transitional period. Luckily, I believe that this is the best time to watch basketball.
Think about it this way - when Jordan was playing, you knew he was going to win. When LeBron was in the East, you knew he was going to be in the Finals. When Larry and Magic were squaring off, you knew who was going to be in the Finals. However, during these transitional periods, anything can happen. You never know what you’re going to get or who’s going to win it all. Examples of these transitional periods can be seen throughout history, but let me bring up a few recent examples. Just last year marked the beginning of a transition out of the Warriors dynasty, as we saw the Raptors win their first championship in franchise history. In 2011, the rule of Kobe and the Spurs took a brief pause, as the Mavericks marked the end of one era and the start of a new one. Dirk helped the NBA transition from an era of Kobe and the Spurs, to an era of LeBron and the Warriors.
Yes there are obviously going to be some exceptions to this rule, as Kobe didn’t win 10 straight championships, and LeBron didn’t always take home the Larry O’Brien, but for the most part, the NBA is dominated by these few superstars for an entire era.
All of this brings me back to my original question - who is going to define the next era of basketball? Well, the options are pretty clear to me. In the East we have Giannis, who I can only assume will take the role of the next LeBron. A guy who can lead whatever team he is on to a Finals births at will. All bias aside, I think the Celtics could be the next Spurs. A great coach along with an amazing core or dudes. Tatum in the Tim Duncan role, a superstar leading the charge, with Jaylen Brown right by his side as a Manu or Parker figure. Even the Hawks have some promise with Trae Young on their team. I mean the front office was drafting players in the hopes of turning Atlanta into the next Warriors, and who says they can’t be? I obviously don’t think they’ll win as much, but with Trae as Steph and the pieces around him falling into place, anything can happen.
Then out west we have Luka Doncic with Kristaps Porzingis. If Dallas plays their cards right, they could have a sort of Kobe/Pau Gasol duo on their hands, only with Luka being more pass oriented and Kobe being more of a mamba. We see the Grizzlies turning into a young ragtag group of guys ready to burst out onto the scene. Could they maybe be one of those teams that sneaks a ring in during all the madness? Another version of the 2011 Mavericks or 2004 Pistons? Lastly, I think the Pelicans have to be included in the conversation. I don’t know who to compare them to exactly, but is it so far fetched to compare them to the Bulls with Jordan? Yes, yes it is way too far fetched, but Zion’s potential is as high as anyone’s we’ve ever seen, so maybe they can turn into the next dynasty.
What’s so great is that any one of the teams or guys I just mentioned could turn into the next NBA dynasty. Or we could see an era where every single one of these teams gets a ring. We’ll just have to wait and see.
