The brunt of the NBA’s offseason action typically happens in June or July, when the draft takes place and free agency opens. Generally, a week or two into the free agent period, all the big-name players are off the board, most trades have been finalized, and we have a pretty good idea of what teams will look like in the fall.
That wasn’t quite the case this summer. Three teams with championship aspirations look a whole lot different now than they did in mid-July. In mid-July, we didn’t even know that Kyrie Irving wanted to be traded by the Cavaliers. Now, he’s a member of the Celtics, with Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Ante Zizic in Cleveland.
Of course, that wasn’t the Cavs’ only major move. The team also locked up Dwyane Wade on Wednesday following his buyout with the Bulls, reuniting the former Finals MVP with his friend LeBron James.
Meanwhile, Western Conference teams also continued to load up on talent, with the Knicks sending Carmelo Anthony to Oklahoma City. It was the Thunder’s second notable acquisition of an Eastern All-Star this offseason, and while it wasn’t a surprise to see Anthony dealt, his destination raised some eyebrows. Following Houston’s trade for Chris Paul in June, one report suggested the Rockets expected to land either Paul George or Anthony, but both those players ultimately ended up in OKC.
Now that the dust has settled and it appears most contending clubs are done making major moves, it’s worth taking stock of where those contenders stand in relation to one team that has been quiet in recent months — the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors had an excellent offseason, but conducted all their business in June and July, not taking part in the flurry of last-minute upgrades happening around the league.
Taking into account each team’s roster heading into the summer, along with every club’s offseason moves, which team do you view as the biggest threat to the Warriors in 2017/18? Will a Western Conference rival like the Rockets, Spurs, or Thunder have a chance to take down the defending champs? Or will the best chance at an upset come from the Eastern Conference?
Vote below in our poll and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!
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It’s clearly the Cavs. They outscored the Warriors last year when LeBron was playing and they have improved depth and defense this year.
It’s clearly not the Cavs.
You don’t realize how huge Kyrie was. Especially when LeBron would run out of gas and disappear Kyrie would carry the team on offense.
Now it’s possible that LeBron spends the year wisely and saves up, but still I think they’ve downgraded.
Wade isn’t the player he was and Rose definitely not the player he was. They’ll have decent regular seasons and hopefully not miss too much time nicked up.
But come playoff time LeBron will have to take those last second shots and he’s not quite the 4th quarter player everyone thinks he is. Even in Miami he would tighten up on free throws, miss those jumpers as his legs got tired Etc.
In my opinion the Celtics are the biggest threat.
The Rockets will implode with Chris Paul and Harden… one of them getting upset at their personal numbers and a four-game losing streak lighting the fuse.
OKC…, can’t wait to see the faces on Paul George and Carmelo Anthony standing in opposite Corners, hands chest high, waiting for the kick out and Westbrook is jacking up a 3 with 18 seconds on the shot clock that clanks off the side of the backboard.
It might be the Spurs. Gasol is still very, very good and we saw Leonard in game 1 of the playoffs last year.
But who did they pick up in the offseason to close the gap? Oh that’s right, nobody. (I like Rudy Gay, but he’s already getting a little older- though he was playing well in Sacramento.) Now to come back from a torn Achilles, who knows what he’s going to give you.
Thomas is the new 4th qtr guy, one of the best. He is tough on Curry.
The Cavs can try different offenses now, including posting the guards while the bigs work the 3pt line.
Thomas will not fit well with LeBron.
Thomas needs the ball…he is a Juke and Jive guy, dribble around pump fake step back take whatever he can get and squeak by and maneuver Etc.
There’s no way LeBron does not have the ball in his hands for all that Isaiah Thomas psych and deke stuff.
Isaiah Thomas is fantastic as a one-man show and kick to a shooter. Not happening on a LeBron James Cleveland team.
You can’t honestly believe Isaiah Thomas won’t fit with LeBron because he needs the ball when Kyrie fit in just fine and is just as iso heavy as any other player in the league. And Kyrie carried the offense when James was out? The Cavs were outscored by 20 in the finals when James was off the floor so he clearly didn’t. Plus, the Cavs added Crowder and Wade. The Celtics lack any type of interior presence which is needed when playing the Warriors. Will anyone on the Celtics even average 10+ rebounds? Boston gets swept by the Warriors and every game is a double digit victory
I think Boston. I don’t believe Cavs did well with who they got at all lots of names but not gonna mesh. Also like to see Thunder be up there that would make for a great match. Houston with Injury prone Paul didn’t do much either. It takes more than just LeBron to beat the warriors so I feel Boston strongest. Either way it’s gonna be a great year for a lot of teams
Let’s talk about next year biggest threat for the Warriors. This year is over already no threat this year.
Boston is still missing that big they need Cavs are not sure if IT4 will and if so how well he will fit with James the thunder could have chemistry issues and the other 2 teams didn’t do enough to get passed them but the spurs are always dangerous
*play
100% the kings. end of story. poll’s done
You mean the Nets don’t you
You misspelled Hawks
What about the Lakers? That’s my vote!
Kings? If Vlade Divac comes out of retirement than maybe.
Lol. The Cavs have thomas out. Rose hasnt been healthy consistently in 5 years. Once he gets hurt, wade will be ghe secondary ball handler to LeBron… If you can’t handle ghe ball then you can’t win. … For yhe first half of this year, they essentially traded Kyrie (a superstar) for Crowder (a solid 3D guy )and Zizic (a project backup center)
Celtics is my homer vote. Even if I weren’t a homer, I’d still lean Celtics. Celtics are so well built with both top tier talent AND young depth. Danny has just done an incredible job.
strAinge finally pulled the trigger. He didn’t do an incredible job for like six years while he waited and waited and waited. This is the first year I can tip my hat to him.
You do realize that if he didn’t wait he wouldn’t have been able to make these moves this yr right?
And he did get IT4 for nothing
And a good return on Rondo who has gone and peed off half the league
You’re a hundred percent correct. And next year maybe he could have done even better. Glad he finally did something. Now let’s watch them succeed and get to the finals.
Keep in mind they still have the other Nets pick to work with, he could attach it and some other pieces to Horford to match salary of an upgrade is available. I like Horford but if you can upgrade on the 14-5-8 or whatever his AVG’s are, I’d do it.
Not the Nets pick, the LAL/SAC pick.
The thing about trading Horford is it may look bad to other players in the league he left a team he loved to come here you know and also I don’t think it’s the player it’s more of the system Stevens runs