Storyline: Among likely candidates–Carter, Anthony, Westbrook, Paul, Griffin, and Durant–Westbrook is my choice.
Who’ll never win a ring? Who’s most likely to join the ranks of AI aka “The Answer,” Patrick Ewing, Stockton, and “The Mailman,” Karl Malone?
I posed that question recently on different online platforms. There was a wide variety of responses and opinions.
There are veterans past their prime trying to make one final push. Vince Carter is 39 and on a team that’s doomed to remain in the 6-8 spots in the West. Memphis isn’t making a Finals run.
Courtesy: boston.com
Then there’s Carmelo Anthony, a player who has never been able to get over that hump. He has never had the help. Now he finds himself in New York with a supporting cast that, just a couple years ago, would have helped him take that final step. But it’s a couple years too late. Today the Knicks can’t keep up with teams like Toronto and Cleveland.
How about players that have so much more basketball to play? The hottest of takes you’ll read here is this: I don’t see Russell Westbrook ever getting a ring.
He’s one of the best player in the NBA, for sure, but he won’t be able to do it on his own: the game doesn’t allow for that anymore. Throw Russ back in the place of someone like Hakeem and … maybe.
During a title run Hakeem led his team in PPG, RPG, APG, SPG, and BPG. Nothing like that will happen ever again. Westbrook also made it clear that he doesn’t respect anyone who leaves to join a “super team.” That means he intends to stay in OKC and will need to have a team built around him.
Courtesy: SI.com
Could the Thunder draft some talent, make some trades, and build a team to take on super powers in Oakland and Cleveland? Sure. But for a team that will continue making playoff runs and never get a lottery pick, you’re hoping for a later pick to pan out and develop into someone who can go head-to-head with young talent in the West, like KAT, Russell, and Davis. And with a team that’s soooo close every year, it can be hard to step back and partially rebuild to make that push.
As Westbrook’s career goes on, it will be harder and harder to do. They have been in “win-now” mode for so long. Making that switch is difficult. And it also requires Westbrook to continue his already historic performance.
What about someone like Blake Griffin or Chris Paul? I think LAC is one piece away from making that leap–so close to figuring out this thing. They are flying just below the radar in the West. They can glide into a top-4 seed virtually and make a run–before anyone even takes a peak in their direction.
Courtesy: theguardian.com
Maybe the most interesting name I heard on social media was Kevin Durant. This is the year. If he doesn’t win it with the Warriors this season, it might not happen.
That Warriors’ team won’t last. Having that many star personalities in one locker room has worked so far, but it can’t continue. If the Warriors don’t win the ’17 title, where does Durant look for that ring? That being said, I think he’ll win one or two before it’s all said and done.
On the other hand, his good friend, Westbrook, may not be so lucky.
