Miami Heat, NY Knicks, OKC Thunder, Chicago Bulls: Who Will Be Next NBA Dynasty?
One of the most interesting areas of NBA history is studying the greatest winning teams. Usually comprised of legendary players, these dynasty teams found a way to win multiple times (for the sake of this piece, a dynasty must win at least three times in six years).
The first decade of the NBA featured the powerhouse Minneapolis Lakers, led by center George Mikan. After winning five titles in six years, this Lakers team was surpassed by the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics. Perhaps the greatest dynasty in NBA history, the Celtics won 11 championships in 13 seasons from the late 1950s through the 1960s.
The next two dynasties didn't appear until the 1980s: the Boston Celtics (led by Larry Bird) and the Los Angeles Lakers (led by Magic Johnson). These two teams were instrumental in helping to make the NBA into one of the country's most popular professional sports leagues, along with MLB and the NFL.
Then in the 1990s, Michael Jordan took over where Magic and Bird left off, leading the Chicago Bulls to six titles and helping to popularize the NBA around the world.
The past decade has seen the last two dynasties. The Los Angeles Lakers, with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, won three championships in a row and went to the NBA Finals four out of five seasons. Also, Tim Duncan helped make the San Antonio Spurs into a powerhouse, winning four titles in eight years.
This article looks toward the future. These are exciting times for the NBA and its fans. Some of the all-time greatest players still grace the hardwood, such as Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash and Kevin Garnett.
Yet, there are a lot of amazing young talents around the league such as Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. These players want to write their own success stories in the annals of NBA history-to-be.
As part of Bleacher Report's NBA Debate series, featured columnists Ethan S. and Rich Fernandes discuss the prospects of the next potential dynasty.
We hope you enjoy the analysis of this article, as well as some of the humor throughout. As always, feel free to let us know what you think. We'd love to hear which team you think has the greatest chance at becoming a dynasty and why.
Without further ado, let the debate begin!
Which Team Is Going to Be the NBA's Next Dynasty? (Ethan)
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There are several teams that can become the NBA’s next dynasty. The Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder all have young talented core players. A lot of people have their eyes set towards Miami with the trio of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
However, in the end I would pick the New York Knicks for two primary reasons: the roster advantages and the market.
Star Players
Regarding the roster, Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are a nice pair to build around. Considering Amar'e, he seems to be the most dominant of the top power forwards from Chicago and Miami (Carlos Boozer and Chris Bosh). In most matchups, Stoudemire should win that battle.
Carmelo Anthony is still one of the league’s best scorers and should cause problems when paired with Stoudemire. Although he is just average on defense, Anthony will improve on the team defense concept. And let’s face it, it takes a whole team to slow down superstars in this league.
The team has Chauncey Billups right now as the point guard, and he is a player who many underrate. He’s an incredible shooter (43% 3FG, 92% FT) who excels at making clutch shots. In addition, he’s tough defender with lots of veteran tricks up his sleeves, not to mention some valuable championship experience.
Billups won’t last forever on the team, as he is 34 years old. I expect New York to go after a player like Chris Paul or Deron Williams in the next few years. Stoudemire and Anthony are not the best playmakers, so the team can use an elite floor general to run the offense.
I believe a trio of these players would be better than the Miami superstar tandem. Unlike the issues Miami is having over making clutch shots, New York already has two of the best players at making late game shots (Anthony and Billups).
Supporting Cast
Furthermore, a lot of folks underestimate Landry Fields. His talents are immense, and within a few seasons he can become an All-Star caliber player. To have possibly four All-Star talents on one team in their primes is almost unheard of.
I also trust that New York’s management team will have learned its lessons from the past decade to manage the roster more intelligently and fill in the missing pieces around this core group.
Market
Regarding the market, New York is as big as it gets, which means a lot of money can flow into the franchise. While the CBA changes could shake things up regarding salary caps and player exceptions, the Knicks should have a big advantage in being able to pay for top talent.
And one further note: I can’t help to think how much David Stern will be salivating at the prospect of having the Knicks back in the NBA Finals. After all, the NBA in the end is a business.
Which Team Is Going to Be the NBA's Next Dynasty? (Rich)
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The Miami Heat’s imperfection exposition that features LeBron James and Co. versus a string of tough teams with winning records over the next couple of weeks is in full swing, and the foregone conclusion of a championship is showing like a face full of ripe zits ready to explode. In the mix are a bunch of elite teams that have had their way with the Heat all season long and there is no relief in sight.
Where is karma Cleveland when you need them most?
During this seven-game stretch, the Heat have lost to winning teams in copious amounts. They got nixed by the Knicks, vanished against the Magic, gored twice by the Bulls, trounced by the Spurs and run over by the Trail Blazers. The lowly Wizards stand as the only team they beat.
Fix the Blue Print BUT Don’t Plan Championship Parades
Let it be said that patience is a virtue except when trying to force something to work (like fitting a square peg in a round hole). Miami faces way too much pressure to continue with its disharmonious tendencies and not make the required changes to put a championship team on the floor next year.
It’s too late to save this season, but there will be no excuse next year, and with the right changes, NBA 2011-12 should be the beginning of a dynasty in Miami. Riley has to trade Chris Bosh to free cap room and bring in a PF with a post game. To think that a one-for-one trade for either Amar'e Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer or LaMarcus Aldridge for Bosh has become a big joke and a direct result of Bosh’s plummeting ROI.
After moving Bosh, Riley has to bring in a legit center and possibly a better PG than Bibby. Last but not least, Riley has to strengthen the bench.
The Miami Heat have two of the best and most explosive players in the league on their roster in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade poised as the cornerstone for tomorrow, so it’s definitely not the end of the world.
Chris Bosh Is the Square Peg in the Round Hole
Indeed, there are a plethora of things that are fundamentally wrong with the Heat’s blueprint. By denying that simple truth, the Heat are denying potential championships in every single year that Batman Wade and Batman James try to win a championship. And people are beginning to realize that adding Wonder Woman to the mix is proving to be a fatal flaw.
There are a few Heat fans that stubbornly defend Chris Bosh, but to get a feel for the majority’s scathing anti-Bosh commentary, you have only to visit the Miami Herald. And if you see one of those Bosh defenders on the Florida Turnpike, please feel free to run them off the road—they’re easy to spot in their pink Cadillacs.
The Heat Bench Stinks
The bench is not a new problem, but one that the Heat have known about all season. It was expected that the enormous talents of the Big Three would offset the shortcomings of Miami’s pathetic bench. For the most part it had, but that was against poor competition that only served in providing a false moniker to support the bench is enough theory, because a bench full of streaky shooters is not enough to sustain a championship run.
Other Issues
-LeBron James handles the ball too much and takes too many threes instead of consistently driving to the rim and banging in the post.
-Dwyane Wade should be leading the team, not following James around.
-PG is still a question mark, even with Mike Bibby at the point, and Raymond Felton might be available this summer.
-Center is still a question mark.
-Mike Miller is in the deep slumber part of his winter hibernation.
-Spoelstra's predictable offense is sputtering with too many pick and rolls and three-point attempts.
How Would Knicks Dynasty Compare to Other Top Historical NBA Dynasties? (Ethan)
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The New York Knicks will have a lot of competition from the Thunder, Bulls and Heat over the next five to six years, yet alone any other team that can emerge as a contender.
I believe the Knicks have the potential (based on the right roster moves and coaching) to win three or four titles this decade.
If that becomes a reality, then this dynasty would rival the Spurs dynasty of the 2000s and the Boston Celtics dynasty of the 1980s. I could see similar winning patterns of having championship years separated by non-winning seasons. After all, it is very difficult to repeat in the NBA and there will be a lot of competition.
It is possible that the Knicks could win back-to-back titles, but I don’t believe the team would be capable of winning a three-peat. Besides the competition, each championship team carries a target on its back the following season.
Based on my predictions, I would also not rank this team as high as the Bulls dynasty of the 1990s, the Lakers of the 1980s or the Celtics of the 1960s. In order to meet the success level of those great dynasties, the Knicks would have to dominate the 2010s decade.
How Would the Heat Dynasty Compare to Other Top Historical NBA Dynasties? (Rich)
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It’s no secret that the Miami Heat’s blueprint this season was supposed to resemble that of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, but unfortunately when that team disbanded, they threw away the mold and no team before or after has looked so good.
The Big Three of the Bulls consisted of MJ, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, who had games that complemented each other. Instead, the Heat have two Michael Jordans in Wade and James, and one Mary Poppins with no Scottie Pippens or Dennis Rodmans.
Miami Thrice’s games do not complement each other at all, because when Wade has the ball, James is just standing around in hyperspace, and vice-versa.
The Miami Heat are closer to emulating the Chicago Bulls dynasty than you might think, however, but major overhaul changes must be made.
Dwyane Wade can be the Michael Jordan by mixing up his game and being a threat from all over the floor the way he is capable of doing (not predominantly from the three-point line). Wade has already shown that he has the guts to take his team to the finals and win.
His well-rounded game consists of the ability to do everything, including drive, shoot, rebound and assist. And just like Mike, Wade is extremely clutch, which is why he should be taking the ball out of the king’s hands to take the last-second shot. The big surprise is that Wade has taken only one last-second shot all year, thanks to the King.
LeBron James can be the Scottie Pippen by banging it up in the post and effectively putting his ridiculous PG aspirations to rest. Like Wade, James can also do everything, but to complement Wade’s game, he has to stop playing exactly like Wade.
With two MVP’s under his belt, James’ running back strength and speed, combined with his size, can be a punishing presence in the paint. That said and until he proves otherwise, James has to understand that clutch time should belong to Wade.
Consequentially a Chris Bosh trade for Kevin Love would be even better than having an extremely underrated rebound machine like Dennis Rodman. But if you can’t get Mr. Love (who will be offered a contract extension by the Timberwolves this offseason), the Heat must get a strong post player who will average double figures in rebounds to get as close to Rodman as possible.
The above scenario brings the Miami Heat significantly closer to fitting the mold of that Bulls dynasty, but as it stands now, they have no depth and only two of the required pieces. This offseason, Pat Riley will be very busy trying to fit the Heat to the mold of MJ’s Bulls.
What Are Factors That Could Prevent Knicks from Becoming a Dynasty? (Ethan)
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There are a few factors that could hurt the Knicks chances of building a dynasty.
Mike D'Antoni
First, Mike D’Antoni has to go. He is a coach who relies on offense, and most analysts agree that defense wins championships. In a seven-game series, a team cannot expect to outrun the opponent and win.
Although Stoudemire and Anthony are not known for their individual defensive prowess, they can still be effective in a strong team defensive concept. Both players are quick and have length to help slow opponents down.
The Knicks management (owner James Dolan and GM Donnie Walsh most notably) will need to make sure that the teammates surrounding the two stars can also play effective defense. Adding a player in the mold of Shane Battier or Ron Artest (albeit without the crazy twitter comments) would be highly valuable in slowing down premier perimeter scorers.
Point Guard
Second, the Knicks have to secure a talented point guard after Billups retires to set up plays for Stoudemire and Anthony. Getting a player like John Wall or Deron Williams would make the Knicks a force to reckon with. Getting a player like Chris Paul, who is an elite defender, would be an even better prospect.
Possible Cap Changes
Third, if the CBA dictates a hard cap, the Knicks will find themselves in a similar situation as Miami, LA and many other teams where most of the salary space is taken up by a few players. If this happens without some grandfathering in, though, expect things to get ugly fast!
Health
Last, health is always a factor. The roster for New York will have to be healthy enough to sustain long playoff runs and be effective each year. This can be the most critical issue that prevents any championship team from becoming part of a dynasty.
Besides the usual nagging injuries that come up each season, players tend to become more susceptible to serious injuries when they endure long playoff runs, especially year after year.
This is an area that the Knicks won’t be able to control much and will need some luck in its favor.
If all of these areas can work into New York’s favor, expect Madison Square Garden to once again become the center of the basketball world over the decade.
What Are Factors That Could Prevent Miami Heat from Becoming a Dynasty? (Rich)
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Miami Thrice have only themselves to blame for the great expectations that have been placed on the Heat to win multiple championships, and it has become an incredible burden. All the showboating, starting with rock star introduction concerts, has not only made the Heat the official enemy of every fan outside of South Florida, but it has put NBA teams on high alert, motivating them to bring their “A” games to flush out the unnecessary arrogance.
And many stars including Kevin Durant, Amar'e Stoudemire and Paul Pierce have fought back with quotable comments from the media that reflects their disdain.
Resisting Change
If Pat Riley decides to stand pat and not make the required changes to the existing Miami heat blueprint, there will no hope in hell of winning one let alone a series of championships.
Don't Plan the Parades in Advance
When Riley does do the inevitable and changes Miami’s blueprint, the Heat should try and keep a low profile. This includes not making any outlandish predictions that will garner ridiculous expectations, providing the media with a field day each and every day. But sadly, the damage has been done and it’s unlikely the media will back off now.
Kid James
If LeBron James has shown the world anything this year, it’s that he is still a kid and has much growing up to do. The team could do without his attention grabbing off-court antics.
If James maturation process does not kick into high gear, providing him with a serious respect and focus for the game, it’s highly unlikely he will ever win a championship. He must work hard to define his game in the offseason like MJ did and Kobe still does—not to mention players like Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard—and a new and effective post move would be nice.
The talk of constant partying has to be replaced by a work ethic that motivates himself and his teammates to practice and focus on winning. There’s plenty of time for parties in the offseason.
Injuries
Injuries can wreak havoc on a team’s championship hopes. If it was not for injuries to Grant Hill and Yao Ming, it’s likely that hard-luck Tracy McGrady would be holding up a championship or two. Dwyane Wade seems to be susceptible to the injury bug more than James, but a serious injury to either would spell big trouble for Miami’s dynasty hopes.
Other Elite Teams
Even with a new and improved Heat team next year, Miami faces very stiff competition as elite teams are sprouting up all over the place. With the right resolve, some of these teams may stop the Heat from hoisting the trophy.
What Other Teams Could Become a Dynasty over This Decade? (Ethan)
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Of the other three teams headlined in this article, I like the Chicago Bulls' chances. Derrick Rose is an MVP candidate and has some talented pieces around him in Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Taj Gibson.
I predicted Chicago to be one of the top teams this season at the outset in part because of coach Tom Thibodeau. His style has led the Bulls into becoming one of the NBA’s best defensive teams. This type of defense is good enough to push a team far into the playoffs.
The Miami Heat will probably be a force in the NBA for years, although given that the team has made just 1-of-16 game-tying or lead-taking shots in the last 10 seconds of the game, the Heat will have to improve their play in clutch situations to win even a single championship.
One cannot count out the Oklahoma City Thunder. The core group is young, and with newcomer Kendrick Perkins helping to control the interior defense, the Thunder may rise to the top of the NBA.
Additionally, because he is such a force in the middle, wherever Dwight Howard goes will also have a chance at becoming a dynasty. If the right star player complements are inserted around him, Howard’s team could be quite successful in the league.
I could see Howard staying in Orlando, but he could possibly go to a big market such as Los Angeles, Chicago or New York. He could also want to return home to his native Atlanta. Nevertheless, the basketball world will take notice of where he plays ball.
What Other Teams Could Become a Dynasty over the Next Decade? (Rich)
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There are several new elite teams in the league that boast a young core of players that should dominate over the next 10 years:
Chicago Bulls
What if the Bulls had signed Dwyane Wade in the offseason to start with Rose, Noah, Boozer and Deng to go along with a reasonably deep bench? The SG spot is the Bulls' only weakness, and they have proved themselves to be an elite team in today’s NBA.
Derrick Rose is the frontrunner for MVP, and together with Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, they are the only team with three representatives in the top 10 most efficient players in the entire league (taking into account NBA.com’s efficiency formula, not PER). Even without landing a dynamic and versatile SG, the Bulls have a shot at multiple titles.
New York Knicks
The Hello ‘Melo Knicks made a huge mistake by gutting their team for malcontent, Carmelo Anthony. In fact, all the pre-Melo Knicks needed was an elite center and a defensive plan to be serious competition, but as it stands now, they have much rebuilding to do.
‘Melo might have caused the Knicks to nix any future championship plans. The Knicks still need a good center, and now they have to rebuild the entire bench. If the Knicks can land Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler, as well as some good role players, they might have a chance at becoming a dynasty, and even with taking defense seriously for a change, that’s a big “IF."
Oklahoma City Thunder
Like the Chicago Bulls, the Thunder have applauding built a contender from smart drafts and trades. The fact that Kevin Durant has shown a commitment to the franchise is refreshing to see, and combined with Russell Westbrook, the Thunder have their own superstar dynamic duo.
To add to the team’s dominant mix is Lakers killer Kendrick Perkins, who promises to improve OKC's defensive game. The Thunder are so fast that they throw teams like the Lakers off balance, and now Kobe has to worry about man-eating shark Perkins inhabiting his lake.
The Thunder are a couple of players away from being a true dominator, something that could easily happen in the next couple of years.
L.A. Clippers
Up until last year, the most exciting player in the NBA was LeBron James, but rookie Blake Griffin has stolen that title from the king with ease. The sky seems to be the limit for this bouncy young gun who is running away with the Rookie of the Year Award.
His ability to jump out of the gym poses an ever-present danger of smashing his head against the rim, something Griff must always be careful to avoid during blastoff. He is the cornerstone of this young club whose expectations as a team are beginning to skyrocket.
What Are the Chances That There Is No NBA Dynasty over the Next Decade? (Ethan)
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There is actually a significant chance that there will be no dynasty in the NBA over the next 10 years. There are a lot of great teams in the NBA right now. It could very well be a dogfight between Chicago, Oklahoma City, New York, Miami and Orlando over the next five to six seasons, with these teams splitting the championships up for grabs.
Of course, a lot can change in the NBA over a five-year span. By the middle of the decade, teams that are playing poorly today may turn themselves into powerhouses. Then we might see a few more franchises grab some titles.
In the end, I think this is the most likely scenario. I highly doubt that any team will win more than two or three championships over the next 10 years. And I am even more skeptical of any team being able to win a three-peat (especially since the “three-peat coach” Phil Jackson is going to retire after this season).
What Are the Chances That There Is No NBA Dynasty over the Next Decade? (Rich)
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Has there ever been so many good teams in the league at once? How long has it been since the Eastern Conference looked so tough?
With so many clubs pushing elite level status, it’s hard to see any one team winning consecutive championships. The Miami Heat will definitely get one, but so could the Bulls, and what about the Thunder and Lakers?
There are also the oldies but goodies such as the Spurs, Mavericks and Celtics, who will all be threats over the next two years before applying for their senior citizen's passes. Dirk wants his first and both Shaq and Duncan want their fifth, so you can’t write them off.
About the Authors
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Rich Fernandes is a resident of Toronto, Canada and is currently studying for his MBA. Rich’s favorite sports include in order: NHL Hockey, NFL Football, NBA Basketball and Ultimate Fighting. Rich has found Bleacher Report to be an enjoyable experience as well as the ultimate platform for the serious sports fan.
Ethan lives near Seattle, WA and enjoys spending free time between work and family obligations by writing and engaging on Bleacher Report. He enjoys the articles of the many talented writers on the site, and appreciates the support he has received from community members.
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