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It is very difficult to create dynasties in the NBA. Owing to the presence of salary caps and the way the draft lotteries are formulated, it is tough for one single franchise to continue to dominate over a long period of time - say, a decade.
Still, some franchises have managed to trade their way up, draft well, and create an effervescent dressing room to enjoy lasting success.
Building dynasties in the NBA is becoming difficult
The Boston Celtics in the 1960s, the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, and the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s are some examples of franchises that were so dominant that they reigned supreme for much of an entire decade.
In recent times, though, such long-term glory has been hard to find. The 2000s saw two juggernauts in the West in the Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs battle it out for most of the NBA titles. The most recently concluded decade saw a number of teams win the NBA championship, none more often than the Golden State Warriors.
However, as you can tell, it is becoming increasingly difficult for a single franchise to continue ruling over the rest of the NBA. As a result, it is very difficult to predict which teams will dominate for ten years to come. It only takes one wrong trade or one bad free agency pick-up to ruin the possibility of building a dynasty.
Having said that, these 5 franchises are well poised to succeed in the 2020s. They have a lot of pieces that point towards a bright future and with the right management, success can surely be found.
Also Read: NBA 2019-20: 5 Players who could have a massive impact off the bench once the season restarts
#5 Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies aren't exactly a very reputed franchise. They've won a grand total of 0 division titles, let alone conference or NBA titles. They've never really had an iconic, talent-rich team to remember either. The grit-n-grind Grizzlies featuring the likes of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph was as good as it has gotten for Grizzlies fans, who have started to lose faith in the organization.
Enter Ja Morant.
The inclusion of Ja Morant has been like a breath of fresh air in a franchise presumed dead. Much like Michael Jordan breathing life back into the Bulls when he was drafted there, the introduction of Morant to the Grizzlies has had a similar impact. People are starting to watch the Grizzlies again. Morant is one of the sauciest players in the league in just his rookie season, and is destined for greatness.
Alongside Morant, rookie Brandon Clarke and sophomore Jaren Jackson Jr. have also shown immense potential. With another young talent in Dillon Brooks, they could form a formidable quartet. If the youngsters stay together and keep developing at this rate, the Grizzlies could finally challenge for a championship in this decade.
#4 New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans took a big decision to allow Anthony Davis to leave the franchise for the Los Angeles Lakers at around his prime. However, they made sure they cashed in as much as they could, picking up several young players like Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. As luck would have it, they also ended up winning the 2019 NBA draft lottery which has since turned into Zion Williamson - the rookie with the most hype since LeBron James in 2003.
Williamson, Ingram, and Ball are already seriously good NBA players, so one can only wonder how much better they will be in their primes. Ingram is already an All Star at 22, while Ball is top 15 in the league in assists aged just 22 as well. Zion has also been monstrous in the few games he has suited up for in an injury-hit rookie season.
Veteran guard and one of the NBA's best defenders, Jrue Holiday, has guided the young Pelicans very well so far. They have a very, very exciting team for the future and are already challenging for a playoff berth. The Davis trade that the Pelicans fans were dreading for a long time seems to have turned out well after all.
#3 Milwaukee Bucks
Under the leadership of superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks are one of the best teams in the league. The 'Greek Freak', who is likely to win back-to-back MVP awards this season, has a very able partner too in Khris Middleton. He also has the services of young and very talented two-way guard Donte DiVincenzo.
Truth be told, Antetokounmpo alone is a force to reckon with. He can, and has, single-handedly erased opposition teams. Aged just 25 and many years of top-level basketball still in him, the Bucks are likely to remain one of the NBA's best teams for quite a while.
Of course, the equation would change drastically if Antetokounmpo was to decide not to re-sign with the Bucks and relocate elsewhere. In that situation, his new employers would almost certainly replace the Bucks in this list, such is the impact of the 6'11" slasher that is Antetokounmpo.
#2 Boston Celtics
The most successful team in the history of the NBA is likely to stay at the summit if all goes well for their current squad. 22-year-old forward Jayson Tatum is already one of the best players in the league in his position. Fellow teammate Jaylen Brown is only a year older, yet still one of the best two-way guards in the league. 26-year-old Marcus Smart too is one of the best defenders in the league and is upping his offensive game constantly.
The Celtics don't just have talented young players with high upside - their young players are already NBA stars. They also have plenty of experience in star point-guard Kemba Walker and small-forward Gordon Hayward, who are both 30 years old. As you can probably guess, they have one of the best teams in the NBA currently, with the potential to be a lot better. It wouldn't be a total shock if they were to win the championship this season, which speaks volumes about the levels their young players could reach in the future.
When veterans Walker and Hayward leave the team, it will open up a ton of cap space, allowing Danny Ainge to tie their young guns up to long term deals whilst also picking up another established star if they act smartly. They also have other youngsters like Carsen Edwards, Robert Williams, Tacko Fall, and Romeo Langford who could easily outgrow their potential and become borderline stars as well.
The Celtics would have to do a lot wrong to not dominate the NBA in the 2020s. Fun times lie ahead for the Cs.
#1 Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks can have no excuses if they fail to pick up multiple NBA championships in the next ten years. After all, they have a generational talent on their hands.
21-year-old Luka Doncic is several steps ahead of any other player in his age group. He isn't just an NBA star at 21 - he's one of the top 10 players in the league. He's averaging nearly a triple-double in just his sophomore season. If it wasn't actually happening, people would probably have laughed it off.
His partner-in-crime is 24-year-old Kristaps Porzingis - a 7'3" center who can chuck threes from long-range for fun. An in-form Porzingis is basically a cheat-code. It is virtually impossible to defend a 7'3" man who can attack fiercely from both inside and outside the arc. He's also very decent at defending.
Luka is bound to be the NBA's poster-boy for years to come and many other stars would be willing to team up with him in Dallas. Luka Doncic could potentially recruit another superstar and form a trio that would be incredibly difficult to beat. If this happens, the other 29 teams in the NBA could be in for a disheartening decade with little to no success.
It's Luka's to lose at this point.
Guess the Lakers players!
