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5 Playoff Teams That Won’t Win An NBA Championship Right Now

By Ryan Blackburn

May 27, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guards Kyle Lowry (7) and DeMar DeRozan (10) sit together on the bench during a time out against Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre.The Cavaliers won 113-87. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
May 27, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guards Kyle Lowry (7) and DeMar DeRozan (10) sit together on the bench during a time out against Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre.The Cavaliers won 113-87. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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With their current rosters, these five playoff teams will never win an NBA championship unless each makes a major change.

May 27, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guards Kyle Lowry (7) and DeMar DeRozan (10) sit together on the bench during a time out against Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre.The Cavaliers won 113-87. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
May 27, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guards Kyle Lowry (7) and DeMar DeRozan (10) sit together on the bench during a time out against Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre.The Cavaliers won 113-87. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

Sometimes, the playoffs aren’t enough.

Many franchises set goals before the season based on the previous year. Some franchises look for incremental improvement. Some aren’t nearly as patient. Some franchises set the bar at competing for a championship victory every single year.

That being said, there are only ever four or five NBA championship caliber teams. This year, the only teams worthy of hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy have been the Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs.

Those teams drafted well, used free agency effectively and made key trades to bring in valuable contributors to their current teams. They never settled on the current group and worked tirelessly to maximize their potential championship windows.

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Other teams will need to make changes or experience development in order to reach the level of the four teams listed above. Development happens over time, but for the following five franchises, immediate changes can be made to either compete or rebuild stronger.

Next: Already Took A Step Back