Players, not teams, will define NBA of the 2020s

With the 2010s officially complete and a new decade under way, it’s important to look at what we think will influence the NBA the most over the next 10 years.

Last decade saw historic changes to the NBA. Seven different teams were crowned champions, two more than the 2000s saw. LeBron James participated in eight straight NBA Finals. The “seven seconds or less” offense of the mid-2000s Suns was taken to an extreme in Golden State, forcing fans and other organizations to seriously re-think how the game should be played.

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And above it all, the San Antonio Spurs stayed contentious the entire 10-year stretch. Their continuity may be reaching its end in the 2019-20 season and it’s difficult to envision another franchise sustaining that level of success for so long.

Why, you ask? The evolving power of the players. Stars have always dictated the power structure of the NBA, but the 2010s saw them use it at an unprecedented level. James’ decision to go to Miami, followed by his second decision to return to Cleveland, triggered all kinds of player movement.

The last NBA Finals of the decade between Golden State and Toronto featured two stars who changed uniforms of their own volition: Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City in 2016 to join a powerhouse Warriors squad, and Kawhi Leonard forced his way out of San Antonio via trade demands.

The game itself, the players who dominate it, and everything in-between are bound to change drastically over the next 10 seasons. Here’s a look into what the league might look like over that span.