With the Golden State Warriors possibly nearing the end of their dynasty, several NBA teams are eagerly waiting in the wings. The Warriors, of course, aren’t going to give up their spot without a fight, and they have several young players, such as James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Jordan Poole, who can help extend their title window, but once Curry falls off, then so will the Warriors.
Opposing teams have been waiting for that to happen, and there will be an inevitable change of the guard. But which teams are up next? We’ll focus more on young and up-and-coming squads who have a chance to dominate the NBA much like how the Warriors have done for half a decade. With that being said, let’s see which team is set up to be the NBA’s next dynasty.
NBA Team #5: The Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns may seem like a surprise pick for the NBA’s next dynasty since all-star guard Chris Paul will turn 38 next season. Despite this, the Suns are well-positioned for success after Paul retires thanks to the likes of Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, and Deandre Ayton. Booker is just 26 years old and one of the top scorers in the NBA, and he’ll continue to get buckets at will for the next five years, at least, while Bridges is well regarded as a future two-way star.
Meanwhile, Ayton is the wildcard. He could sulk his way through next season until he’s ultimately traded. Or he could respond to not getting the contract that he wanted by proving he was undervalued. The former seems more likely, but Ayton is definitely talented enough to be a 20-point, 10-rebound, and 2-block per game type of center who can anchor a defense.
The Suns are definitely set up well for the future with their young trio, plus they have a great coach in Monty Williams and most of their assets. There are definitely worse positions to be in, and if and when Golden State falls off, they have what it takes to take over the West and the league.
NBA Team #4: The New Orleans Pelicans
Not to be outdone, the New Orleans Pelicans are a dark horse for a top-four seed in the West next season and are likely frontrunners going forward. Brandon Ingram is just 25 and is already a top-30 player, while CJ McCollum has been one of the better offensive guards in the NBA for years. Then there’s Zion Williamson, who had an absolutely dominant sophomore year before missing last season with a knee injury.
He’s back now and is in much better shape, which should improve his already elite athleticism without losing his bruising frame. Those three players are as good as almost any big three in the league, and they have a solid supporting cast too. They also added a very talented Swiss Army Knife rookie in Dyson Daniels with the eighth pick in the draft, to go along with sophomore defensive aces Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado.
They give this team a lot of room to grow in the coming years, while veterans like Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. help give the Pelicans win-now potential. If everything goes well, they could contend this season and maybe a title favorite in a year or two, as Golden State fades.
NBA Team #3: The Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies, led by 23-year-old superstar Ja Morant, have already turned into a championship contender and may be the favorites in a couple of seasons. After all, the Grizzlies have one of the best young cores in the league with players such as Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane. On top of that, they have a well-rounded supporting cast that includes Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, Tyus Jones, and vet three-and-D wing Danny Green.
They also have virtually all of their picks, allowing them to get better, something that is key for contending teams and part of the reason why the original Grit-and-Grind Grizzlies hit a wall. Grit-and-Grind 2.0 won’t have to worry about that, and they do have 2021 10th overall pick Ziare Williams and 2022 first-round pick David Roddy (who I’m very high on), who could develop into key contributors down the road.
All told, Memphis has done a terrific job of rebuilding, and they’ve put themselves in a great position to become the next dominant team, maybe even the NBA’s next dynasty. Who would’ve thought that even a few years ago, when they were trying to squeeze juice out of a stone with Marc Gasol and Mike Conley?
NBA Team #2: The Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been busy assembling a talented collection of young players that should make them a contender for years to come. They could also be a top-four seed this season, led by a trio of young stars in Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen, and could eventually be the team to beat in the East when Evan Mobley fully matures.
Better yet, they have veterans like Ricky Rubio and Caris Levert, giving them plenty of depth as well as a wildcard like Isaac Okoro, a former sixth overall pick that has failed to live up to expectations. If he pops, then the Cavs could have yet another weapon on an already deep and well-built team.
Considering that Mitchell is the oldest of their core four, at just 26 years old and under contract for four more seasons, the Cavs have set themselves up well to compete going forward in the East. Who would’ve thought that after LeBron James left for a second time? They also haven’t sacrificed much of their trade assets to assemble this team, unlike the previous Lebron-Cavs squads, and that only raises their ceiling higher.
NBA Team #1: The Denver Nuggets
Although the Denver Nuggets might not be the first team that comes to mind when mentioning the next dynasty, they should at least be in the conversation. They have the reigning two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic locked up for the next five seasons, and he’s only 27 years old. There’s no way he doesn’t play like an absolute star well into his 30s, and that bodes well for them since he basically averaged 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists per game last season like it was nothing.
The Nuggets also have two younger stars, albeit ones that are coming off significant injuries. Jamal Murray is just 25 and averaged 21.2 points per game during the 2020–21 season before missing the second half of that year and all of last season with an ACL injury. Assuming that he won’t be nearly the same player next season, he’ll still only be 27 by the time he’s fully recovered.
Michael Porter Jr.’s injury isn’t as severe, but he has an injury history that is concerning. Despite that, he’s only 24 and averaged 19.9 points during the 2020–21 season, the last time he was fully healthy. A big three of Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr. is certainly good enough to compete in the West, and they’ve already made it to the conference finals but lost to the eventual champions.
New Orleans and Memphis’ potential for a dynasty is still theoretical, but we’ve already seen Denver get deep in the playoffs, and they were only three games away from the NBA Finals. It’s not exactly a stretch to think that they’ll eventually get there, and with a historic player like Jokic, all bets are off.
Who will be the Warriors’ heir apparent and the NBA’s next dynasty?
At the moment, it appears that Memphis is. They already have a superstar that is only going to get better, as well as a strong second and third option. While the Pelicans have Ingram and Williamson, both in their early to mid-20s, Williamson hasn’t proven he can stay healthy yet, and then there are the persistent rumblings that he might want to eventually play elsewhere.
Moreover, McCollum is 31, and small guards don’t normally age well, though he might be an exception. Phoenix also has a shot, but Ayton may not live up to his potential. He could eventually be moved, and there’s no telling what they could get back for him in that event. As for Denver and Cleveland, Denver has the best player out of any of the teams listed, and that counts for something, but there are health concerns with Murray and Porter Jr..
Murray should be fine in the long run, but we won’t know that for sure, and Porter Jr.’s health may always be a question mark. Meanwhile, for Cleveland, they’ll still have immediate threats like Miami, Boston, Milwaukee, and Brooklyn to worry about, and depending on how things play out, Boston and Milwaukee could be threats to them for the foreseeable future.
Then again, they’d have to worry about Mitchell potentially bolting to a big market team after having spent his 20s in Utah and Cleveland. There are simply fewer what-ifs with Memphis. Therefore, Memphis appears to be the NBA’s next dynasty.