FALL OF THE PACIFIC DIVISION

At the start of the NBA 2023-24 season, pundits predicted the possible dominance of the Pacific Division. It seemed reasonable, since the Pacific Division is home to such all-time greats like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Paul George.

The other team was the Sacramento Kings, an up-and-coming team with two perennial All-Stars in D'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. There is definitely a solid basis for the assumption, but what happened? Why did these calculated predictions fail?

Changing Perceptions

At the end of the season, it was concluded that the NBA has gotten younger. The average career span of an NBA player has become shorter, even if the draft is limited to two rounds. More undrafted players have entered the NBA, and as the game has become faster and more reliant on shooting, teams have resorted to signing younger players.

The average career length of an NBA player is only 4.5 years. Almost 60% of NBA players have careers that span only two seasons or even less. This includes the 10-day contract players. This is why many fans often ask about players drafted even within the last 5 years, which are no longer in the league.

Contracts themselves have shortened, with the maximum length pegged at just five years. That has led to more player movement, and less buyer's remorse for the teams. On the other hand, this also leads to quicker dissatisfaction. Team owners and fans have become less patient with the development arc of their teams.

Another development is the fast turnaround of player perceptions. Players that become sensations instantly flame out within just a couple of seasons, as quick as they break out. Jordan Poole was the rage in the 2022 Playoffs when the Golden State Warriors unexpectedly won the title, but now he is seen as an "empty stats" guy on a bad team. Russell Westbrook went from MVP to non-All Star in a jiffy.

How did these factors affect the Pacific Division?

Passing the Torch

Pacific Division superstars had it rough. Steph Curry didn't even make the playoffs. LeBron James and Kevin Durant are out in the first round. These were the top players drafted in the 2000s. James Harden and Russell Westbrook are still with the Clippers, locked in a battle against Luka Doncic, drafted a decade after.

The top teams in the playoffs are the Minnesota Timberwolves bannered by Anthony Edwards, just swept the Phoenix Suns Big 3. The Sacramento Kings were also eliminated in the play-in. Only the Clippers have hope left.

It's the Northwest Division that has dominated, with three of their teams advancing to the second round, sporting a collective 12-1 record. The Timberwolves, OKC Thunder, and Denver Nuggets took quick work of their rivals. The Thunder and Timberwolves were the reason why there were many predicted upsets, but they showed themselves worthy of their rankings.

The stars of these teams were all drafted 2014 or later: "Ant-Man" Anthony Edwards being part of the 2020 class, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 2018, Nikola Jokic is the eldest at 2014. The East has the same trend with Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks (2018), Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics (2016 and 2017), and Tyrese Haliburton (2020). The Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic are littered with young talent, with Evan Mobley, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner all being drafted in the 2020s.

We are witnessing the inevitable departures of the superstars drafted in the 2000s, and the league is dominated by players drafted within the last decade. The torch has been passed, and the turnover rate has become faster.

Turning Point

This season will be a turning point for LeBron James and the Lakers. Faced with this inevitable reality that younger stars are now dominating the league, how will he navigate his free agency, the last chapter of his career? The next few months will be intriguing, to say the least.

2024-05-02T00:28:32Z dg43tfdfdgfd