On the heels of one of the most dramatic NBA seasons in the past decade, professional basketball players are lacing up their shoes and hitting the hardwood once again. The 2016-2017 NBA season began late October and has spurred crazy stories through the minds of everyone watching the league. The biggest stories involve super stars leaving the teams they've been apart of sense they entered the league, but no story has been quite bigger than the Golden State Warriors.
The biggest move this offseason was when former MVP, and multiple time All-Star Kevin Durant decided to leave the team that drafted him, and he played for for many years, to move to the Golden State Warriors. This makes them one of the greatest teams to ever exist in NBA history. With a starting lineup that contains four All-Stars and a bench that has some well rounded veterans, this team is the most threatening team the NBA has ever encountered.
I went to ask Josh Kyber, a senior, what he thought about the new look Warriors and he said, “With a team that was already a super team getting a player like Kevin Durant, I don't see them losing. There's too much talent on that team. In may, I see them holding up the championship trophy, and Curry or Durant winning the MVP.”
We can't forget to mention what happened to our own hometown team, the Atlanta Hawks. We lost a player that everyone loved. Star big man, Al Horford, decided to take his talents to Boston, and play on a team with a great history. While we lost one star big man, we gained another with the signing on Dwight Howard. Howard is a multiple time All-Star, has a Defensive Player of the Year award, and has made it to the finals once. This could be the signing that Atlanta needs to push them past the Eastern Conference Finals.
I found Leo Rivera, a Hawks fan, to see what he thought about some moves this offseason and how he thinks the Hawks will do this season and he said, “Losing Big Al hurt, but we made up for it by bringing in a defensive stopper. Dwight is going to dominate the paint, and help this team win the championship. I'd like it if Dwight was here, and Al, but it is what it is. I'm excited for this season, and can't wait to see what the Hawks can do this year.”
Hometown heroes for some teams have moved to different towns, and swapped out the former colors on their jerseys for something new. New York has managed to acquire two of Chicago's former heroes, in Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Former Miami Heat, four time NBA Champion, Dwyane Wade, has found his way back to his hometown of Chicago. Four of the greatest players to hit the hardwood have announced retirement. With Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant all out of the league, it will feel different without seeing these Hall of Famers out there.
Seeing what was thought about these legends leaving, we went to Sianni Bryan to see what she thought about it and she said, “My dad was a huge Celtics fan. When he heard two of his favorite Celtics players would be out of the game, he was pretty sad. He hated the Lakers, but respected Kobe’s game and how he could always score the ball.”
With a fresh start to a NBA season, all teams have a dream and a shot to be called the next NBA Champions. That’s what everyone wants to see. With all the crazy moves to occur during this offseason, a lot of fans of certain teams are excited to see what is in store. Hopes are high at the start of a new season, and every fan is excited to see what is in store for us to see.