The franchise may be overtaking the franchise player. Why? Because after LeBron James, who is the next great franchise player?
Anthony Davis in New Orleans could be that guy; he's averaging 24.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. But can a power forward make other players better the way a franchise wing can? With Davis’ double-double average, the Pelicans are in the eighth and final playoff spot in the West and their 42-36 mark would be good for sixth place in the East. Still, can Davis improve to a point where he can make New Orleans a title contender all by himself, the way Michael Jordan did with the Bulls and the way LeBron has with the Cavaliers?
No.
You may argue that Kevin Durant is that franchise player, but can he and Russell Westbrook co-exist down the road? And Steph Curry is a franchise leader -- not player -- who plays for a great team.
So we are seeing the franchise take over for the franchise player. The Atlanta franchise has an eight-game lead over Cleveland’s franchise player . The Hawks still have to prove themselves in the playoffs, but, with very good players like Al Horford, Jeff Teague, Paul Milsap and a team-first attitude, Atlanta has become a contender.
Last season, the franchise (San Antonio Spurs) beat the franchise players (LeBron and D-Wade) for the NBA championship. Now, you may say that Tim Duncan is a franchise player. He was, but he's not anymore. Tony Parker is my favorite point guard and a great one at that, but he's not a franchise player. The Spurs were an unselfish team that was franchise-orientated rather than franchise player-orientated. They passed the ball and ran circles around LeBron, Wade and the Heat. It is simple physics; a pass will get the ball to its desired destination sooner than a ball handler.
What does all this mean for us?
Boston Celtics
It means the Celtics' chances of contending may not be as far off as we thought. With Danny Ainge’s GM skills and Brad Stevens' coaching talent, the Celtics could take the Atlanta route and be in the thick of it very soon.
Keep in mind that the Celtics must improve when it comes to the draft. Atlanta’s Horford was a third overall pick but Teague was picked 19th and Milsap was a second-round pick, 47th overall.
To me, this is good for true fans of the game who would much rather see lanes filled, the ball pushed and four or five touches before a shot is put up. The casual NBA fan may find his or herself lost without a single name star to cheer for, but it's okay with me. It's time we got back to cheering for the team instead of the individual.