Warriors superteam

The Warriors have never been afraid of the seemingly impossible. They chased Kevin Durant when the rest of the league thought the immediate post finalists had no business becoming even stronger. They convinced Jimmy Butler to see the Bay Area as his next destination when conventional wisdom believed his options had already narrowed. Now, it appears they are ready for their biggest swing yet, moving for LeBron James, trading for Anthony Davis, and getting Draymond Green to restructure his contract in order to make the arithmetic work. On paper, their plan sounds like a Hollywood script. And yet, the roster construction, creative with a dash of ridiculous, is precisely the type that has defined them under owner Joe Lacob.

The first piece on the board has already moved. Green declined his $27.7-million player option, not because he is looking for another home, but because a longer-term deal at a lower annual salary gives the Warriors room to maneuver. Reports suggest James would likewise need to accept a substantial pay cut, while Davis would have to arrive through a complicated deal that almost certainly requires parting with Butler and other assets. It is an audacious exercise in financial gymnastics, one made easier by the fact that the A-listers have the same agent in Rich Paul and enjoy a positive relationship with head coach Steve Kerr. That said, familiarity is no substitute for feasibility. Cap sheets remain stubborn documents even in the face of solid ties.

What makes the possibility fascinating is not merely the star power involved, but what it says about the Warriors’ refusal to accept decline as inevitable. Stephen Curry is 38. James is 41. Green is 36. Davis, at 33, would ironically become the youngest member of the quartet. Collectively, they would possess enough championship rings, All-Star appearances, and postseason mileage to fill several Hall of Fame careers. On the flipside, they would likewise be carrying the accumulated wear that accompanies nearly two decades of hoops at the highest level in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The would-be lineup runs counter to that of their original dynasty, which overwhelmed opponents with youth, pace, and relentless movement. It would instead be built on experience, intelligence, and the belief that greatness can age more gracefully than league annals indicate.

Certainly, there is a fantasy aspect to the speculation that should not be ignored. Ever since Curry and James finally shared a locker room during the Paris Olympics, speculation has centered on whether the two defining players of their generation would someday wear the same uniform in the NBA. For over a decade, they have represented opposing basketball philosophies while producing an enduring rivalry. Watching them become teammates would be disorienting at best. Yet sentiment alone does not win championships. Davis has battled injuries throughout his career. Butler is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Green’s offensive contributions have diminished with age. Even Curry, still with a transcendent touch, cannot escape the calendar forever. All things considered, their partnership is a gamble with a breathtaking ceiling and an unforgiving floor.

To be sure, there can be no denying that the Warriors refusing to fade quietly is par for the course. Dynasties rarely end with one definitive moment; they linger in search of one more denouement before the curtain finally falls. Perhaps the clutter amounts to little more than dreams that collapse under the weight of collective bargaining rules. Of course, it can also become the offseason’s defining transaction. Either way, it reveals the refusal of the blue and yellow to confuse prudence with passivity. They understand that title windows do not stay open by accident. At times, the casements need to be forced open, even at considerable risk. Whether their latest pursuit becomes NBA’s next superteam or just another tantalizing What If, they have already made one thing abundantly clear: They would rather chase history than spend its remaining years preserving memories.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.