Can a young team win a title?

by 7Up on Jun 14, 2011 7:08 PM PDT

This is my first fanpost and it comes from a thought I've been dwelling on ever since the Mavs won the title, so just bear with me.

Can a young team win a title? Or do you need to be a veteran team?

Take a look at the past few NBA Champions:

Every single one of those teams was composed of so serious vets. Guys that have been around the block more than a few times. And its not just veteran stars, but veteran supporting players too. Veteran guys coming off the bench. Veteran guys playing big minutes in big games.

Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Peja Stojakovic, Brian Cardinal, and DeShawn Stevenson all have had 10+ years in the league. Their opponent, despite having multiple all-stars, Olympians, guys with finals experience, etc., had 6 players with that kind of experience, but only Mike Bibby and Mike Miller were in the top 9 in minutes played for the Heat during the playoffs, and neither in the top 6. By comparison, Brian Cardinal was the only one of the Mavs vets not in the top 9 in playoff minutes, and he still turned in some important minutes in the finals.

Go back a season to the Lakers titles and you have Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom leading the way for the Lakers against another veteran led team in Boston. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace, and even Michael Finley. All with 10+ years of experience. Boston's group also had a title under their belt, and that year their roster consisted of 5 guys over the 10 year mark (and Paul Pierce at 9 years).

Before that you have the San Antonio Spurs and their roster of old men including Robert Horry, Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry, Michael Finley and ultimate old man TIm Duncan (who was only in his 9th season at that point). The Miami Heat were relatively young by comparison to the other teams mentioned, but they still got big contributions from old vets like Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, and Gary Payton.

Think back to our roster when we came the closest in 2000. Yeah, Sheed and Bonzi and Damon were young guys. But they were surrounded by guys like Dale Davis and Scottie Pippen and Steve Smith and Detlef Schrempf. And Arvydas Sabonis who was ancient (just not NBA ancient).

Now I know that BRoy and LaMarcus and Batum etc all have some years in the league. But they aren't vets the way the guys mentioned above are. The only guys currently on our roster with 10 years in the league are Marcus Camby (14 years) and Andre Miller (11). Gerald Wallace will be in his 10th season next year. Our core (Roy, Aldridge, Oden, Batum, Matthews, Rudy) are all less than 5 years in the league.

We talk about the championship window being open now and it being time to go for it, but I think that championship windows clearly open a lot later than most of us know. If now is the time as I've read so often on here then we can't wait for Oden and Batum to develop, they need to be moved for veteran guys that can contribute. If now isn't the time, then we are wasting money on Camby and Miller and they ought to be moved for guys that are more in the age range of our core.

I'm not suggesting that we don't have a team that can't make a deep run when healthy. But making a deep run and winning it all are two different things. And the more playoff basketball I watch the more I appreciate the need for experience. If we are trying to win a title, our saviors aren't going to come in the form of Monta Ellis or Anthony Randolph. If we are trying to build a team that can grow into a contender, we're on the right track. Ellis or Anthony or Faried or whoever can help us get there. But if thats the route we take we can't reasonably expect to be winning titles for another four or five seasons I think.

Tweet Comment 10 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

we're not that young anymore

besides who is the youngest team to ever win a nba championship?

times up 1976-77 Portland trailblazers

The 1976 – 1977 Portland Trailblazers were the youngest team to win an NBA Championship.

Players (Age):

Corky Calhoun (26)
Johnny Davis (21)
Herm Gilliam (31)
Bob Gross (23)
Lionel Hollins (23)
Robin Jones (23)
Maurice Lucas (25)
Clyde Mayes (24)
Lloyd Neal (26)
Larry Steele (28)
Dave Twardzik (26)
Wally Walker (22)
Bill Walton (24)

The oldest player on this roster was 31.
The median age was 24.

by Daddygr33nJeans on Jun 14, 2011 8:07 PM PDT reply actions

The game is a lot different than it was in 77.

That is not a good comparison.

And we’re still very young compared to all the teams that HAVE won a title recently. We’re not as young as the Thunder or the Grizzlies or the T-Wolves, but we are way younger than the Heat or the Mavs or the Lakers. And those are the teams that are competing for and winning titles.

by 7Up on Jun 14, 2011 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't think that it is that bad of a comparison

Look at the first Bulls title team (obviously the youngest of the 6). The median age on that team was 25, the oldest was 33 (Cartwright). Doesn’t seem like they are that much substanally older than the 76/77 Blazers.

The question is “What are the conditions that makes a team young?”

by tingeyga on Jun 15, 2011 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Yes a young team can win a title

to me the reason that more young teams don’t win titles is because young players aren’t as coachable tactically as more veteran players.

by tingeyga on Jun 14, 2011 8:14 PM PDT reply actions

That is possible

But I think you’re confusing coachability with experience. Is Ray Allen more coachable than Wes Matthews? Or does the extra 13 years in the league have something to do with his playoff success? I don’t know if KG is more coachable than LaMarcus, but he is a hell of a lot more experienced.

Players just get better the longer they’ve been around. They’ve seen more, been through more, and learned more. Experience is HUGE in the NBA. And it makes a difference in the playoffs.

by 7Up on Jun 14, 2011 8:44 PM PDT up reply actions

This is why I really loved the Wallace trade

showed me Paul Allen is trying to win a title now as oppose to keep bringing in young players. Keep surround Aldridge with talent like Cuban did for Dirk & eventually we will get our ring.

Draft Reggie Jackson/Justin Harper/Kenneth Faried
Sign Chuck Hayes
Trade for Kirk Hinrich

by 420Phenom on Jun 14, 2011 9:53 PM PDT reply actions

Yes, absolutely. Players do improve with time, so its not very likely for a team full of youngsters to win it, but sure its possible. Oklahoma City winning it all this year would not have been the craziest thing ever.

long live the jd.

by jksnake99 on Jun 14, 2011 11:11 PM PDT reply actions

The early Spurs chanpions is our best model

Their stars were young guys, but all the role players veterens near the end of their careers. Duncan and Parker were young but Ginobli was well seasoned just not in the NBA. However, they had quality vets up and down that roster.

Nate’s Comments about wanting more players in their prime fits right into the thesis of this post. We need Solid vets coming off the bench not rookies, sopmores, and juniors. I’d be happy to flip Rudy for James Jones or Mills for a Heinrich (yes iknow sallaries are way off). You get the idea, those bench guys need to be solid in their game, even if their game is limited. One or two young guys is all you want coming off the bench for the energy, the rest should be reliable quantities. If Roy can give us reliable number from the bench we will be okay at the 2, but we need veteran experience at the 1 and 4 and 5 spots. Of course Camby should be the experience at the 5 but that requires a recovered Oden.

So as much as I like Faried, I’d rather we use draft day to acquire a solid player such as Reggie Evans to cover the back up 4 spot and look for a solid but not spectacular player at the one behind Miller. That is our best chance of advancing in the playoffs. That and a little luck.

by NWfan on Jun 15, 2011 9:26 AM PDT reply actions

Seems like the Magic, w/ Penny & Shaq

were the last young team w/ a chance, a long time ago. The Rockets exposed the difficulties involved w/ winning big w/ a green squad.

Remember Nick Anderson’s difficulty?

by damonrayhymer on Jun 15, 2011 11:03 AM PDT reply actions

Hmm...

….I think it’s always just an individual and unique situation. IMO it’s not so much tied to chronological age…or even necessarily experience…even though experience helps. But I think “if” you have young players, you need them to be mature and focused. I use The 77 Blazers as an example. That was a young and inexperienced team but Walton was a student of the game. Lucas a willing leader and Ramsay? A genius coach. Together it all worked.
Experience can help. But I don’t think it’s necessarily everything. When a veteran team wins the Championship then everyone says “You need veterans, see how they pulled together and knew what it took?”. But sometimes I think that’s slightly over rated. Being older doesn’t guarantee wisdom, even being experienced doesn’t guarantee success. We watch Dallas come together and win…and applaud experience and veterans. But we watch the veteran Lakers come apart and lose?

I give more credit to the intelligence of the players..regardless of age. And having a great coach can help a young team immensely.

"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"

by Krang on Jun 15, 2011 11:14 AM PDT reply actions