Why Draymond doesn’t see the Celtics becoming an NBA dynasty like the Warriors originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors veteran Draymond Green knows a lot about NBA dynasties and believes the Boston Celtics have an uphill battle ahead if they want to become one.
The Celtics completed their first step on that journey on Monday when they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games to become NBA Finals champion in 2024 – Boston’s record 18th league title and first since 2008. The current team would need at least a few more rings if it wants to follow in Golden State’s footsteps, but Green explained why that’s not so easy in today’s NBA.
“I think this team is ready to compete for multiple titles,” said Green in the last episode of your podcast. “When you talk about a potential dynasty, I don’t see that happening because I think we have new rules and a second apron and all that stuff.”
O The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreementwhich took effect in July 2023 and lasts through the 2029-30 season, essentially makes it harder for teams to sustain long-term success, including another luxury tax apron – $17.5 million above the luxury tax line – and retention of the mid-level taxpayer exception for teams that exceed it.
The Celtics signed 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to a five-year, $286.2 million supermax contract extension last summer, and both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are under contract for four and two more seasons, respectively.
But Jayson Tatum is now also eligible for a supermax extension that will certainly cost a pretty penny, making the math behind keeping a championship contender together for many years even more complicated considering the league’s new rules.
“These things haven’t gone into effect yet, so when these deals start to take effect [and] you start hitting the second apron, it just changes things,” Green said. “And I think, frankly, with these rules in place, I don’t know if we’ll ever see another dynasty, but now they have an opportunity to build it quickly.”
Boston will have to work fast if they want this team to become NBA royalty. During the Warriors’ prolific run, it was easier to build a dynasty under the league’s old rules. But Green also knows that even if a team may have the right players, winning more than one title is not always easy.
“I’ll be completely honest with you – [the Celtics] will not be as excited for the next championship as [were] for the first championship,” Green said. “It’s just not a realistic thing. Now, I’m not saying that they won’t be hungry and that their goal next season won’t be to win a championship again – of course that will be their goal.
“But to think that you’re going to have the same hunger for your first million dollars as opposed to your second million dollars, it’s not the same thing… It’s not coming from the same place.”
Creating a dynasty not only requires a tenacious front office willing to put the right pieces together, but also a perfect storm of circumstances and talent – and, in this case, rules that help create sustainability. The NBA looks different now, however, and Green isn’t sure what the Warriors did in their four title runs will ever be done again.
“I think people started calling us a dynasty when we won three,” Green said. “And then they had the chance to do it – quickly, though. Quickly. Does it get done? I don’t know.”
