OT: Would Jordan have won 6 in a row today?

[hoophuskee]

No he wouldn't have unless LeBron did another "The Decision" show and hooked up with Jordan. The GSW teams with Durant are among the greatest of all-time. The way players could force trades and how FA is-- Much more Free Agency teams would've built up until they knocked him off.

Jordan would still be GOAT - the superstars have more power than in the past and they would force Management to load up or force a trade. For example LeBron wouldn't have went back to Cleveland until he won.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

There is something that has changed that is also overlooked. Today, it's normal for a star player to leave a city high and dry. Jordan is anything but stupid. He'd be in Boston or Houston and with his charisma, make top dollar in endorsements and still winnning rings left and right.
The ability to build the super teams with 3 stars through free agency just didn't happen back then. And as it was posted before, if the 3 point line was as much as a big deal, he would have worked on that earlier.

Until his athletic peak he was always getting better. He was always working to be better, and obsessively at that.

Today, these rules, no one could guard Jordan. Not that anyone could in his day either.

Actually, the opposite is true on stars coming and going. A player's current team has a huge advantage in re-signing him.

The reason super teams didn't happen back then was that there were not enough star players to do it. Houston tried in the 90's, but Barkley and Drexler were past their prime by that point. Star players like Ewing were making too much bank on their team to leave to go somewhere to build a super team. Shaq did go to be on a super team with Kobe, but that was after Jordan's Bulls were done.


Expansion was a HUGE factor in Jordan's 6 titles. If the NBA added 5 more teams in the next 2 years, and then another 3 teams in 5 years, any Top 5-6 team in the NBA that could hold their core together during that period would become a powerhouse. That is essentially what happened to the Bulls when the NBA added 4 then 2.

 

[Spaceman213J]

Actually, the opposite is true on stars coming and going. A player's current team has a huge advantage in re-signing him.

The reason super teams didn't happen back then was that there were not enough star players to do it. Houston tried in the 90's, but Barkley and Drexler were past their prime by that point. Star players like Ewing were making too much bank on their team to leave to go somewhere to build a super team. Shaq did go to be on a super team with Kobe, but that was after Jordan's Bulls were done.


Expansion was a HUGE factor in Jordan's 6 titles. If the NBA added 5 more teams in the next 2 years, and then another 3 teams in 5 years, any Top 5-6 team in the NBA that could hold their core together during that period would become a powerhouse. That is essentially what happened to the Bulls when the NBA added 4 then 2.

You almost never saw players leaving in their prime then. Players have a lot of power today. They 'force' trades and are able to join other players in their primes. In Jordan's day, teams often sign verterans who were past their prime and hoped for a revival. The Knicks were not the only ones. The 'opt' out clause has contributed to this, too.