While NFL teams throw millions of dollars at players in free agency, it is important to remember teams don’t win championships in the offseason. It is easy to get enamored by big contracts and star players on new teams, but until the season starts, don’t assume the regular season is just a formality until your team undoubtedly reaches the playoffs. Injuries happen to every team and roster depth is the only insurance teams can have against it. Winning is about depth, not just superstars.
Look no further than the Golden State Warriors, who look completely lost since Kevin Durant’s injury. After losing five of their last seven games, including a blowout in a battle of backups versus San Antonio, the Warriors hold just a half-game lead for the top seed in the Western Conference. Over the past few years, the few teams that have given them headaches are the teams with some of the deepest rosters in the league: Boston, San Antonio and Cleveland.
The major difference between last season’s 73-win team and this season is Andrew Bogut, Harrison Barnes, Leandro Barbosa, Marreese Speights and Festus Ezeli virtually turned into Kevin Durant. Now, with Durant injured and those five role players gone, the Warriors bench is showing the repercussions of signing a superstar. Andre Iguodala isn’t the same player he was, though just two seasons ago he was the Finals MVP. Last year’s Warriors boasted one of the league’s best benches, now they are putting the team in dire straits as the final weeks of the season take place.
It makes sense to pursue one of the best players in the world in any sport, so nobody will come out and say that the Warriors shouldn’t have signed Durant, especially after losing in the Finals last season. It does, however, beg the question: how much is too much when making room for a star player?
The Cleveland Cavaliers have chosen depth over a superstar. With reports of them pursuing Carmelo Anthony at the trade deadline, they ended up with Deron Williams, Andrew Bogut and Kyle Korver instead. These signings, though less enticing, are all role players who make Cleveland the front runner for the title. There is no comparison between the Warriors’ and Cavaliers’ reserves and that will show when teams begin to rest players in preparation for the playoffs.
In the NFL this season, the Patriots won the Super Bowl by having the most versatile and deep roster in the league. The receiving core wasn’t outstanding, but it had depth. The running backs weren’t stars, but each back had a specific role and played in a situation to succeed with their skillset. The Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins trades should have decimated the defense, but replacing them with multiple players with varying skill sets provided the team with more financial and scheme flexibility.
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2016 NFL season as a Super Bowl favorite and with arguably the best running back and wide receiver in the league in Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. They looked set to make it there (especially with Tom Brady suspended for four games). However, Pittsburgh didn’t have much past its big three. The offense lacked production from receivers other than Brown. Their defense lacked the versatility to create favorable matchups.
Why did the Atlanta Falcons blow out the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game? The Falcons didn’t have the best player in that game either. The best player on the field was Aaron Rodgers, but no matter how well he played, the Packers were not winning that game. This is why Rodgers came out and said the Packers need to go “all in” this offseason, forcing the hand of the organization to go get playmakers to bolster their roster.
It is yet to be seen if the Warriors are just experiencing fatigue from the long season and multiple back-to-backs, or if this Durant injury has shed light on bigger problems. With the playoffs around the corner, Golden State can only hope Durant will come back with full health soon.
Whether it is Patrick McCaw or the recently signed Matt Barnes eating up Durant’s minutes, the drop off is so large that nobody on the roster can adequately fill that time. The Warriors need Durant now more than ever because they can’t rely on anyone else.
