2010s Team of the Decade
What better way to ring in the new decade than by looking back at the last one?
First, let’s lay down some ground rules:
- This isn’t just an All-Star team or a roster you’d slap together on 2K. We have to consider fit, chemistry, personalities, play styles, all of the intangible uniqueness that makes basketball so great.
- I’m outfitting this 10-man team to compete in the Universal Cup. What is that, you ask? It’s an event I made up 30 seconds ago where aliens descend on earth and challenge humans to a best-of-seven series for control of the universe.
- It’s too easy to just select players. I’ll take LeBron. Duh, but which version? 2010 Cavs version? Heat-era LeBron? Cavs 2.0 LeBron? What about Los Angeles LeBron? To make this exercise more fun, I’m selecting a specific year for each player, like a wine.
Here we go.
Starters
’14 Chris Paul
19–4–11, 2.5 steals, 47/37/86 … All-NBA 1st, All-Defense 1st
Give me the best pure point guard since Isiah Thomas. Chris Paul in 2014 led the league in assists (10.7) and steals (2.5), and he will set the table for us and shut down the opposing point guard. There are a few ways I could’ve gone here, but I’m opting for the premier two-way point guard of the decade. Paul wields control at the point of attack on both ends. He will orchestrate our offense — direct traffic, load up shooters, hit open shots — and pester opponents to no end. He is our game manager.
’10 Kobe Bryant
27–5–5, 46/33/81 … All-NBA 1st, All-Defense 1st, Finals MVP
Out of spite, I almost left Kobe off this team. I really did. But the fate of the universe is at stake here. Like Paul, Kobe is his generation’s best two-way player at his position.
I realized during the 2008 Olympics, after spending the entire NBA season arguing with my friends about the Mamba, that it’s great to have Kobe on your side. When Spain made its run in the gold-medal game, there was a reason the best basketball players in the world deferred to Kobe. And he delivered.
He is our closer.
’14 Kevin Durant
32–7–6, 50/39/87 … MVP, All-NBA 1st
Durant is the best all-around scorer ever. Nobody can get baskets in more ways. He blends skill-level, shooting touch and size better than anyone in history. So I’ll take Durant at his scoring zenith. In 2014 he averaged a career-high 32.0 points per game to clinch his fourth scoring title, and he did it on the doorstep of 50/40/90 averages. He is our designated assassin.
’13 LeBron James
27–8–7, 57/41/75 … MVP, All-NBA 1st, All-Defense 1st, Finals MVP
More than anyone else, I had the most fun sorting out which version of LeBron to choose. He has peaked in different ways three times — as an athlete in 2009, as an all-around player in 2013 and as a killer in 2018. For this team, we need LeBron at his overall apex.
Since there are plenty of other scorers on this team, and because he prides himself on “not being a scorer,” LeBron would reinvent himself as a passer and defender, filling in all the blanks necessary to win. Unburdened with scoring responsibility, LeBron would be a human whirlwind on the court — flying around defensively, leading the break, filling the wings, cutting for dunks. But when we need it most, LeBron can take over down the stretch. He is our best all-around player.
’19 Giannis Antetokounmpo
28–13–6, 58/26/73 … MVP, All-NBA 1st, All-Defense 1st
Really? Giannis at center? Yes. Shouldn’t the all-decade team reflect the trends of the decade? The major narrative of the 2010s was the shift to small-ball, and unleashing Giannis at center perfectly encapsulates that trend.
Giannis would be a nightmare for opposing centers, piercing the defense and putting pressure on the rim, either dunking or kicking out to shooters. On the other end, Giannis is long enough and strong enough to defend the rim. He is our freakish athlete.
So to recap, our starters are ’14 Chris Paul, ’10 Kobe Bryant, ’14 Kevin Durant, ’13 LeBron James and ’19 Giannis Antetokounmpo. Who is scoring on that team? We can switch everything, apply ball pressure and protect the paint. And how are you stopping them offensively? With Paul puppeteering, Kobe and Durant shouldering the scoring load, and LeBron and Giannis running wild, the starting five fits together like a puzzle — its whole is even greater than the considerable sum of its parts.
Bench
’16 Stephen Curry
30–5–7–2.1 steals, 50/45/91 … MVP (unanimous), All-NBA 1st
Two reasons for bringing the most devastating shooter ever off the bench:
- Not only would Curry accept his bench role, he’d embrace it. There is overwhelming evidence that Curry is a top-tier teammate who always puts the team’s interests before his own. Curry would relish coming off the bench (like his dad did), unleashing a 3-point hailstorm, winning and saving the universe.
- I’m in love with the idea of bringing Curry off the bench and letting the second unit run through him. This is the best way to maximize his talents.
Curry’s 2016 season might be the greatest offensive season ever. It’s definitely the greatest shooting season ever — he made 402 3s in a season before anyone else had made 280. What a luxury to bring him off the bench (he’ll be out there to close games). He is our shooter.
’17 Klay Thompson
22–4–2, 47/41/85 … All-Star
Thompson was better in 2015 and 2016 — when he made All-NBA Third-Team both years — than he was in 2017, but selecting ’17 Thompson makes more sense for this team.
2017 was Durant’s first year on the overpowered Warriors. Thompson seamlessly transitioned from second banana to third option. He never complained. All he did was defend the other team’s best perimeter player and rain hot fire from downtown. Thompson is a beloved figure around the league and has proven he can fit in on teams bursting with talent. He is our 3-and-D specialist.
’16 Kawhi Leonard
21–7–3, 51/44/87 … All-NBA 1st, All-Defense 1st, DPOY
From 2015 to 2016, Kawhi developed from “the best perimeter defender since Scottie Pippen” to “the best perimeter defender since Scottie Pippen and someone who can also score 20 points a game on nearly 50/40/90 splits.” This is a no-brainer choice — Kawhi can lock down any wing player and get us a bucket when needed. He is our defensive stopper.
’17 Draymond Green
10–8–7–2.0 steals, 42/31/71 … All-NBA 3rd, All-Defense 1st, DPOY
So far our bench consists of the two most demoralizing shooters ever and the two most versatile defenders of their generation. Pretty good.
Draymond will defend positions one through five, unlock small-ball lineups and enable us to switch everything. What he lacks in shooting (he shot 41 percent from 3 in the 2017 Playoffs, by the way) he makes up for by generating 3-pointers with his passing.
Going back to the “this team should reflect the trends of the era” point, shouldn’t this team also replicate the decade’s most dominant franchise? Our bench now includes Steph, Klay and Dray — plus Kawhi in the Andre Iguodala role. Talk about chemistry. Draymond is our heart and soul.
’19 Rudy Gobert
16–13–2–2.3 blocks, 67/0/64 … All-NBA 3rd, All-Defense 1st, DPOY
I know, I know — trusting a Frenchman with the fate of the universe at stake seems like trouble. But Gobert has earned it.
What if the aliens have a 7-foot-6 low-post scorer? What if they’re killing us on the glass? Gobert — two-time Defensive Player of the Year — provides protection against those two things. He also gives us a lob threat and another guy who doesn’t care about shots or touches. He is our rim protector.
There you have it:
Starters: ’14 CP3, ’10 Kobe, ’14 Durant, ’13 LeBron, ’19 Giannis
Bench: ’16 Curry, ’17 Klay, ’16 Kawhi, ’17 Draymond, ’19 Gobert
Where are the holes on that roster? Who are we vulnerable against? We have scoring, ball-handling, passing, shooting, defenders and rim protectors. We can play any style. Our lineup versatility is unmatched.
A couple of those five-man variations:
“We Are Scoring On This Possession”: Paul, Curry, Durant, LeBron, Gobert
“You Are Not Scoring”: Klay, Kawhi, LeBron, Draymond, Giannis
“You Are Not Scoring” 2.0: Paul, Kobe, Kawhi, LeBron, Gobert
“Let’s Let Curry Unleash Holy Hell”: Paul, Curry, LeBron, Draymond, Giannis
“Ultimate Small-Ball”: Paul, Curry, Kawhi, LeBron, Durant
“Light Years”: Curry, Thompson, Durant, LeBron, Draymond
The aliens don’t stand a chance. Team 2010s sweeps the series and saves the universe.
…
Just Missed the Cut
- 2010 Dwyane Wade: I really, really, really considered 2010 Wade over 2010 Kobe. In fact I had Wade over Kobe on the first two drafts of this roster. Flash is a better teammate and better playmaker, just as clutch, just as good defensively … wait a second … I’m changing my mind, let’s move on.
- 2011 Derrick Rose: I wanted a devastating slash-and-kick guy, but Curry and Paul can replicate Rose’s playmaking while being clearly superior in other areas (defense for Paul, shooting for Curry).
- 2010 Dwight Howard: Do you want Dwight Howard on the court with human existence on the line?
- 2013 Carmelo Anthony: He could have provided an “Olympic Melo” role in his apex year, but he’s too much of a one-trick pony.
- 2017 Russell Westbrook: The most overrated season in recent memory.
- 2017 James Harden: This was the last year Harden didn’t lead the league in scoring, instead topping the NBA in assists. He peaked as a playmaker this year while also getting an efficient 29 points per game. I cut him because of his playoff reputation and monopolization of the ball.
- 2019 Boban Marjanovic: Locker room guy and per-36 monster.
Let’s hope the next decade of the NBA is as exciting as the last. Happy new year.