Scottie Pippen doesn’t believe the Golden State Warriors are worthy of being deemed this generation’s dynasty despite their solid core headlined by Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.
In fact, one of those players is the main reason why Pippen is opposed to putting them in the same conversation with other NBA dynasties.
In a recent interview with House of Hoops, Pippen said there’s one thing that sets the 1990s Bulls — who won six titles in eight years — apart from the Warriors, who are playing for their third title in four years.
“You say they’re on a dynasty run, but I don’t see it that way,” Pippen said. “They picked up probably the best player in the game after they won their first championship. I don’t consider that a dynasty run.”
Pippen believes the Warriors ruined their dynasty status after they signed Durant in 2016.
“I think bringing Kevin Durant in really changed my respect as to where I rank this team going forward in terms of a dynasty,” Pippen said.
After Golden State lost to the Cavaliers — and, more specifically, LeBron James — in 2016, Durant played a major role in helping the Warriors redeem themselves and win last season’s title. He shot 55.6 percent from the field and a team-best 47.4 percent from beyond the arc during the series. Durant was the no-brainer Finals MVP.
Pippen said it’s no disrespect to the team that Warriors general manager Bob Myers built, but he liked their dynasty chances more without Durant’s help.
“I thought they were organically built up until they went out and got Durant,” Pippen said. “And I think that was the change, but I don’t really see Golden State as a dynasty. Dynasties are teams that do things special, do things different.”
