This is the new NBA. Littered across the landscape of the league’s best teams are young squads already at the top of their conferences. In the West, the Phoenix Suns are predominantly made up of players they drafted. The same goes for the new incarnation of Grit n’ Grind in Memphis. And spearheading those efforts are grizzled vets that have been the missing pieces.
Chris Paul has led the Suns to a 64-win regular season looking for revenge for last year’s loss in The Finals. Steven Adams was traded to the Grizzlies last summer and while he hasn’t exactly been as instrumental in their rapid improvement, the 28-year-old elder statesman is a perfect complement to their culture.