One NBA team’s projections say 2016–17 Warriors will win 83 games

The Warriors adding Kevin Durant broke at least one team’s projection system.

Next year’s Warriors might be even better than we thought. 

Lee Jenkins’s story about LeBron James and the Cavaliers in this week’s Sports Illustrated also includes this staggering anecdote about how dominant other NBA teams think the Warriors could be with Kevin Durant. 

One NBA front office ran simulations, based on player values, for the upcoming season. Cleveland came out with 64 wins, second best in the league. Golden State came out with 83, better than undefeated. They broke the system.

LeBron James chases the ghost from Chicago and basketball immortality

Golden State added Durant and Zaza Pachulia to replace free agent Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, who was traded to the Mavericks. The Warriors also added veteran big man David West. 

Be sure to read the full cover story on LeBron James and his new motivation.