The Bulls did it twice, with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen leading the way. The Lakers accomplished it once, behind Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. In the 42 seasons since the NBA-ABA merger, those are the only franchises to win three consecutive NBA Finals.
When the Warriors come together for training camp on Sept. 25, their goal is to become the third.
Here is a look at those players with guaranteed roster spots.
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10TH IN A SERIES
Player: Damian Jones
Position: Center
Height/weight: 7-0, 240
College: Vanderbilt
Age: 23
Salary: $1.54M (Year 3 of three-year rookie contract worth $4M. Team has until Oct. 31 to pick up his fourth-year option worth $2.31M)
NBA 2K Player Rating: 69
2017-18 in review: For the second year in a row, Jones remained mostly in the development stage, spending far more time playing with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors than with Golden State. He was a massive presence in some games, barely a factor in others. The Golden State staff and front office debated his progress, but never declared him ready to take playing time from their trio of veteran big men. He made 15 NBA appearances, playing a total of 89 minutes.
Key stats (G-League): 45 games (45 starts), averaging 15.0 points (68.1 percent FG, 69.7 percent FT), 8.1 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 2.1 assists.
Golden State Warriors
Season highs (G-League): Points (29), rebounds (16, twice), blocks (six), assists (six), minutes (40).
2018-19 outlook: After two seasons wondering what Jones can provide at the NBA level, this is the year the 7-footer will be given every chance to show he has something to offer. A superior athlete with a solid work ethic, Jones has been tasked with filling the role vacated by JaVale McGee. That means making an impact above the rim at both ends. If Jones can contribute off the bench and hold his own when making spot starts, the Warriors will have good reason to believe the 2016 first-round pick has a future in the league.