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:
FIRST IN A SERIES:
Player: Jordan Bell
Position: Center/forward
College: Oregon
Height/weight: 6-9, 225.
Age: 23
Salary: $1.38M (second year of two-year contract at $2.19M per Spotrac)
NBA 2K19 Player Rating: 77
2017-18 in review: Unexceptional through the first six weeks of his rookie season, Bell found his rhythm late in November and was spectacular in December, averaging 20.3 minutes per game while shooting 65.4 percent from the field. After missing 14 games due to an ankle injury on Jan. 17 at Chicago, Bell in his return struggled to reach previous heights until late in the postseason, when he played quite well.
Sports
Key stats: 57 games (13 starts), 4.6 points per game, 62.7 percent FG, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 blocks.
Season highs: Points (20), rebounds (13), blocks (six), assists (eight), minutes (28).
2018-19 outlook: Bell's skills, athleticism and feel for the game give him an edge over third-year big man Damian Jones in the competition to be the team's starting center on opening night. To win the job, though, Bell will have to maintain the trust of his teammates by answering all lingering questions about his commitment and focus. With restricted free agency looming next July, Bell knows what's at stake.
