It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the Golden State Warriors are really good at the game of basketball. It will take one, however, to construct a team that can beat them.

You’d be hard pressed to find an off-season that matches up with the action that has transpired since the Warriors hoisted the Larry O’ Brien trophy on June 12. Star players are swapping teams at a pace rarely seen. Bold moves are sending shock-waves throughout the association.

Organizations across the league are making these moves with one question in mind – can we stack up with the Golden State Warriors? No matter what they might say to the press or convey to its fans, the most agonizing factor in teams asking themselves this question is that they know the answer, at least for now, is obvious:

No.

That’s more of a compliment to the Warriors than it is a dig against the other 29 teams in the league. But it’s true. Over the past three seasons, the Warriors have been at the top of league, pushing the limit on excellence that can be assembled on a single roster and organization as a whole. And if you thought it can’t get any better than what was assembled in 2016-17, there are plenty of reasons pointing to why the 2017-18 squad will be even more lethal.

1. The Big Four return with a season under their belts

While there are many things to love about the Warriors up and down the roster, the discussion always begins with its four all-stars: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Remember that season-opening 129-100 loss to the Spurs? A blessing in disguise, the beat-down exposed questions surrounding each of its four horseman and the team as a whole.

When the Dubs hit the hardwood to kick off next season, they will look much more like the team that bulldozed its way through the 2017 playoffs with a 16-1 record than the one that was shocked on October 25. They will no longer have to hear the questions and skepticism that surrounds whether or not they can make it work, because, guess what? They proved it works by winning the ultimate prize last season.

Other teams around the league are hard at work to assemble “super-teams” that can challenge the Warriors. You’ve got James Harden and Chris Paul in Houston. Russell Westbrook and Paul George in Oklahoma City. Gordon Hayward and Isaiah Thomas in Boston.

These teams will be spending much of the 2017-18 season figuring out what the Warriors have, which is an unselfish, beautiful brand of basketball that has been rarely seen in the leagues history. Curry, Thompson and Green were all drafted by the Warriors and developed a chemistry over multiple seasons that a superstar player like Durant could come into and fit in seamlessly.

No other team has that, and it’s hard to imagine the star power put together across the league being able to catch up to what the Warriors have, at least for this next season.

2. The top of the Warriors bench stays intact

Entering free agency, there was an uncertainty on whether the Warriors would be able to bring back both Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. Given their impact on the team, losing one of those players would result in a shakeup on the bench and adjustment period for Steve Kerr and the team to figure out what types of rotations work best.

Instead, the Warriors opened up the checkbooks – and with a little bit of help from Kevin Durant – were able to re-sign both Iguodala and Livingston. Who knows how they will look in two or three years, but neither player has showed any sign of slowing down as they enter the 2017-18 campaign.

Iguodala and Livingston have provided stability atop the Warriors bench over the past three seasons that can’t be matched across the league.

It’s not easy to find one, let alone two players who the starting five trusts immensely and is looked at as leaders of the second unit. But that is what the Warriors have in Iguodala and Livingston.

Teams like the Rockets or Spurs had its chance to weaken the Warriors grip on the league by signing one of these players. Instead, they are both back with Golden State, looking for the third ring of their careers.

3. New Additions fit with Warriors scheme

The Warriors signed Omri Casspi and Nick Young for a combined $7.3 million for the 2017-18 season.

With the signings, the Warriors get a pair of sharpshooters coming off the bench. Casspi is a career 36.7% shooter from behind the arc. Young shot 40.4% from three last season for the Los Angeles Lakers, joining Curry and Thompson as three of the 11 players in the league to shoot at least 40% with 400 attempts during the 2016-17 season.

Fantasizing about Kerr rolling out a unit of Curry, Thompson, Durant, Young and Casspi that will shoot the lights out of the ball? You’re not alone.

They will fit in with the Warriors style of playing position-less basketball. Casspi is 6’9″, and can play both small and power forward, while Young is a 6’7′ wing. Both players should be able to switch on players defensively, a staple of the Warriors brand of basketball.

While both players bring a strong resume to the table, the Warriors track record of maximizing the potential of role players could result in both Casspi and Young elevating their impact to a level that we haven’t seen yet.

4. Young Talent will continue to improve

Patrick McCaw delivered on the biggest stage in the championship-clinching Game 5 of the NBA Finals when his named was called. It was reflective of a strong rookie season and sign of things to come for the soon-to-be second year player.

McCaw didn’t have much of a consistent rotation spot during his rookie year, but expect that to change this season. In addition to his contributions in the finals and playoffs, McCaw stepped in to the starting lineup when Durant went down with a knee injury. All along, no situation seemed too big for the rookie. Only 21 years old, we haven’t seen the full potential of McCaw’s game.

The Warriors staff will place more trust in McCaw next season. He’ll be ready to own it.

Damian Jones didn’t get much run in his rookie season with the Golden State Warriors, but showed off his high ceiling with the Santa Cruz Warriors. With the center position a bit up in the air, Jones may prove himself worthy of minutes this year.

Additionally, with the Warriors spending a second round draft pick on Jordan Bell, expect Bell and Jones to elevate each others game and have a healthy competition when it comes to getting some minutes down low.

Topping the Warriors for years to come is going to be a gargantuan task for the rest of the league. There’s no secret in that. That doesn’t mean that teams won’t go down swinging and take their best shot, as should be expected.

However, the simple truth is that Warriors have been one step ahead for the past three years.

For the reasons listed above, don’t expect that to change next season, either.