A LOOK AT NBA SUPERTEAM HISTORY
While NBA superteams are fun to watch and definitely bring in the crowds/money, are they worth the risk? We’ve covered the negative effects of NBA superteams in the past, but the it’s time to revisit the history of NBA superteams. Thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo for putting “the easy” way to a championship back under the microscope.
Read: https://thewhistleblowersports.com/are-superteams-bad-for-the-nba/
CELTICS
The year was 2007, and the Celtics were coming off a frustrating season with a record of 24-58. For the second straight season, Boston missed the playoffs. GM Danny Ainge and Coach Doc Rivers needed a big change to save their team. So Ainge completed a blockbuster trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves, which included center Al Jefferson and first round picks. Ainge then made a move for Sonics sharpshooter Ray Allen and center Glen “Big Baby” Davis. These two All-Stars, coupled with another All-Star, Paul “The Truth” Pierce, were supposed to be the beginnings of a dynasty.
HEAT
Flash forward to 2008 and these improved Celtics have won their first title as a new big three and the future looks bright. But the Heat have other plans. After a Celtics defeat in 2009, the Heat decided to form their own superteam. The Heat already had NBA All-Star Dwayne “Flash” Wade, the hero of the Heat’s 2006 title run. But Miami lured Chris Bosh from the Toronto Raptors to South Beach and then caught the biggest fish of all, the King, Lebron James. Lebron announced his signing aka “The Decision” with the Heat on a live interview on ESPN. James’s moves came after the Big 3 Celtics started to fall apart, and eventually, after only one title, Pierce and Garnett were traded to Brooklyn, and Allen became a free agent.
The Heat promised the city of Miami, not one, not two, not three, not four, but five titles. Odds were that they could fulfill this promise, especially with King James. However, the Heat suffered defeat by the Dallas Mavericks in their first title appearance, with Lebron having the worst game of his career in Game 6. But in 2012, the Heat delivered, defeating the Thunder in five games. The Heat repeated the next season against the Spurs, but they would not see the last of Pop and Tim Duncan. The Spurs beat the Heat in five games the next season, and Lebron left for Cleveland. Surprisingly, Miami lost to two teams with less than two All-Stars.
CAVALIERS
In 2015, the Cleveland Cavaliers needed a change; Lebron had returned to make good on his promise to win a championship. And he had the necessary pieces like Kyrie Irving, a former first-round pick. The Cavs traded #1 pick Andrew Wiggins to the Timberwolves for All-Star Kevin Love. Like the Heat, this Cleveland team was poised to win many titles. However, after a great regular season and playoff run, they lost to the Warriors in the 2015 Finals. In return, the Cavs defeated the Warriors in 2016, but there was a seismic change coming in the NBA.
WARRIORS
The Warriors had assembled their big three of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and NBA MVP Kevin Durant. KD and the Warriors destroyed Lebron and the Cavs in the Finals. Kyrie Irving demanded a trade to Boston. The Cavs and Warriors contended again, and the Warriors swept them. The Warriors would again make it to the Finals, but lost to the Toronto Raptors, ending their reign. Kevin Durant formed another superteam in Brooklyn with James Harden and Kyrie Irving. But the future Champions Milwaukee Bucks knocked out the Nets in the second round.
Superteams have never fared well in the history of the NBA. Many consider the 80’s Celtics and Lakers to be superteams, but I disagree. Both teams formed their star cores through drafting, not trading and free agents, with the exception of Kareem Abdul-Jabar. The Jordan-era Bulls were not a superteam either as they drafted Mike and Scottie and signed a role player, Rodman. The true superteams in the NBA before the Celtics and the Heat are the early 2000s Rockets and Lakers. The Rockets had Hakeem Olujawon, Charles Barkley, and Scottie Pippen. They lost in the second round of the playoffs. The Lakers had Kobe, Shag, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone, but lost to the Pistons, lead by Chauncey Billups, in the Finals.
Are NBA superteams teams worth the risk?
Giannis’s take: https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/07/21/giannis-antetokounmpo-says-its-easy-to-join-superteam-to-win-glad-he-didnt/
