🏀 KuBuckets Archive

I'm not an NBA guy, but I do watch here and there, have my whole life. I was listening to a radio show and this subject came up. One of the hosts said define what a super team is. He claimed that super teams have always been around. Mentioning Boston, Lakers, and Bulls.

This got me to thinking. What is a super team by today's standards? True Boston was a super team back in the day. The Bulls won six titles so are they are a super team? The Lakers have to be a super team? Yet we have to define what a super team is?

Here is my thoughts on the subject. A super team is when a proven super star leaves his current team to create a an unbeatable team. I mean think about it? Did Jordan leave the Bulls? Did Majic leave the Lakers? Did Kobe leave the Lakers? Did Bird leave Boston? The answer is no. Those teams were created with a super star in place. Yet the Heat, the Warriors, and the Cavs were put together.

I know the Warriors were damn good before Durant. Yet when they added him a proven super star. It made them a super team, and yes I think Lebron started this.

So what do you think?

This recent wave of super teams was started with Boston's big 3 (plus Rondo) I think.

@approxinfinity

My only rebuttal would be is they failed in their attempt. Yet It's a solid point you make that they tried.

This might be a short topic. :bath_tone2:

@DoubleDD they won in 2008. For Allen, Pierce and Garnett, none of whom had won prior, I think it was a success.

@approxinfinity

Yea but Wasn't PP drafted by Boston? So they actually built around a super star?

Just asking.

@approxinfinity

It goes back to the point that had my head spinning. What is a super team? Is a super team one that is built around a super star? Or is a super team when a proven super star leaves to make a super team?

In my thinking Lebron opened this Pandora box of a super team.

Well the Heat dumped everyone except Wade and Chalmers, and then nabbed Bosh and LeBron. No different than Boston building around Rondo and Pierce and nabbing Garnett and Allen.

LeBron saw what Boston did and wanted some of that. Maybe Boston opened the door a crack and LeBron and co blew it open with their gaudy pyrotechnical display (and 2 championships as opposed to one).

@approxinfinity

Well played, Well played. :basketball_player_tone4:

@approxinfinity

Yet Wade and Chalmers great as they may be. Lebron was a proven superstar. He left the team that drafted him and brought Bosh with him.

Is that any different than what Durant did? I mean the warriors were already stacked. Yet Durant made them a super team.

Also lets be fair Wade was drafted by the Heat. And adding Lebron and Bosh wasn't like a building project. This was Lebron making a super team. Wade is good but he's no Lebron. Just like the Boston point you brought up. Yet PP was the super star and the drafted player of Boston. I believe an argument can be made they built around PP.

@DoubleDD

Chamberlain leaving Phillie for Lakers to join Jerry West and Elgin Baylor and Gail Goodrich?

Malone and Payton joining Kobe and Shaq on the Lakers is another early "super team". Didn't pan out though.

There have been super teams ever since the NBA was started. It does not necessarily mean getting all new players but also assembling a super team by getting a great supporting cast for an already on board superstar. The Lakers got at different times Wilt, Kareem, Shaq and other great players to complement the existing players such as Magic, Worthy, Kobe and others. The Celtics, Lakers, Bulls, Spurs have all at times assembled all star casts with various levels of success. The Russian owner of the Nets tried to spend a lot of money by building a super team from scratch and failed miserably; the Sixers are trying to do the same by tanking seasons and getting high draft picks and the jury is still out on that strategy. The current high cost of super stars and salary cap/luxury tax makes it more difficult now to assemble a super team; the Heat was definitely one and currently the closest we have are the Cavs and Warriors with some dark horses building for the future with young players such as the Sixers anf the Timberwolves.

... Leborn ? Who dat ?

@globaljaybird Old KU recruit.