Published by www.BleacherReport.com on 12/08/2010
Link: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/434221-the-rise-of-the-super-team-has-only-just-begun
The dramatic events of the 2010 offseason has laid the foundations to a new NBA, one where the rich get richer and poor get poorer, and where joining forces may be your only chance at success. In short, the era of the super team has only just begun.
The suped up Miami Heat threaten to become an unstoppable force, led by 2 of the top 3 players in the game, an All-Star power forward and a crew of smart veterans along for the ride. Three players the calibre of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, coming together in this fashion to join forces in their prime, is a first for the NBA, and they will redefine what it means to dominate in this league.
Critics have been quick to poke holes in the theory, but sell these guys short at your peril. The issue of interior defense has been raised, and is a genuine concern as it’s typically the most crucial element to playoff success. But the Chicago Bulls won six NBA Championships with average to below average players patrolling the paint (Longley/Wennington/Purdue/Cartwright). The sheer greatness of Jordan and Pippen was enough to overcome it (and team defense) and the LeBron/Wade duo should have a similar impact. And Chicago never had a power forward the calibre of Chris Bosh.
The LeBron ‘Decision’ has set off a tidal wave of criticism, questioning everything from his competitiveness to his ability to win. Fact is, Cleveland had 7 years to put a championship calibre team around LeBron and failed to do so, being unable to pair him with one credible sidekick over that span. And make no mistake, that was the deal breaker. I challenge anyone to tell me with a straight face that Mo Williams was a worthy number 2 – or even a 3. The same applies to the 38 year old Shaquille O’Neal and the past-his-prime Antawn Jamison. Management dropped the ball, plain and simple.
You can’t win alone in the NBA and everyone should know that, and why so many seem to gloss over this fact is quite puzzling. Michael Jordan had Pippen, Kobe had Shaq and now Gasol, Magic Johnson had Kareem and Worthy, and Larry Bird had McHale and Parish, among others. In Cleveland, LeBron was stuck on an island. The Cavs were a one dimensional team, not built to withstand a tough 7 game series against an elite opponent. With Wade and Bosh as his new running mates, this team will win and win big.
For the Miami Heat, 4-5 championships over the next 5-6 years is the realistic goal. Resistance will come from the Los Angeles Lakers in the next 2 years, but as Kobe moves further away from his prime it could get ugly for the rest of the league, or simply spectacular if you are the Miami Heat.
In the years to come, the formation of a second super team may be the only real hope for the league. Top line players will come to the realisation that in order to take down the Heat, they will need to join forces with other elite players. This is the future of the NBA and the seeds already have been sewn for this to occur.
2012 will usher in super team number two. Chris Paul and Deron Williams can opt out of their deals in 2 years, and their recent comments suggest that this is the likely outcome. The trade speculation surrounding Paul merely reflects these intentions. Their respective teams, especially New Orleans, will have no choice but to seriously consider genuine trade proposals next summer and at the 2012 deadline. If they don’t wise up to the writing on the wall they will be left holding the can, like so many teams this offseason. Unless of course they are fine with the idea of receiving a TPE (Traded Player Exception) for their franchise player and future. But to lose players of that calibre in this fashion is unacceptable to a loyal fan base.
Paul and Williams are the type of players who are not motivated by money, they are single-minded winners who demand excellence and have no patience for mediocrity. If their team is not a genuine title contender in 2012, which seems likely, the chance they opt out and switch teams is real. And following in the footsteps of the Miami Big 3, they will accept less money if it means contending for a title in this new top-heavy NBA.
So who are the realistic suitors for Paul and Williams? You can’t go past New York and New Jersey, who barring any rash decisions in the next 2 years will have the money and cachet to attract the next wave of super team wannabes. Both teams are positioned nicely to make a run. For the Knicks, the shrewd signing of Raymond Felton for only 2 years, and Eddy Curry’s $11.3m expiring contract will put them in a prime position come 2012. Amar’e Stoudemire is already on board and they have two young forwards with All-Star potential in Gallinari and Randolph.
For the New Jersey Nets, apart from their Russian billionaire owner and a move to Brooklyn, the big attraction could be their emerging frontline of Favors and Lopez, which could be a monster in 3-4 years. And attacking Miami on the interior with an elite PF/C combination may be the only realistic means of challenging the Heat. But for New York and New Jersey, patience will be key and they must resist the urge to spend on marginal talent in the next few years.
Both teams could also have the capacity to add a young player like OJ Mayo or Eric Gordon, who barring an early extension, will be restricted free agents in 2012 and may be desperate to escape the NBA purgatory that is Memphis and the Clippers.
For Paul and Williams the smarter move may be to avoid the east altogether and stay in the west, where they would only encounter Miami in a finals matchup. In this case they may look to Portland or Oklahoma City. Whilst not having the glamour of the Knicks or a Brooklyn bound Nets, they certainly have the resources and pieces in place to form the next super team. Regardless of the outcome, for the next 2 years the power of free agency rests firmly in the hands of Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
Carmelo Anthony could also play a big role here but he is currently considering an extension with the Nuggets. If he has genuine ambitions to win an NBA title, he would be wise to play out his current contract and seek similar opportunities in 2011 (can opt out) or 2012.
Remember this day, July 8 2010, the day LeBron made his decision, because on this day the NBA as we know it changed. Whether it changed for the better is up for debate, but one thing is certain, the formation of a super team will have long lasting effects on the league. The standard for achieving success in the NBA just went up a notch.
