The NBA has recently seen an emergence of ‘superteams’ that feature small groups of incredibly talented players. As larger markets, such as Los Angeles and Miami, continue to attract these stars, the league loses parity. This begs the question of whether or not this strategy is necessary to win an NBA title. Two Tribune contributors weigh in…

FOR Superteams

It’s simple. The numbers don’t lie. In this day and age, if you want to win an NBA championship, you need a star-studded lineup.

Many fans want to hang on to the notion that a championship can still be won with hard work, determination, and a solid foundation backed by a great coach. This idea worked as recently as the early 2000s, as evidenced by the Detroit Pistons. But in today’s NBA, talent surpasses everything else.

When the Miami Heat first assembled their trio of superstars, critics quickly jumped to the conclusion that the collection of egos and lack of team chemistry would prevent them from advancing deep into the playoffs. Despite all the criticism, the Heat managed to put together an impressive season and  reached game seven of the NBA finals. The more impressive feat was that they accomplished all of this in their first season as a team and with an inexperienced head coach.

The point is, even though the Heat lacked the coaching and team chemistry everyone said they needed to succeed, they still managed to be an NBA finalist by relying solely on talent. Then, last season (the second year of the big three), the Heat developed the little chemistry they needed and hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Many fans wonder how the league got to this point. How can just a few individuals dictate the outcome of a team sport? The truth is that there are a few ‘elite’ players in the league, and any of them can dominate a game and carry their respective teams. Unfortunately, for the majority of the league’s teams, it’s these players who have sent the NBA along this ‘superteams’ course.

Take a look at what happened with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic last season. In less than a year, Howard managed not only to get his coach fired, but also his general manager, all while toying with Magic fans about whether he would stay or leave in the off-season—Quite frankly, he never planned on staying.

Once the offseason arrived, Howard had complete control over his future destination (the Los Angeles Lakers), should he become a free agent the year after. This put teams at risk for trading for him for one season, before seeing him leave in free agency. This is why teams need to build such stacked lineups. With stars controlling the dynamics of free agency and trading, it has become more important than ever to create enough cap space and to assemble other top talents to attract these athletes.  Players like Howard and James want to play with their friends and play for contenders. Their desires can be turned into realities because they control the deck.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the top 15 players in the league play for four teams by the end of the decade. If you’re a basketball fan, you had better hope that your team gets in on that action. Otherwise, the chances of your team winning a championship diminish to nil.

— Michael Ghofrani

AGAINST Superteams

‘Superteams’ have become part of the NBA culture. Over the past couple of seasons, a number of teams have acquired some of the league’s best talent to play together. We all remember LeBron James’ infamous decision to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. More recently, we watched the Los Angeles Lakers acquire both Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to complement Kobe Bryant.

Yet, history has indicated that amassing talent is not a guaranteed path to the Larry O’Brien trophy. Regardless of the big names, it has been demonstrated countless times that, to succeed, a team must have the perfect alignment of team chemistry, a strong head coach, and players who fill certain roles.

The 1996-1997 Houston Rockets led by Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and Charles Barkley were a favourite to win the championship. The 2003-2004 Los Angeles Lakers were basically a shoe-in for the title, led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, along with stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton. The 2010-2011 Miami Heat had the highest expectations placed upon them after signing both James and Bosh to join Wade. However, despite the teams’ superstar-heavy lineups, they all failed to hoist the trophy at the end of the season.

Furthermore, concentrating the NBA’s elite talent amongst a few teams is not in the league’s best interest. The NFL famously sports the “any given Sunday” approach, in which small market teams are in the mix for the title just as much as larger market teams. In the NFL, there is more parity, which is something that the NBA needs. Nobody enjoys watching the Miami Heat absolutely beat down the Charlotte Bobcats. Teams like Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Sacramento cannot compete with the likes of L.A., Miami, and Boston. The league becomes predictable and these smaller markets lose out on meaningful basketball.

Spreading the best talent between many teams, and having team-grown stars such as Bryant, Tim Duncan (of the San Antonio Spurs), Paul Pierce (from Boston), Kevin Durant (of the Oklahoma City Thunder), and Derrick Rose (with the Chicago Bulls), makes for a more interesting and competitive league, thus creating fiercer rivalries, and more loyal fan bases. The satisfaction of watching Michael Jordan lead the city of Chicago to a championship after seven tough years, of Hakeem Olajuwon finally breaking through for Houston, or Dirk Nowitzki carrying his team to the top after toiling for 12 years in Dallas, are the truly inspirational stories and are etched into basketball legend. Taking a shortcut and being disloyal to fans by forming a ‘superteam’ appears pathetic and dishonours the game of basketball.

Ultimately, while the big names may fill seats and garner television viewers, winning a championship still boils down to the basics of basketball: great team chemistry and the right conditions. History has shown that meshing talent together to form a ‘superteam’ does not necessarily guarantee a championship. It’s more important to play basketball the right way.

— Remi Lu

Winner: FOR Superteams

It’s becoming clear that teams without a small collection of superstars cannot compete for an NBA championship. After winning a title last season, the Miami Heat are a model from which large market teams wil strive towards in the future. Unfortunately for smaller markets that can’t attract as many big name stars, years of mediocrity await, while only a select few teams compete for championships year after year.