The NBA's New Arms Race: Super Teams on the Rise

80's Dynasties 

The “Super Team” concept is relatively new in today’s NBA, all-stars joining forces on one team for a better shot at a championship. The fact of the matter is that “Super Teams” have been around since the beginning of the NBA. From the storied Celtics teams of the 60’s boasting Russell, Cousy, Heinsohn and Havlicek (in the later years), The Lakers of the 70’s with Chamberlain, West and Baylor and of course the NBA’s renaissance in the 80’s with the Magic-Kareem-Worthy led Lakers and the Bird-McHale-Parish led Celtics. And finally, the team of the 90's: MJ's Bulls. They have been around since the beginning and we are taking notice now because of all the new Media hype and the not too long ago Internet boom.   

The way these teams are formed may be questionable at times, but the truth is, the moves that were made were all within the rules and strict regulations of the NBA. There is the good old-fashioned way of acquiring talent via the NBA Draft, then we have free agency, and of course, the trade market.

In my opinion, the NBA today boasts 4 legitimate Super Teams. Out West there is the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers. In the East there is the defending champion Miami Heat and the New York Knicks. Yeah I said it, the Knicks have the star-power and fire-power to be considered a Super Team, if and only IF they get their chemistry issues worked out.

Young Guns in OKC

Let's start with OKC, they built their Super Team the old fashioned way, the “clean” way if you will. Via the NBA Draft. In 2007 they drafted Kevin Durant with the 2^nd overall pick (Thank you Portland), in 2008 and they took one of my favorite players with the 4^th pick in Russell Westbrook, they also took Serge Ibaka with the 24^th selection in that year’s draft. And for the icing on the cake, in 2009 the drafted super sub James Harden with the 3^rd pick, passing on players like Tyreke Evans and Steph Curry in the process. The Thunder did things the Spurs way, what many call the “fair” way. In my mind, they have the brightest future in the NBA seeing as their core group of players is no older than 24.

Miami Heat: 2012 NBA Champions

Next would be the much-scrutinized Miami Heat. Their weapon of choice? Free agency. With the great and cunning Pat Riley leading the charge, along with Dwyane Wade as the lead recruiter. The Heat couldn’t lose, pulling off perhaps the greatest free agent coupe in NBA history, they signed Chris Bosh, LeBron James and re-signed Dwyane Wade to form one of the best Big 3s in NBA history. But much work was to be done, the supporting cast had to be put in place for them to ultimately win their first championship (of the Big 3 Era), and win the championship they did in a "Gentleman's Sweep" of the OKC Thunder. 

A New Era in Hollywood

Now for the the Los Angeles Lakers, fresh off of acquiring Dwight Howard, a few weeks off of acquiring Steve Nash. They utilized the trade market to become "super" once more. They nabbed Nash via sign and trade and snatched Dwight, also via trade. The Dwight trade was a four-way affair that helped all teams in my opinion. I think Orlando was just happy to be rid of the massive headache that was Dwight Howard and his endless Indecision. Now the Lakers, this Super Team, this one is one for the ages. 2-time MVP Steve Nash, 5-time NBA champion 2-time Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, One time Defensive Player of the year MWP (Ron Artest), still one of the best Power Forwards in the NBA, the finesse 4 man Pau Gasol and the man who could possibly lead the Lakers into the Post-Bryant era, 3-time DPOY Dwight Howard.  This team almost literally has everything. They have a selfless, creative pin-point passer and dead-eye shooter in Nash, a controversial, entertaining and crazy perimeter stopper in World Peace, the NBA’s most offensively refined and skilled big man in Gasol, the ultimate defensive force who is capable of covering everyone’s a** in Howard and the killer cold-blooded closer in Kobe Bryant. Who can stop them? They are seemingly unbeatable on paper. If they find a way to make all the pieces fit together, even I will have a hard time imagining a scenario wherein the Thunder or Heat beat this LA team in a 7 game series.

NYK and their Boundless Talent

Finally, the New York Knicks, sort of a hybrid, they got Stoudemire via free agency, and traded for Melo. The deciding factor here is the high likelihood that Iman Shumpert reaches his potential this season or the next. Think about it, Raymond Felton isn’t as bad as most people make him out to be. If he can get back into shape and perform the way he did before he was traded to Denver in the Melo deal, even if its to a lesser extent, the Knickerbockers will be fine. So that’s a potential starting lineup of Felton, Shumpert, Anthony, Stoudemire and Chandler. That’s as formidable a starting 5 as it gets in the NBA today. Not to mention their veteran bench, the great Jason Kidd, the returning Marcus Camby, this is not to mention mercurial scorer J.R. Smith and 3-point specialist Steve Novak. Back to Shumpert, he is a 2-guard who is a defensive standout, he has more than enough speed, quickness and length to contain elite perimeter players at the 2 and 3 position. He is also known to be a more than adequate finisher at the rim, if he can find time to work on his perimeter shot, the Knicks will be capable of challenging the Heat for supremacy in the East.

The Ultimate "Super Team" 72-10, 1996 NBA Champions

What it all comes down to is which team can get it all together at the right time. We all know what the Heat and Thunder are capable of. The true unknowns here are obviously the Lakers and the Knicks. Keep in mind that New York has yet to go through a full training camp with all the pieces in tow. This upcoming NBA season will be the first fair and true barometer with which we’ll all be able to gauge just how good this Knicks team can be. The 2012-2013 NBA season will be one of the best in recent memory, it would be better if D-Rose didn’t tear his ACL, but he’ll be back in March, and that’s beside the point. The NBA’s rollercoaster history is about to get much more interesting. Plots and storylines abound, this season will conjure up increased interest in the NBA from the outside world. Everything will be magnified, and I think that it is fitting that this NBA season marks the first title defense of the “Chosen One” LeBron James. Can you give me a potential NBA Finals match-up that would be as star-studded and riveting as a Miami Heat versus L.A. Lakers showdown? I doubt it, this season will be one for the ages. And the new NBA arms race has only just begun.