Superteams have been around the NBA for years now, but we can never truly figure out the definition of a superteam.
Every time we see a ridiculously dominant team in the NBA, people want to change the definition of a superteam. People want to say that a superteam is a team with at least two MVP-caliber players both playing in their prime or that they have three All-Star players that are playing in their prime.
No sir.
A superteam is a team that has at least three All-Star caliber players (at least top 25 in the NBA) that are all playing at an elite level. The definition of a superteam disregards age, number of team wins, and if the All-Star caliber players are in their prime.
However, at least one of the three All-Stars has to be acquired via free agency or via trade within three years of the formation of the superteam.
A superteam cannot be a team where their three All-Stars who play at an elite level are homegrown. Therefore, the 2015 and 2016 Golden State Warriors, the Michael Jordan era Chicago Bulls in the first three-peat, the Showtime Lakers, and the Shaq & Kobe era Lakers (outside of 2004) do not qualify as superteams.
So, what teams in the NBA were superteams? Let’s list them.
1978 Denver Nuggets
Acquired All-Star: Brian Taylor (1977)
All-Stars on team from 1975, 1976, and/or 1977: Dan Issel and David Thompson
The earliest-known superteam in the NBA, the Nuggets had two All-Star caliber players in Dan Issel and David Thompson within the three-year window between 1975 and 1977 before signing Brian Taylor in the 1977 offseason. They made the Western Conference Finals, losing to the Seattle SuperSonics in 6 games.
1979 Denver Nuggets
Acquired All-Star: George McGinnis (1978)
All-Stars on team from 1976, 1977, and/or 1978: Dan Issel and David Thompson
Although Taylor left for the San Diego Clippers, the Nuggets once again became a superteam when they added power forward George McGinnis, who became an All-Star in the 1979 season with them. They did not last long in the playoffs, losing in three games in a best-of-three series to the Los Angeles Lakers.
1980 Phoenix Suns
Acquired All-Star: Truck Robinson (1979)
All-Stars on team from 1977, 1978, and/or 1979: Walter Davis, Paul Westphal, and Alvan Adams
The Suns’ core of Paul Westphal, Walter Davis, and Alvan Adams all averaged at least 15 PPG, with Westphal and Davis averaging at least 20 PPG, in the first two seasons that the three played together (1978 and 1979). The addition of Truck Robinson made them a superteam, as Robinson was averaging at least 22 PPG in the three seasons prior to the 1980 season, and averaged 24.2 PPG before the New Orleans Jazz traded him to Phoenix. The Suns lost in 5 games to the Lakers in the West Semis.
Larry Bird Era Boston Celtics (1981-1991)
Acquired All-Stars: Robert Parish (1979) and Dennis Johnson (1984)
Homegrown All-Stars: Larry Bird, Cedric Maxwell, and Kevin McHale
Yes, I know that Larry Bird is a top 10 all-time great and is one of the greatest shooters of all time. But let’s not ignore the supporting cast around him. Cedric Maxwell was best known for his moves near or beneath the basket, effective in the low post, faking defenders into the air, drawing contact, then making the high percentage shots, sometimes drawing fouls, using either a jump-hook close to the basket or going up against the glass. He was also a clutch performer in the playoffs. The Celtics, however, became a superteam when they dealt the 1st overall pick of the 1980 Draft to acquire Robert Parish and the 3rd overall pick of that Draft, which ultimately became Kevin McHale. Although Maxwell’s point production was dropping after 1982, he was the Finals MVP in the 1981 NBA Finals. McHale developed from being the Celtics’ 6th man to being a full-time starter after Maxwell was dealt to the Clippers for Bill Walton. Parish became a perennial All-Star player with the Celtics during his time there as well.
Playoff Results
1981: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 6 games against the Rockets
1982: Lost in East Finals in 7 games to the 76ers
1983: Lost in East Semifinals in 4 games to the Bucks
1984: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 7 games against the Lakers
1985: Lost in NBA Finals in 6 games to the Lakers
1986: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 6 games against the Rockets
1987: Lost in NBA Finals in 6 games to the Lakers
1988: Lost in East Finals in 6 games to the Pistons
1989: Lost in East Quarterfinals in 3 games to the Pistons (Bird was lost for the season after an injury 6 games into the regular season)
1990: Lost in East Quarterfinals in 5 games to the Knicks
1991: Lost in East Semifinals in 6 games to the Pistons
1981 Phoenix Suns
Acquired All-Star: Dennis Johnson (1980)
All-Stars on team from 1978, 1979, and/or 1980: Walter Davis and Truck Robinson
The Suns traded Westphal to the Seattle SuperSonics for Dennis Johnson, therefore keeping themselves at superteam status heading into the 1981 season. By this point, Adams dipped in his point production, although he averaged 7.3 RPG and 4.6 APG. Davis and Robinson continued to play at elite levels, with Davis averaging 18.0 PPG and Johnson and Robinson both averaging 18.8 PPG each. They once again lost in the West Semis, this time in 7 games to the Kansas City Kings.
Dr. J/Malone/Chuck Era Philadelphia 76ers (1983-1987)
Acquired All-Star: Moses Malone (1982)
Homegrown All-Stars: Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, and Maurice Cheeks
It’s hypocritical for Julius Erving to say that LeBron James is the one who orchestrated superteams, because Erving himself was part of a superteam in the 1983 76ers. Erving is 8th all-time on the combined ABA/NBA scoring list as of 2019, scoring more than 30,000 points in both leagues combined. Cheeks was well-regarded for knowing his role as a point guard, as he was coming off a season where he had 8.4 APG. When the Sixers added Moses Malone via an offer sheet, that’s when they entered superteam status. Malone was capable of averaging 25 PPG and 15 RPG at his very best, and had four consecutive seasons of averaging near or over 25 PPG and top 2 in the league in RPG. They still remained a superteam when they drafted Charles Barkley in the 1984 Draft. Although Erving and Barkley played just three seasons together, they were at superteam status up until the end of the 1987 season even after Malone was traded to the Washington Bullets in the 1986 offseason after suffering an eye injury at the end of the regular season, as Erving announced his retirement after the 1987 season.
Playoff Results
1983: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 4 games against the Lakers (lost only one game in the entire playoffs)
1984: Lost in East Quarterfinals in 5 games to the Nets
1985: Lost in East Finals in 5 games to the Celtics
1986: Lost in East Semifinals in 7 games to the Bucks
1987: Lost in East Quarterfinals in 5 games to the Bucks
1984 New York Knicks
Acquired All-Star: Ray Williams (1983)
All-Stars on team from 1981, 1982, and/or 1983: Bernard King and Bill Cartwright
The acquisition of Ray Williams in the 1983 offseason made them a borderline superteam, but given that Cartwright entered his third season removed from a 20.1 PPG campaign and Bernard King was a perennial 20+ PPG player in every season since 1978 with the exception of 1980. The season was highlighted with King scoring 50 points in consecutive games against the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks, and with him scoring 44 points in the deciding Game 5 of the East Quarterfinals over the Detroit Pistons and 213 total points in the series despite playing with two dislocated fingers and the flu. The Knicks won the game in overtime after Isiah Thomas scored 16 points in a 94-second span with two minutes remaining. The Knicks, however, got ousted in 7 games to the Philadelphia 76ers in the East Semis.
The “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons (1987-1991)
Acquired All-Stars: Adrian Dantley (1986) and Mark Aguirre (1989)
Homegrown All-Stars: Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Joe Dumars, and Dennis Rodman
The Bad Boys Pistons adopted a physical and defensive-minded style of play, which earned them that nickname. The homegrown talents on the team were Isiah Thomas, who was drafted 2nd overall in the 1981 Draft, Bill Laimbeer, who saw limited action with the Cavaliers and instantly became a starter with the Pistons, and Joe Dumars, who was drafted 18th overall in the 1985 Draft. They even got two more solid role players in the 1986 Draft, with John Salley at 11th overall and Dennis Rodman at 27th overall. Thomas ranks 9th all-time in assists, with 9,061, and 5th in assists per game, at 9.3, and once led the league in APG in 1985, with 13.9. He also was a defensive specialist, averaging at least 1.5 SPG in every season he played except in 1994. Laimbeer was notorious for his physicality and reputation for delivering hard, often flagrant fouls, but he was also a solid shooter and rebounder, even leading the league in RPG in 1986, with 13.1. Dumars played at both point guard and shooting guard, but primarily played at SG. He was voted as the 1989 Finals MVP, averaging 27.3 PPG throughout the series. He broke out in the 1991 season, where he had his first season of averaging at least 20 PPG. Rodman might not be a point-scorer by any means, but he was a fierce rebounder and defender, being NBA All-Defensive First Team every year from 1989 to 1996 except in 1994. He nearly averaged one block per game in 1989 and 1992. The Pistons were a superteam because of the trade acquisitions of Adrian Dantley in 1986, who was later traded away in 1989 for Mark Aguirre, which kept this Pistons team a superteam. Dantley played primarily in the low post, similar to a power forward. In his prior years before arriving to Detroit, he averaged at least 28 PPG in all his seasons with the Utah Jazz except in 1985, where he still averaged a solid 26.6 PPG. He also led the league twice in PPG, in 1981 and 1984, which were two of four consecutive seasons of at least 30 PPG for him. Most of his points were a mix of flat-footed mid-range jump shots, high-percentage opportunities close to the basket, and free throws. Aguirre blended in with the Pistons by taking fewer shots, playing hard on defense, and not complaining when Rodman saw increased minutes. Before arriving to Detroit, he was a perennial 20+ PPG player with the Dallas Mavericks.
Playoff Results
1987: Lost in East Finals in 7 games to the Celtics
1988: Lost in NBA Finals in 7 games to the Lakers
1989: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 4 games against the Lakers
1990: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 5 games against the Trail Blazers
1991: Lost in East Finals in 4 games to the Bulls
1989 Atlanta Hawks
Acquired All-Star: Moses Malone (1988)
All-Stars on team from 1986, 1987, and/or 1988: Dominique Wilkins and Doc Rivers
Dominique Wilkins was just coming off of two 30+ PPG seasons in the span of three years, even leading the league in PPG in 1986, with 30.3, and averaging 30.7 PPG in 1988 (he averaged 29 PPG in 1987). Doc Rivers wasn’t someone who can get 20 points on a consistent basis, but he is a solid playmaker and a high-end defender, the latter of which carried on to his emphasis on the NBA teams he has coached in his coaching career. They got Moses Malone, who was coming off of 12 straight seasons of averaging double digits in RPG, by signing him to a three-year deal. However, they got first-rounded by the Bucks in 5 games.
1989 Houston Rockets
Acquired All-Star: Otis Thorpe (1988)
All-Stars on team from 1986, 1987, and/or 1988: Hakeem Olajuwon and Sleepy Floyd
Hakeem Olajuwon is one of the greatest big men of all time. During the 1989 season, he led the league in RPG, with 13.5, while also averaging 24.8 PPG. Sleepy Floyd was brought in via trade during the 1988 season. Despite averaging 3.8 PPG less than in his 1987 campaign with the Golden State Warriors, he still knew his role as a point guard, averaging 8.6 APG. When Otis Thorpe was brought in, this is when they became a superteam, as he was coming off a season where he averaged 20.8 PPG and 10.2 RPG. Although his PPG dropped to 16.7 in 1989, he still nearly averaged 10 RPG. This superteam did not last a round in the playoffs, however, getting eliminated in 4 games to the SuperSonics.
1993 Phoenix Suns
Acquired All-Star: Charles Barkley (1992)
All-Stars on team from 1990, 1991, and/or 1992: Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle
Although this season for Kevin Johnson was not the best statistically, he still was a back-to-back All-Star in 1990 and 1991, where he averaged at least 22 PPG in both seasons, and averaged double figures in APG from 1989 to 1992, including a career-high 12.2 APG in 1989. Tom Chambers was three seasons removed from the best season of his career by this point, but he reverted to taking a 6th man role and saw his minutes gradually decrease down to 23.6 MPG. The emergence of Dan Majerle after he had a career-best season where he had 17.3 PPG was huge for the Suns as well. They became a superteam when the traded for Charles Barkley, a perennial All-Star during his time with the Sixers, which continued over to his tenure with the Suns, with his elite scoring and rebounding. Although they finished with an NBA-best 62-20 record in the 1993 season and advanced all the way to the NBA Finals, they lost to Michael Jordan’s Bulls in 6 games in the big stage. The superteam would last for two more seasons before the departure of Majerle, both times losing to the Rockets in 7 games. The Suns would not return to the Finals until 2021.
1994 Seattle SuperSonics
Acquired All-Star: Detlef Schrempf (1993)
All-Stars on team from 1991, 1992, and/or 1993: Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton
Shawn Kemp was once again an All-Star in the 1994 season, improving from last season to averaging 18.1 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.8 SPG, and 2.1 BPG. This season was his 3rd of 6 straight season where he averaged a double-double, with at least 15 PPG and double figures in RPG. Gary Payton didn’t become an All-Star until this season, where he had his first true elite season. He averaged 16.5 PPG and had his 3rd season of averaging over 2 SPG, with 2.3 in 1994, his 3rd in the span of four seasons, and the first of 9 consecutive seasons where he would be NBA All-Defensive First Team. The SuperSonics became a superteam when they traded for Detlef Schrempf, who was coming off a season where he had 19.1 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and 6 APG in his final season with the Pacers. Although he didn’t score at the same pace and his rebounds and assists were down from 1993, he was still a solid contributor to the SuperSonics, although he got back in pace in the 1995 season. In two consecutive seasons, they were first rounded in 5 and 4 games to the Nuggets and Lakers, respectively.
MJ/Pippen Era Chicago Bulls, 2nd Three-Peat (1996-1998)
Acquired All-Star: Dennis Rodman (1995)
All-Stars on team from 1993, 1994, and/or 1995: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
Many people are going to get mad at me for this, but hear me out: Contrary to popular belief, the 1996-1998 Chicago Bulls are a superteam. Them adding Dennis Rodman to the squad can attest to that. Rodman led the league in RPG from 1992 to 1995, averaging over 16.5 RPG every season, with averages of 18.7, 18.3, 17.3, and 16.8. That’s some otherworldly level of rebounding! It’s even more impressive given that he was listed at 6’ 7”. The duo of MJ and Pippen need no introduction and no explanation for how great they were. They were basically the Batman & Robin of the Bulls. While Jordan dominated the NBA with his scoring and in SPG, Pippen had more RPG and APG throughout the dominant era. The 1996 Bulls even had a then-NBA record 72 wins in the regular season! With these three on the team, you know what happens next: the second three-peat, where they would win all Finals series in 6 games, the first one against the SuperSonics and the latter two against the Jazz.
1996 Seattle SuperSonics
Acquired All-Star: Hersey Hawkins (1993)
All-Stars on team from 1993, 1994, and/or 1995: Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, and Detlef Schrempf
The SuperSonics were already a superteam by the presence of Kemp, Payton, and Schrempf, but further solidified superteam status when they traded away Kendall Gill for Hersey Hawkins. Although not his All-Star self, he delivered a productive season in his first year with Seattle, it was also his last season where he averaged at least 15 PPG. As mentioned before, the SuperSonics would lose to MJ’s Bulls in the 1996 Finals. The superteam would last for one more season, where they suffered a 7-game defeat in the West Semis to another superteam in the Rockets, before Kemp left for the Cavaliers.
1997 Houston Rockets
Acquired All-Stars: Charles Barkley (1996) and Kevin Willis (1994)
All-Stars on team from 1994, 1995, and/or 1996: Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler
Although the Rockets were still a Finals contender here, they got into superteam status after their back-to-back championships when they added Charles Barkley and Kevin Willis. Hakeem was on the Rockets for the back-to-back titles, while Clyde Drexler was in Houston for just the 1995 title despite having played 35 regular season games that season, although he started all 22 playoff games for them. Willis didn’t have a 15+ PPG season since his 1995 season, where he spent the majority of the season with the Heat after spending just two games with the Hawks. The Rockets lost in 6 games to the Jazz in the West Finals. These four stuck around for the 1998 season, where Willis would have his final 15+ PPG season, but ultimately lost to the Jazz again, this time in 5 games in the first round. Drexler would retire after the 1998 season and Willis left for the Raptors in the offseason.
1999 Houston Rockets
Acquired All-Star: Scottie Pippen (1998)
All-Stars on team from 1996, 1997, and/or 1998: Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley
The Bulls decided to go on a rebuild after MJ made his second retirement. The Rockets wasted no time on acquiring Scottie Pippen before the lockout-shortened 1999 season, thereby keeping themselves in superteam status. Interestingly, Olajuwon, Barkley, and Pippen previously played together on the US Men’s basketball team in the 1996 Olympics. However, on-court chemistry problems ensued, especially with Barkley. Pippen would also average 14.5 PPG, while Olajuwon averaged 18.9 PPG, with Barkley leading the team with 12.3 RPG. What once was seen as a superteam was now being seen as a collection of egotistical, washed-up All-Stars. To no surprise, they got first rounded by the Lakers in 4 games. This would be the last time the Rockets would make the playoffs until 2004, led by Yao Ming and Steve Francis.
2001 Orlando Magic
Acquired All-Stars: Grant Hill (2000) and Tracy McGrady (1999)
All-Star on team from 1998, 1999, and/or 2000: Darrell Armstrong
Though many won’t view this Magic team as a superteam, I’m throwing them in here because they could have possibly been one had Grant Hill not been hampered with injuries. Hill played in just four games in his first season with the Magic before an ankle injury derailed his season. This would be Darrell Armstrong’s second and final season where he averaged at least 15 PPG, although he had 7 APG to add to that. Upon Tracy McGrady’s arrival to Orlando, he made an immediate impact with the team. Coming off a 26.8 PPG season, he averaged 25.6 PPG in the 2001 season. The superteam was short-lived, as they lost in the first round in 4 games to the Bucks.
2004 Los Angeles Lakers
Acquired All-Stars: Karl Malone (2003) and Gary Payton (2003)
All-Stars on team from 2001, 2002, and/or 2003: Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant
It’s true that the Lakers three-peated with the duo of Shaq and Kobe, who are widely regarded among the greatest in their positions. They didn’t become a superteam until they got Karl Malone and Gary Payton. However, even when the two were not performing at elite levels like how they did last season, they were still solid players for the Lakers in their only season there. However, they lost in five games in the NBA Finals to the Bad Boys Pistons 2.0.
2004 Sacramento Kings
Acquired All-Star: Brad Miller
All-Stars on team from 2001, 2002, and/or 2003: Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, and Mike Bibby
The 2004 Sacramento Kings season was one that had some... interesting moments, to say the least. They went out to acquire Brad Miller, who was two seasons removed from a 15 PPG season with the Pacers. Chris Webber and Peja Stojakovic were solid All-Stars on the Kings, although Webber missed a lot of time with the Kings due to injury, and even was suspended for his involvement in the Ed Martin scandal. The superteam would not last long, as the Kings were eliminated in 7 games in the West Semifinals to Kevin Garnett’s Timberwolves, and next season, Webber was traded by the trade deadline to the 76ers.
The “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons 2.0 (2004-2009)
Acquired All-Stars: Richard Hamilton (2002), Rasheed Wallace (2004), and Allen Iverson (2009)
Homegrown All-Stars: Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace
This era of the Pistons is a reincarnation of the “Bad Boys” Pistons back in the 1980s. Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace were acquired by the Pistons, but they developed into All-Stars with the Pistons. That’s not to mention that Tayshaun Prince, although he was not an All-Star, also developed into an elite defender with the Pistons, being named to the All-NBA Defensive Second Team four straight years. Wallace, commonly known by Pistons fans as “Big Ben,” was a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, even averaging 1.7 SPG and 3.5 BPG in his best season in 2002. That’s not bad for an undrafted center. However, they became a superteam when they made the trades for Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace. Hamilton rose to stardom as early as his second season with the Wizards (2001) before getting traded in the 2002 offseason when the Wizards acquired Jerry Stackhouse. He would average at least 17 PPG from his 2001 campaign to the 2010 season. Rasheed Wallace was an All-Star before the Pistons acquired him, having his first true season in 2000 before becoming averaging at least 17 PPG in his final four seasons with the Trail Blazers. Although he wouldn’t average that many PPG with the Pistons, he still played a key role on the Pistons’ defense and was named an All-Star in 2006 and 2008. With this team, they won one championship, made two Finals appearances, and four Conference Finals appearances, including the years when Ben Wallace was no longer on the team. Although they traded away Billups in the 2008 offseason, they still remained at superteam status because they acquired Allen Iverson. The superteam would be less successful in 2009, having their first losing season since 2001, and the first time they didn’t reach the East Finals since 2003. The 2009 season would be the last season that they would make the playoffs until 2016.
Playoff Results
2004: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 5 games against the Lakers
2005: Lost in NBA Finals in 7 games to the Spurs
2006: Lost in East Finals in 6 games to the Heat
2007: Lost in East Finals in 6 games to the Cavaliers
2008: Lost in East Finals in 6 games to the Celtics
2009: Lost in East Quarterfinals in 4 games to the Cavaliers
The Boston Celtics’ New Big Three (2008-2012)
Acquired All-Stars: Kevin Garnett (2007) and Ray Allen (2007)
Homegrown All-Star: Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo
Going back to Garnett, he had a lot of frustration during the latter years he spent with the Timberwolves, as the team logged the 2nd-worst record in the league ever since he joined. While team owner Glen Taylor was planning on retaining KG, he listened to trade offers, ultimately trading him to the Celtics. That was one of the two moves that Danny Ainge made to return the Celtics to prominence, the other being the trade for perennial All-Star Ray Allen. Those two meshed in with Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo made this Celtics team a superteam. Before the four played together, the Celtics were coming off a forgettable season, where they went 24-58, the second-worst record in the league in the 2007 season, and even going through a franchise-worst 18-game losing streak. They hoped to get a high pick like Greg Oden or Kevin Durant in the Draft, but they fell to 5th in the lottery. But after all those moves, they managed to pull off the biggest single-season turnaround in NBA history. With a 66-16 record, they improved by 42 games. The team would be together from 2008 to 2012. They got off to a 27-2 start in 2009, the then-best starting record in NBA history, even having a franchise-record 19-game win streak. They had a similar start in 2010, with a 23-5 start, and, at one point, having the best record in the NBA. Unfortunately, their endings in those two seasons were highlighted with injuries: KG suffered an injury in 2009 that led to him being ruled out for the season, and Kendrick Perkins suffered a severe knee injury in Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, which led to the Celtics getting Shaq. Shaq’s presence led to the Celtics trading away Perkins despite another rash of injuries. Their 41-14 record by that point turned into a 56-26 record, slipping down to the 3rd seed. Although they began 0-3 in the lockout-shortened 2012 season, with Pierce out with a heel injury, and despite them being below .500 with a 15-17 record, they were one of the hottest teams in the league after the All-Star Break, going 24-10 the rest of the way. However, the era would end after back-to-back playoff series losses to the Heat, where Allen would join them.
Playoff Results
2008: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 6 games against the Lakers
2009: Lost in East Semifinals in 7 games to the Magic
2010: Lost in NBA Finals in 7 games to the Lakers
2011: Lost in East Semifinals in 5 games to the Heat
2012: Lost in East Finals in 7 games to the Heat
The Heatles (Miami Heat, 2011-2014)
Acquired All-Stars: LeBron James (2010) and Chris Bosh (2010)
Homegrown All-Star: Dwayne Wade
KG made a fool of himself when he said that his Celtics broke LeBron James. Because those matchups between the Celtics and Cavs in 2008 and 2010 were not even playing grounds. That was 4 against 1. Factor that in with the fact that the Cavs’ front office constantly failed LeBron, not only with passing up on Amar’e Stoudemire in favor of Mo Williams, but also opting not to re-sign Carlos Boozer after LeBron’s rookie year, and the fact that the Cavs have historically been one of the worst managed franchises in NBA history, then it makes sense why LeBron left Cleveland. He wanted to win. There is a saying: If you want to win, you have to learn from winners. So, he went down to Miami to learn the winning ways with Heat president Pat Riley running the team and teaming up with his good friend Dwyane Wade, who won a championship with the Heat in 2006. Chris Bosh was acquired via a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors, where two first round picks (Norris Cole and Jonas Valanciunas) were sent the other way. He left Toronto as their all-time leader in virtually all major stats, having been one of three players in the league racking up 10,000 points, 4,500 rebounds, and 600 blocks in his seven seasons there. This superteam is unique for being the first player-created NBA superteam. Interestingly, this superteam is composed of players who were all top 5 Draft picks in the 2003 Draft. Going back to the LeBron vs. Celtics rivalry, once it became an even playing ground, LeBron’s team (the Heat) started kicking the Celtics’ butt, with the most notable being in Game 6 of the 2012 East Finals, where LeBron dropped 45/15/5. The Heat made four consecutive Finals, winning two of the four. However, there were times where this team didn’t really play like a superteam, and it was shown in 2013 and 2014, when Wade became injury-prone, and Bosh’s age started to show. However, this trio was widely credited with having a dramatic influence in the NBA, specifically with team development and general management. Many other teams sought out to adopt the “Big Three” model of attracting established NBA superstars to their franchises to win championships.
Playoff Results
2011: Lost in NBA Finals in 6 games to the Mavericks
2012: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 5 games against the Thunder
2013: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 7 games against the Spurs
2014: Lost in NBA Finals in 5 games to the Spurs
2011 New York Knicks
Acquired All-Stars: Amar’e Stoudemire (2010), Carmelo Anthony (2011), and Chauncey Billups (2011)
All-Stars on team from 2008, 2009, and/or 2010: none
This superteam is unique because none of the All-Star players that they acquired were on the team in the 2010 season. Amar’e Stoudemire was on the Suns before he signed with the Knicks in the 2010 offseason. Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups were both acquired via trade by the trade deadline in a move that sent Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, and Wilson Chandler to the Nuggets. With the three together, they managed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004 and clinch their first winning season since 2001. The superteam was short-lived after getting swept by the Celtics in the first round of 2011, as Billups was shipped off to the Clippers after the season.
Lob City (Los Angeles Clippers, 2011-2017)
Acquired All-Stars: Chris Paul (2011) and Chauncey Billups (2011)
Homegrown All-Stars: Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan
After David Stern vetoed the Lakers’ acquisition of Chris Paul, the Clippers got in the talks of acquiring him, and indeed, they got him. CP3 twice led the league in APG and SPG, both occurring at the same time—in 2008 and 2009, and was widely known as the best point guard in the league at the time of the trade. The trade essentially put the Clippers on the map. The Clippers previously drafted Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, although Griffin didn’t debut until the 2011 season because of injuries. However, he would average nine consecutive seasons of at least 18 PPG, from his rookie year in 2011 to his first full season with the Pistons in 2019. Jordan was not an elite point scorer, but he currently holds the NBA record for highest field goal percentage of all time, even leading the league in that category from 2013 to 2017, and also led the league in RPG in 2014 and 2015, with 13.6 and 15.0, respectively, even putting up double-figures in that category from 2014 to 2020. They were also aided by claiming Chauncey Billups off waivers, who moved to the shooting guard position, but tore his Achilles’ tendon in February, ending his season after just 20 games with them, and hasn’t been the same ever since, retiring after the 2014 season, citing health as the main reason. Although this Clippers team didn’t get past the second round, they should still be regarded as a superteam. They got the nickname “Lob City” because of a comment that Griffin made during Clippers Media Day when the announcement of CP3’s trade reached them. They even made one of the biggest rallies in NBA playoff history, winning Game 1 against the Grizzlies in the 2012 First Round, coming back from down 27 to win 99-98. They even were the 6th road team to win Game 7 after leading a series 3-1 when they won the deciding game 82-72. They set a franchise record for most consecutive wins in the 2013 season, with 17, breaking their previous record of 11 straight wins set in 1975 when they were the Buffalo Braves, and even set another franchise record with 13 straight home victories. They even clinched their first division title in franchise history that same season. The next season, they defeated their crosstown rivals by 48 points, the most lopsided victory ever for the Clippers’ franchise, en route to breaking the franchise record of wins, with 57. They were undeterred by the Donald Sterling controversy and had 56 wins in 2015, ousting the defending champion Spurs in the first round. Despite 25- and 33-point wins in Games 3 and 4 against the Rockets, Doc Rivers would have his second of blown 3-1 series leads, even blowing a 19-point lead in Game 6 while surrendering a 49-18 run to end that game. Some memorable moments, but at the same time, some forgettable ones. It would take until 2021 to reach their first Western Conference Finals, well past the Lob City era.
Playoff Results
2012: Lost in West Semifinals in 4 games to the Spurs
2013: Lost in West Quarterfinals in 6 games to the Grizzlies
2014: Lost in West Semifinals in 6 games to the Thunder
2015: Blew a 3-1 series lead and lost in West Semifinals to the Rockets
2016: Lost in West Quarterfinals in 6 games to the Trail Blazers
2017: Lost in West Quarterfinals in 7 games to the Jazz
LeBron/Kyrie Era Cleveland Cavaliers (2015-2017)
Acquired All-Stars: LeBron James (2014) and Kevin Love (2014)
Homegrown All-Star: Kyrie Irving
In contract to The Decision, LeBron’s announcement to return to the Cavs was more well-received. The Cavs, in the four seasons after LeBron went to the Heat, compiled a league-worst 97-215 record during that span, even when team owner Dan Gilbert guaranteed that the Cavs would win a championship before LeBron. Well, would you look at the irony: LeBron won a championship before the Cavs won their first title. A month after LeBron officially signed with the Cavs, they traded for Kevin Love, who was an All-Star with the Timberwolves in three of the four seasons with them, in 2011, 2012, and 2014, where he averaged at least 20 PPG in those seasons, with a 26 PPG average in 2012 and 2014, and had double figures on RPG from 2010 to 2014, even leading the league in RPG in 2011 (15.2). Although Love was an All-Star in 2017, there were times where he played inconsistently, thus having the Cavs not play like a superteam. They made the playoffs three times, going to the Finals in all years, losing the first one after Kyrie and Love got injured and did not return in the playoffs (Love in the East Quarterfinals, Kyrie in the East Final), winning the second one in The Comeback, and losing the third one as they faced an overpowered superteam in the Curry/Klay/KD/Dray Warriors. However, Love averaged 8.5 PPG in the 2016 NBA Finals, so they didn’t really play like a superteam in that series, not to mention that he was concussed in Game 2 and missed Game 3 because of that, coming off the bench in Game 4. Nonetheless, this makes Dan Gilbert’s comments on the Cavs winning a title before LeBron ironic, since LeBron won his first title in 2012, and the Cavs’ first title came in 2016, and LeBron was on their roster in the year of the Cavs’ first title.
Playoff Results
2015: Lost in NBA Finals in 6 games to the Warriors (Kelly Olynyk broke Kevin Love’s arm in Game 4 of the East Quarterfinals and Kyrie Irving suffered a knee injury, missing two games in the East Finals before leaving OT of Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a fractured left kneecap)
2016: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 7 games against the Warriors (Only team in NBA Finals history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the series)
2017: Lost in NBA Finals in 5 games to the Warriors
Hamptons Five (Golden State Warriors, 2017-2019)
Acquired All-Stars: Kevin Durant (2016) and DeMarcus Cousins (2018)
Homegrown All-Stars: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green
The most egregious example of a superteam. Every NBA fan’s 4th of July in 2016 was ruined when Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors. And that is when you consider that the Warriors were coming off a 73-9 season, with Durant’s previous team, the Thunder, blew a 3-1 series lead to the Warriors in the West Finals, while the Warriors blew a 3-1 series lead of their own in the NBA Finals when the Cavs made The Comeback. Although, to be fair, Durant was tired of all the losing in OKC that he wanted to get the championship experience. As said before, if you want to be a winner, you have to learn from winners. But doing it the way Durant did it is actually very annoying. Him, along with the Splash Brothers (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson), along with defensive ace Draymond Green, formed the most stacked All-Star lineup in recent memory. Add versatile defender Andre Iguodala in the mix and you would get a lineup that is indicative of a larger trend in the NBA towards “positionless” basketball. This lineup was called the Hamptons Five, as a result of Curry, Klay, Draymond and Iguodala, along with team officials, traveling to the Hamptons to recruit KD. During this time, the Warriors went on to otherworldly levels of winning that it was not even fair in the NBA. It basically disrupted the competitive balance of the league. They won back-to-back championships with this core, even winning 15 straight games in the 2017 playoffs before losing their first game in Game 4 of the 2017 Finals. While this superteam is straight up annoying, one loss in an entire NBA Playoffs in a time where every playoff series is a best-of-seven series and having played all four rounds is remarkable. Although the addition of DeMarcus Cousins made them the runaway favorites for a three-peat, they did not get that three-peat, as Cousins struggled with injury troubles throughout the season, KD was injured during the second round of the playoffs with a right calf strain, further injuring that right calf with an Achilles tendon injury in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, and Klay was injured in Game 6 of the Finals, which was his last game before missing two consecutive seasons because of knee injuries. However, this question should be asked: If Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, and Chris Paul never got injured, would the Warriors have won three championships in the span of four seasons?
Playoff Results
2017: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 5 games against the Cavaliers (lost only once in the entire playoffs, winning 15 straight games before their first loss)
2018: NBA Champions – Won NBA Finals in 4 games against the Cavaliers
2019: Lost in NBA Finals in 6 games to the Raptors
2021 Brooklyn Nets
Acquired All-Star: James Harden (2021)
All-Stars on team from 2018, 2019, and/or 2020: Kevin Durant* and Kyrie Irving
*Did not play in 2020
Kevin Durant did not play in the 2020 season because of a lingering Achilles injury he suffered in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. Kyrie Irving was also limited to 20 games in the 2020 season because of a right shoulder injury that required surgery. Although both were healthy to start the 2021 season, and the fact that Durant got back to 100% to start the season, the Nets didn’t become a superteam until they traded for James Harden. Harden requested a trade in November 2020 after the fallout from the collapse of the Houston Rockets. Harden has been the backbone of the Rockets ever since his arrival, going from a 6th man to a perennial 25+ PPG player. He led the league in APG in 2017, with 11.2 and in PPG from 2018 to 2020, where he averaged at least 30 PPG in those seasons, at 30.4 in 2018 and 34.3 in 2020. His 36.1 PPG in 2019 made him the third player in the NBA since 1976 to average at least 35 PPG, joining Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He also averaged at least 1.5 SPG in his tenure in Houston from 2013 to 2020. The Nets had injury issues during the season, as KD played 35 of 72 games during the season, Kyrie played 54 of 72, and Harden played 36 of 64 games with them ever since his arrival. Harden had a strained hamstring late in the season and missed 18 games, and Kyrie sprained his ankle after landing on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s foot during Game 4 of the 2021 East Semis and missed the rest of the playoffs, although he still became the 4th player to average at least 25 PPG and make the 50/40/90 club, along with Curry, KD, and Larry Bird. Despite KD giving it his all in Games 5 and 7 of the series, with a 49/17/10 triple double in Game 5 and scoring the most points in a Game 7 in NBA history, with 48, his foot was on the three-point line on what would’ve been a game-winner had his foot been a few more inches behind the line, forcing overtime, where he shot 0-6 in the extra frame and got locked up by Jrue Holiday on his potential series-winner, forcing him to shoot an airball. The core is still intact today, and are looking to bounce back.
2021 Utah Jazz
Acquired All-Star: Mike Conley (2019)
All-Stars on team from 2018, 2019, and/or 2020: Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert
Although Mike Conley was not an All-Star during his time with the Grizzlies, his best seasons with the team were in his final three seasons, where he averaged at least 20 PPG in 2017 and 2019 (20.5 and 21.1), even making 40.7% of his threes in the 2017 season. That means, he was playing at elite levels in his final years in Memphis. Donovan Mitchell may be the closest we are seeing to Dwayne Wade, as his PPG gets better every coming season. He had a career-best season in 2021, with 26.4 PPG, and averaged at least 1 SPG so far in his four-season career. Despite the drama going around with Rudy Gobert the past few seasons, he remains an elite defender in the NBA, averaging at least 2 BPG in every season since 2015, although he didn’t start averaging double figures in PPG until 2017. He also led the league in FG% twice in his career, with .669 in 2019 and .675 in 2021. Despite Terance Mann getting at it with him in the playoffs and everyone making memes of Shanghai Sharks jersey swaps involving him, he still had a .741 field goal percentage in 11 playoff games in 2021 while averaging 2.1 BPG. The Jazz blew a 3-1 series lead in the 2020 West Quarterfinals and lost in 6 games in the 2021 West Semis to the Nuggets and Clippers, respectively.
2022 Los Angeles Lakers
Acquired All-Star: Russell Westbrook (2021)
All-Stars on team from 2019, 2020, and/or 2021: LeBron James and Anthony Davis
The Lakers formed a superteam when they traded for Russell Westbrook, who averaged a triple double in four of the last five seasons: 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. He is quite possibly the most athletic point guard we have ever seen in the NBA, averaging at least 7 RPG in every season since 2015. He’s also a playmaker and distributor, averaging at least 10 APG in five of the last six seasons (the lone exception being 2020). The addition of him makes the Lakers’ fast break a deadly one, as they have LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the roster already. LeBron is still a top 5 and top 3 player in the league and has been the best player in the league since 2009, and arguably still is to this day even if that position is hotly debated between him, KD, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, being the best player in the league isn’t limited to just scoring points. It’s to do with the all-around game: Playmaking. Defense. Post game. Clutch. LeBron has those qualities that make him the best in the game, even if he is going to turn 37 in December. AD has consistently been a top 10 player in the NBA, but nobody has noticed this until he started ballin’ out with the Lakers. He is one of the league’s top defenders, averaging at least 2 BPG from 2014 to 2020, and at least 1.3 SPG every season since 2014. Injury issues bothered both LeBron and AD in 2021, and they are looking to bounce back in 2022.
2022 Chicago Bulls
Acquired All-Stars: DeMar DeRozan (2021) and Nikola Vucevic (2021)
All-Star on team from 2019, 2020, and/or 2021: Zach LaVine
Let’s not lie to ourselves. The Bulls quietly formed a superteam that started when they sought out to acquire Nikola Vucevic from an injury-plagued Orlando Magic team. He finished his tenure with them at or near the top of a number of key categories, including all-time field goals made (4,490), 2nd in rebounds (6,381), 3rd in blocks (550), 3rd in points scored (10,423), and 4th in games played (591). He made the All-Star Game twice in his career with them, making it in 2019 and 2021, and was coming off the best season of his career in 2021, where he averaged 23.4 PPG and 11.7 RPG. Although DeMar DeRozan hasn’t made the All-Star game since the 2018 season, he is still someone who can get you at least 20 PPG, as evidenced by his three seasons in San Antonio. Zach LaVine is only getting better from here, with a career-best 27.4 PPG in the 2021 season. It’s not known how they will turn out, but keep an eye on them in 2022.
Teams That Are, On Paper, Look Like Superteams, but were Not
The Showtime Lakers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar signed with the Lakers in 1975, four years before the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson and seven years before they drafted James Worthy.
The 1987 Milwaukee Bucks: Despite the acquisition of Jack Sikma, he averaged 12.7 PPG, a 4.4-point drop off from his 17.1 PPG in 1986 with the Seattle SuperSonics. Furthermore, Paul Pressey’s only season of averaging at least 15 PPG was in 1985 (16.1 PPG); he averaged 14.3 PPG in 1986 and 13.9 PPG in 1987, averaging less and less PPG for the rest of his career when he played at least 50 games in a season. Sidney Moncrief’s point production had a sharp drop, from 20.2 PPG in 1986 to 11.8 PPG in 1987. Therefore, they had two players playing at elite levels: Terry Cummings and Ricky Pierce.
The 2010 and 2011 Dallas Mavericks: The only true All-Star on the team was Dirk Nowitzki, despite Jason Kidd being named an All-Star in 2010. Although Jason Terry averaged at least 15 PPG in both seasons, he was coming off the bench. Shawn Marion was well past his All-Star days and Caron Butler was playing at borderline elite levels. “Elite” and “borderline elite” are not the same. Even though this team was not a superteam, they still had great chemistry with one another.
The 2013 Los Angeles Lakers: They were hampered with injuries despite the additions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to team up with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. In addition, Nash averaged 12.7 PPG and 6.7 APG, and Gasol averaged 13.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 4.1 APG.
The 2014 Brooklyn Nets: Despite the acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, nobody from the team was truly playing at an elite level, even though Joe Johnson was the only player to be named to the All-Star Game.
The 2015 Chicago Bulls: Despite the acquisition of Pau Gasol, who got back to playing at All-Star levels, and the presence of Derrick Rose, while Joakim Noah was an All-Star in the previous season, he could not replicate that same success he had and fell off All-Star levels, eventually losing his starting spot to Nikola Mirotic in 2016.
The 2016 and 2017 San Antonio Spurs: While Kawhi Leonard saw major improvement in his game those two seasons and the fact that they acquired LaMarcus Aldridge, who was coming off his best season of his career in his final year with the Trail Blazers, in the 2015 offseason, the core that dominated most of the 2000s era in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, were all a shell of what they once were by this point. Plus, Pau Gasol, who was acquired in the 2016 offseason, regressed past All-Star levels.
The 2018 Cleveland Cavaliers: Despite trading away Kyrie Irving while acquiring Isaiah Thomas, Thomas averaged 14.7 PPG, a sharp drop in his PPG from his 2017 season (28.9 PPG), therefore leaving the Cavs with two All-Stars: LeBron James and Kevin Love.
The 2020 Los Angeles Lakers: This Lakers team only had two All-Stars: LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Their third best player, Rajon Rondo, was not playing at All-Star levels. This is thrown in here to debunk the false narrative that this Lakers team is a superteam, and to stop the hypocrisy surrounding those who once thought that the Lakers would not win a round in that year’s playoffs also said that said that this Lakers team had an easy path to the title, now all of a sudden are calling them a superteam, when the reality is that this team had really good chemistry.
The 2021 Milwaukee Bucks: Although Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are the two All-Stars on the team, Jrue Holiday doesn’t play at that same elite level as those two players. Plus, Antetokounmpo and Middleton are homegrown All-Stars.
Hypocrisy Regarding Superteams
If the present-day Los Angeles Lakers team is not a superteam, then neither is the present-day Brooklyn Nets. And neither is the KD-era Warriors or the Big 3 era Celtics. In the case of the latter, if people are not calling that team a superteam, then that would actually hurt LeBron’s legacy, changing the context of the whole situation. Then people would be saying that LeBron quit on his team, went to Miami to form a superteam of his own in order to get past them. Do you know how bad that sounds?
The actual reality of that is that the Celtics’ Big 3 were all NBA All-Stars who are all capable of averaging over 20 points per game, not to mention that they have Rondo, who, at that time, can put up double-doubles in points and assists. Plus, Garnett, Pierce, Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins are all defensive aces at that time. On the Cavs’ side, they passed up on Amar’e Stoudemire to acquire Mo Williams back in 2008. You notice how context changes everything?
Also, after free agency, some NBA fans are saying that the Lakers are a retirement home following the signings of veteran players like Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, etc., but then call them a superteam anyway because of the presence of LeBron, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook. Remember, age doesn’t matter on what makes a team a superteam. The three All-Stars on the team need to be playing at an elite level, which LeBron, AD, and Russ all do.
In the end, a superteam is not based on age, whether they are in their prime, wins, or championships. This has to do with if the 3+ All-Star players on the team are currently playing at an elite level. This also goes for other teams that you might not think of as superteams just because they weren’t successful.
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