When the NBA and its players agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement a couple months ago, new stipulations seemed to doom the possibility of super teams. Ironically enough, super teams already seemed to be going the way of the dodo prior to the new CBA.
The definition of a super team is somewhat cloudy and open for interpretation. Generally speaking however, a super team is one with at least 2 superstars and 1 star player, or 3 superstars. Though this definition is not typically applied to teams with so-called “home grown” talent, such as the Golden State Warriors.
In the new CBA, a “second apron” has been added, making it more difficult for teams to drastically outspend their competition. In theory, putting an end to super teams as we know them. That being said, the Phoenix Suns kicked off free agency with a bang, completing a trade wherein they land Bradley Beal after shipping Chris Paul and Landry Shamet to the Washington Wizards in addition to multiple second round picks and pick swaps.
Many valid criticisms can be made of this trade to be sure. The Suns are top heavy, Beal’s skill set is highly duplicative of Devin Booker‘s, etc. That being said, it is hard to deny that with this level of offensive star power on one team that the Suns are now a super team.
On the other side of the trade, a rebuilding Washington Wizards promptly shipped Chris Paul off to the aforementioned Golden State Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole. Obviously the addition of an aging Chris Paul would not automatically qualify a team for super team status. The Warriors however, are in a unique situation.
After fully abandoning the ill-fated two-timelines approach, Golden State is maximizing whatever their core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green have in the tank. The addition of Chris Paul gives them additional veteran presence, and a player still capable of high level play in bursts.
All of this, and Damian Lillard is still rumored to be moved this off-season. While this is certainly not a guarantee, the addition of Lillard on an already good team can certainly drastically shake things up. After a few years of unparalleled parity in the NBA, the pendulum seems to be once again swinging in the opposite direction.
Super teams are widely criticized when they do exist and dominate. Honest NBA fans will acknowledge that they are missed when they are gone however. Every era of NBA ball brings its own set of challenges and pros. NBA teams seem to be making one last push to go big or go home, and the fans will be all the better for it.
