Comments on: Olajuwon doesn’t think “super teams” are good for NBA

By: raycharlesj

raycharlesj — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 00:27:45 +0000

There have always been super teams always will be, Kareem with the big O for the Bucks,New York with Walt Frazier, Monroe, and Reed with Jerry Lucas?? people want to believe Wilt and Jordon didn’t have much help but that’s a lie they had hall of famers, defensive experts long distance shooting experts rebounding experts etc. they were on super teams too!! Dr.J and Moses Malone had a super team too!! The Washington Bullets in the 70′s had a super team too!! the Seattle supersonic’s had a super team!!! on and on super teams have always been the norm in the NBA. Hakeem was on several super teams starting with Ralph Sampson as the Twin towers!!! Just because you are on a Super team it won’t guarantee you will win it all.

By: dal24la

dal24la — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:57:53 +0000

Brilliant point dude.

Also, props to Kurt. We all make fun of you for spelling a 5th grader, but this was great article.

By: texxxasmade

texxxasmade — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:19:30 +0000

Toronto got Hakeem from Houston, you had a superteam! lol

By: prestigious1

prestigious1 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:18:24 +0000

Coming from a guy who played on a super team….oh the irony.

By: 00maltliquor

00maltliquor — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 07:01:08 +0000

Dumbest post I’ve ever read here in my life. And there’s PLENTY of those so that’s saying a lot.

By: 00maltliquor

00maltliquor — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 06:57:43 +0000

No? So Barkley didn’t team up with Hakeem? Drexler? Pippen? All at the same time?

There were “super teams” before, “super teams” now and there will be “super teams” after. Get over it.

By: 00maltliquor

00maltliquor — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 06:51:21 +0000

1,000,000 sorry!

By: 00maltliquor

00maltliquor — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 06:47:07 +0000

2 for 2. Checkmate!

By: 00maltliquor

00maltliquor — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 06:42:45 +0000

Yeah, Hakeem, Clyde Drexler, Scottie Pippen, AND Charles Barkley ALL played together for the Rockets when they had those ugly navy blue pinstripe jerseys.

By: 00maltliquor

00maltliquor — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 06:36:12 +0000

THANK…YOU!!!!!!

By: passerby23

passerby23 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 05:59:00 +0000

I don’t know about that. Drexler averaged 21/7/4.4 the year Houston won it in ’95. That’s on par with or better than his career averages. He was still a force. He did dip a little his last couple seasons, but that was also incorporating Barkley into the mix.

The “super team” with Barkley and Pippen WAS with Barkley and Olajuwon being at the end of their careers, while Pippen had a few miles too. They were too old to call that a super team. And evidence? They weren’t close to winning a championship.

By: passerby23

passerby23 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 05:52:37 +0000

Once upon a time, Toronto traded for Vince Carter, who became a pretty damn good player at one point. They attracted good free agents who wanted to play with him. They had a bright future and almost beat a Philly team that got to the Finals in 2001.

If not that, there will be a great player who will take the money available in free agency. All it takes is one great player and build around him (they already have the supporting pieces now). Toronto will be a competitive team again in the future.

By: passerby23

passerby23 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 05:49:10 +0000

Hakeem, Drexler, and Barkley lost.

Hakeem, Barkley, and Pippen lost.

By: passerby23

passerby23 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 05:48:18 +0000

Excellent points. I would also throw in the Utah Jazz (even though they fell short in two Finals). They drafted two franchise level players who were loyal for nearly two decades, and built around them. They were perennial playoff contenders and are at the top of the “would’ve won a championship if not for Jordan” category. Even post-Stockton and Malone era, the Jazz have still been competitive despite being one of the least attractive NBA cities for players.

You can win in a small market, but it takes good ownership.

By: paleihe

paleihe — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 04:25:47 +0000

If you truly like basketball, and aren’t just a fan of a particular team, it doesn’t matter what team you’re watching. You just wanna see good basketball.

The point is to grow the sport, and “super teams” help bring in the casual fans. From the perspective of trying to make the game bigger, that’s probably a good thing.

By: nycalldayz

nycalldayz — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 03:34:50 +0000

Usually don’t agree with Kurt Helin on much, but he does point out some good arguments. People that have knowledge or history of the NBA knows “Super-teams” have been around for decades. Teams loaded with duos and trio is not new, but just a different generation with new talent.

I would say during the early 2000′s to 2007, the so-called “super-teams” were phased out and mostly small market teams thrived. Small market teams like the Spurs, Nets, Pistons, Pacers, Kings, Mavs, Blazers, Suns, T-Wolves, Sixers, Rockets and Bucks were very much competitive during the early millennium. But that all changed in the summer of 2007, when the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to pair with another superstar in Paul Pierce.

I think many around saw what the Celtics did with three accomplished superstars and decided that was the only way in win a championship. The Heat followed by signing James and Bosh to pair with another superstar, Wade. Now more teams are trying to follow. But the difference between teams like the Celtics, Heat, Lakers or Spurs and others is stark.

It’s very hard to compete when you have players like Garnett, Lebron, Kobe, Nash, Pierce, Duncan, Parker, Ginobli, Allen, Wade, Bosh, Rondo or Westbrook and Durant. These are great players with high IQ for the game.

By: Kurt Helin

Kurt Helin — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 03:21:55 +0000

LeBron didn’t struggle to win? MJ didn’t win until he both got enough talent around him and his game matured to include teammates more.

By: papichulo55

papichulo55 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 01:21:28 +0000

@itsonlyaspeedbump Knicks haven’t won but they continue to make a boat load of money, and put asses in the seats. Nobody wants to sign with Chicago? You dont think it has anything to do with the endorsement dollars being already spoken-for? Forget all of that not wanting to play in Jordans shadow. They simply dont want his Sloppy Seconds from Nike. Dont underestimate the power of the agents.

By: papichulo55

papichulo55 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 01:08:11 +0000

Its all about The Money. Big market teams dont have to win to make money. And newly rich twenty-something ballers want a big market nightlife. Dudes like Duncan, God bless him, are extremly rare. And OKC? They wont be together long enough to get a ring. Dont hate the business. Besides, with the Internet and cable packages, you can watch and root for whatever team, or player, that you choose.

By: daddyghi

daddyghi — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:26:11 +0000

huh? excuse me please… dallas mavericks… 2011 NBA champs… hellllooowww??

By: sgtmofo

sgtmofo — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:04:50 +0000

Olajuwon, Drexler, AND Barkley. Barkley was in his later years at that point, but he most certainly wasn’t washed up or a scrub. A direct parallel can be drawn between Lebron and Barkley’s motivations for choosing their destinations. They wanted to win a championship and went to the team they thought would give’em the best chance.

If Lebron was all about the bright lights or endorsement money, the New York market would’ve provided an infinitely greater opportunity than Miami (even now).

By: sgtmofo

sgtmofo — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 23:56:09 +0000

I’m not sure getting a past his prime Antawn Jamison and Shaq is doing everything to build around him. Furthermore, the handling of Carlos Boozer in FA along with the subsequent smear campaign when he left for Utah is just a sign of miserable ownership.

By: bknowledge

bknowledge — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 22:28:03 +0000

Sketch of Plan for Parity:

After NBA Finals, these things happen in order:

1) Each team gets to frachise tag 5 players…these recieve good raises…

2) Veterans with more than 10 years may sign with whichever teams they chose for any size contract…

3) NBA Lottery/Draft…all rookies receive 1 year guaranteed contracts…

4) NBA Veteran’s draft…all players unsigned at this point…3 rounds for this draft…1rst round players get slight raise…2nd round salary same as last year…3rd round slightly less than last year…

5) All remaining players now sign for any team for league minimum deals…

By: eugenesaxe

eugenesaxe — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 20:54:01 +0000

Fans don’t like superteams unless it’s THEIR team. Just pointing that out.

By: usm418

usm418 — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 19:06:42 +0000

I don’t agree with Hakeem but it makes for an interesting debate. Teams with poor front offices (Orlando,Charlotte,Golden State,etc) are their own worst enemies.

By: surly1n1nd1anapol1s

surly1n1nd1anapol1s — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:39:08 +0000

I always enjoyed Hajeem and agree with him.

By: alexb64

alexb64 — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:29:15 +0000

If you like The Lakers, Heat, Knicks, or Celtics you probably think super teams are a good idea like how obviously Yankee fans think not having a salary cap is good for baseball.

By: alexb64

alexb64 — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:27:37 +0000

Seriously? Drexler was in the twilight of his career when he went to Houston. That was just a well built team with role players spilling over, how many of those guys went on to become valuable players for years to come? I give you credit for not referencing Barkley & Pippen as his “super team”, but I still don’t buy Drexler.

By: dysraw1

dysraw1 — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 17:25:34 +0000

its funny because just yesterday while watching the HOF. i was reminded of the 75 Warriors, throughout the history of the league, their have been teams who were not picked to win it all and yet manage to get there. i love it when a underdog gets in the big show and makes good, so build your teams as best as you can an let the chips fall were they will.

By: itsonlyaspeedbump

itsonlyaspeedbump — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 16:55:50 +0000

Fine. Don’t watch the NBA. Don’t read blogs like this one. Don’t post on blogs like this one.