Ranking 5 NBA Superteams That Failed

NBA superstar Kyrie Irving recently looked back at his time with the Brooklyn Nets. Given the star power of the team with the likes of Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant, many expected the team to achieve great things. However, things did not work out. Irving stated that the Nets’ Big 3 is one of the biggest “what ifs” in the league and it is something that will always hurt. Over the years, many organizations have tried their hands at forming a super team. This is always a huge gamble which also comes with massive pressure.

While some super teams have tasted success, many have failed. Today, let’s rank some of the biggest super teams that failed to live up to expectations.

#5 The 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers 

Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s arrival marked a new era for the Los Angeles Lakers. After a few years of disappointments, they won three straight championships. That was something even the iconic Showtime Lakers could not achieve. However, the Lakers were eliminated in the second round the next year. So, to further strengthen the team, they added two future Hall of Famers to the lineup, Gary Payton and Karl Malone.

Payton and Malone were unstoppable during their prime. However, they were unable to win a title and joined the Lakers in the hopes of winning a ring before retiring. Even though the two legends were well past their best, there was still a huge anticipation. Adding two Hall of Famers to a dynasty brought a lot of excitement.

While there was still some skepticism, many thought the team could go all the way and extend their dominance. As expected, the Lakers clicked on all cylinders and finished the regular season with an improved 56-26 record to clinch the second seed.

Even though O’Neal was having his worst scoring run ever (at that point) with 21.5 points per game as per Basketball Reference, they still looked solid. In the playoffs, the Lakers comfortably beat the Houston Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Minnesota Timberwolves to reach the Finals. Many expected the Lakers to win the title against the Detroit Pistons. However, the Pistons shocked everyone and clinched the championship 4-1. 

The 2003-04 Lakers super team won the Conference Finals and were not a complete disappointment. However, given the Hall of Famers on that roster, not winning a title is still considered a failure.

#4 The 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets 

The Nets franchise moved to Barclays Center in Brooklyn in 2012. They had stars like Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, and Brook Lopez in their ranks. However, they finished with a 49-33 record in the regular season and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Ahead of the next season, the Nets acquired superstars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry from the Boston Celtics.

While Garnett and Pierce led the Celtics to a ring in 2008, Terry won a title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. Even though there were some concerns about their age and health, many expected them to be a contender. A lot of fans believed the team had a good mixture of veterans and young stars.

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At 37, Garnett struggled with his fitness and missed out on some games. He was not at his best. Similarly, Terry struggled to get game time as well. At 36, Pierce was far from his best as well but he was better than the other two. Despite this, the Nets finished the regular season 44-38 and clinched 6th seed. In the postseason, they shocked third-seed Toronto Raptors in the first round. However, the Nets were eliminated in the next round by the Miami Heat. 

#3 The 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles is one of the most attractive destinations for athletes not just in the NBA but in other pro sports as well. This gives the Lakers a major advantage while trying to lure superstars. Over the years, the franchise has signed many superstars and built multiple super teams. So, it is no wonder that we have another Lakers team on this list.

Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol led the Lakers to three straight Finals and won two straight titles in 2009 and 2010. This was followed by a few years of postseason dismay. So, in 2012, the franchise acquired superstars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. Notably, Bryant and the Lakers had beaten Howard and the Orlando Magic in the 2008-09 Finals. 

Despite his beef with Kobe, many fans were excited to see a dominant center in the team after the departure of Shaquille O’Neal. It was a massive boost for the franchise after the disappointing end to Andrew Bynum’s time with the team.

Similarly, Nash is one of the best point guards ever who won two straight MVP awards while competing with Kobe. Even though he was not in his prime, a lot of people were excited about his playmaking abilities. But his time in Los Angeles was marred with injuries. Also, the pick-and-roll between him and Dwight did not work well.

With a 45-37 record, the Lakers clinched the 7th seed. However, their flaws were exposed in the first round as the Spurs swept them comfortably. The Lakers did not make the playoffs for the next six years.

#2 The 2020-21 Brooklyn Nets 

The 2020-21 Nets with superstars Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving take the #2 spot on our list. As Irving stated, this team was indeed one of the biggest “what ifs” in the league because of how little they played together. 

In 2019, the Nets acquired Durant and Irving, expressing their intention to be a dominant force in the league. Given their superstardom, major things were expected from the Nets. However, both stars missed a lot of games because of injuries and COVID-19 regulations. Despite this, they still reached the playoffs. However, they were humbled by the Raptors.

Ahead of the next season, the Nets acquired another superstar, James Harden to form a formidable Big 3. Even though Harden and Durant were not their MVP selves and there were doubts about Kyrie’s abilities, they were still superstars. This brought a huge sense of optimism to the franchise and its fans. However, the trio missed a lot of games for various reasons. Notably, the three only played 16 games together where they won 13. 

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Despite this, they finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference. In the first round, the Nets comfortably swept the Celtics. However, the Milwaukee Bucks eliminated them 3-4 in the next round in a closely contested series. Harden was the first to leave. Without him, the team was swept in the first round by the Celtics the next year. Then, both KD and Kyrie left amidst some major internal complications. With a bit more time together, the trio could have achieved more in Brooklyn.

#1 The 1997-98 and 1998-99 Houston Rockets 

The Houston Rockets led by the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler won back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995. After this, eventual Finalists Seattle SuperSonics and the Utah Jazz eliminated them in the next two years. To increase their chances of reaching the ultimate stage again, the franchise signed superstar Charles Barkley. 

At 33, Barkley was still one of the best players in the league and could comfortably average 20 points and 10 rebounds a season. He was in search of his first championship and Houston looked like the perfect fit. Adding him with the likes of Olajuwon and Drexler to form a super team had the fans excited. Even though Olajuwon and Drexler were 35 at the time, many expected them to challenge for the title again.

The Rockets finished the regular season with a lackluster 41-41 record and booked the 8th spot in the conference. However, there was still optimism because of their unpredictability. Notably, while defending their title, the Rockets ended up as the 6th seed but still won the ring. 

Unfortunately, in the first round, they faced the Jazz which eliminated them the previous season and reached the Finals. The Jazz once again won, and the Rockets were left with disappointment. After this, Drexler announced his retirement.

To fill the absence of a superstar like Drexler, the Rockets signed Scottie Pippen in 1998. The 6x NBA champion’s addition formed another Big 3 with Barkley and Olajuwon. This once again brought major anticipation. However, the super team did not work and the Rockets were eliminated in the first round again. This time, at the hands of the Lakers. As beef between Pippen and Barkley intensified, Scottie left the team and brought an end to the two-year experiment.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.