Who’s To Blame For The Super Team Era?

Before you start blaming LeBron for creating his "super teams", take a look at the last 40 years. Super Teams are nothing new and many of the greatest players of all-time were on one.

During the 80's there was Magic, Kareem and Wilkes on the Lakers. You had Bird, McHale and Parish on the Celtics. The original Isiah Thomas, Rodman, and Dumars/Laimbeer on the Bad Boy Pistons.

In the 90's all that mattered were Jordan and Pippen's Bulls. Then there was a little bit of a break from superstar made super teams, the two teams that dominated were mostly developed or made through the draft.

From 2000-2010, there was a variety of teams from the East against either Kobe's Lakers or Duncan's Spurs. But that's all history and no one in the modern NBA can be accused of making free agent decisions based on the 80's, 90's or early 2000's.

If you really want an explanation for why the current NBA landscape is so top heavy and why superstars are making these super teams, look no further than top ranked East team.

It's because back in 2008, a trickle down effect occurred. LeBron figured out there was no way he could get out of the East with the Cavaliers if he had to get by Garnett, Allen, Pierce and the Celtics.

So just like the Celtics, LeBron made his own big three before on his way down to Miami in 2011. He, along with Dwade and Bosh were arguably three of the top ten players in the league at the time.

Had he not done this, it's likely Boston could've made it back to the finals at least one more time and the Thunder and Spurs would likely have won championships in 2012 and 2013.

LeBron then goes home to Cleveland and brings Kevin Love with him to make another super team so he can hold off George's Pacers in the East and take on Durant's Thunder and Duncan's Spurs in the NBA Finals.

By this time Golden State is off and running with Curry, Thompson and Green in the West. Which obviously influenced Durant to join forces with Golden State after him and Westbrook only made one finals in 8 years together. Durants decision was also effected by Clevelands super team of LeBron, Kyrie and Love.

So if anyone is to blame for the current super team era, it's the Boston Celtics and their big three of Garnett, Pierce and Allen.

Had that not happened, LeBron might not get bounced from the playoffs in 2008 by the Celtics, 2009 by the Magic or again in 2010 by the Celtics. He may have won one of those years and resigned in Cleveland, which means the East evens out and now the West is up for grabs between the Warriors, Thunder and Spurs.

The people you can blame are the Spurs or Warriors. Why? Because up until the signing of Durant, both of these teams did it within. Draft and develop players within your own franchise.