Although there are many ways to success in the NBA, the most glamorous and spotted strategy is acquired by several superstar players to form a “super team”, usually a proposal that has an extreme feeling of urgent created by composition of age and contract status.
Historically, meet or miss super teams. Examples of success include Miami Heat’s Back-to-back championship 2011-12 and 2012-13 with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Combinations of superstars who have failed are plentiful, especially 2021-22 Brooklyn Net’s confluence of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Hardden.
The current NBA collective negotiating agreement has introduced a second salary capsule to further limit the law’s ability to build game plans. But we have not seen the complete elimination of super teams. Now, when a limited free agent wants to write with another team, he and the new team sign an offer sheet. The terms of that deal – which must be for at least two seasons – are given to the player’s original team, which has two days to match.
If the team matches, the player is under contract with its original team but on the most important terms for the offer sheet. If the team forwards matching within two days, the player is under contract with the new team.
One way around these requirements is mid -season stores that allow teams a shortened run to a championship via a rent, as it was, by a superstar player. The cost of using that thank you? The loss of potential future stars and drafts of which a team could build or rebuild from within.
The 2024-25 season started with three super teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and (marginally) Los Angeles Clippers.
Of that trio, Clippers is the only team with even a winning record-40-30 and seventh place in the west from this writing. Phoenix (34-37) currently occupies the last place in the West Play-in tournament thanks to three straight wins, while Philadelphia (23-47, 13th East) has been an unmistained disaster, lost eight of the last ten matches and fallen by the pace of the season.
Let’s look at these three teams and break down why things have or not worked, from worst to best:
76th century
Philadelphia added the free agent Paul George during the off-season to strengthen the Joel Embiid center and all-Star Guard Tyrese Maxey but rarely had the three players on the track at the same time due to injuries.
After playing in just 39 matches 2023-24, 31-year-old Embiid participated in just 19 games this season before being closed at the end of February due to “ongoing problems with his left knee.” He was on average 23.8 points per match this year after an average of at least 30 points and won two points titles 2021-22 and 2022-23.
George, who left the Clippers to sign a four-year, $ 212 million free agent contract, was closed for the campaign on March 17 due to adductor muscle and knee issues. He played in 41 matches this season, an average of 16.2 points, 5.3 returns and 4.3 assists. It is the fifth time in six seasons that George has played fewer than 60 matches.
Maxey has not played since March 3 while working his way back and finger tribes. He has missed ten matches since then, and the 76th has lost eight of these competitions.
The 76s were only 7-8 this season when Embiid, George and Maxey started together.
“I don’t think anyone imagined it would go like this,” said Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse. “It’s a disappointment on many levels.”
The suns
March 21, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots towards Cleveland Cavaliers forward De’andre Hunter (12) during the second half at the Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Pictures The offensive firepower from Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal was supposed to be able to overwhelm teams in the West, but the trio has also been affected by the injury and lack of chemistry.
To make things worse, Phoenix tried to shop the 36-year-old Durant at the deadline without the superstar forward and asked for it. Don’t expect Durant to return to Suns even if they find a way to put it together, do after the season and create some sound there.
“We expect a lot from ourselves individually, and it just has not materialized the way we wanted,” Durant said. “It’s been a disappointment to see us play this way. We have to think about the day ahead of us and try to get better and find out how we will win the next match and continue from there.”
The three players gathered before the 2023-24 season after Suns took Denver to six matches in the Western Conference semi-final the year before. Phoenix finished sixth in the West last year and was swept by Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs.
Phoenix has the second highest salary for all US sports teams of $ 408.9 million, where the team gets something other than a real bang for their money.
Clippers
March 16, 2025; Ingrlewood, California, USA; La Clippers -Guard James Harden (1) reacts to Charlotte Hornets during the second half on Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan HUI IIMGNS Clipper’s melting of the Harden with Kawhi Leonard and the budding superstar Norman Powell have the chance to make waves during the season, such as Harden’s Elite Play of Late, Los Angeles has climbing.
Harden is an average of 29.1 points, 6.3 returns and 9.3 assists over their last nine matches when the Clippers have won their last five excursions – a stint that has them challenging for sixth place in the West.
Leonard’s number (19.7 points, 5.4 returns and 3 assists in 27 games) is the production of a supplementary player rather than a star, but you would be stupid to discount him when the game or season is on line.
Powell still leads the team in points on 23 points per competition despite playing in just 49 matches, recently missing time due to a left knee injury. He returned from a five-game absence on March 16 but adjusted his hamstring.
Having Powell with full strength will be a key factor for Los Angeles during the last three weeks of the regular season and into the season.
