NBA Free Agency: LeBron James, D-Wade, Bosh Super Team Theory Is Full of Holes

Friend and fellow writer Daniel Barber, a.k.a. Hotnuke, recently penned an article about the latest free agency rumor floating around that potentially paired LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh together in Miami.

Hotnuke's article claimed that this historic trio would signal the end of life in the NBA as we know it, and their dominance could culminate in several NBA championships and a possible run at the Chicago Bulls' regular season record of 72 wins.

The thought of all three players pooling their collective talents is an intriguing idea, but there are several factors which must be considered before this "super team" begins its  reign.

The free agency period is a time for dreamers, and there are more than enough rumors to quench the appetites of fans desperate for their teams to receive one of this class' prized players.

However, the majority of these rumors prove to be false, and James and his team of advisers are already at work trying to prove the super team rumor probably belongs in that category.

In reports today, James made it clear to the New York Knicks that his decision had not already been made, and the two parties planned to meet later today in Akron, OH.

Wade himself backed away from earlier comments about a proposed meeting that took place in Miami between the trio, and Newsday reported that James was in Manhattan at the time.

The likelihood of all three joining the same team was slim anyway, but even if they did join the Miami Heat, it would not add up to an immediate Miami dynasty because James, Wade, and Bosh can't win titles by themselves.

The three players would form a dynamic nucleus, but could Miami afford to surround them with the type of talent needed to win in the postseason?

The Heat reportedly are only able to offer two maximum contracts, so under this scenario, Bosh would have to accept less money than Wade and James, which seems unlikely considering he could get more elsewhere.

Even if the Heat were able to offer Bosh the same money as Wade and James, finances would still prevent the assumed flood of other players eager to join the trio in Miami.

Many observers have compared the trio to the Chicago Bulls' teams of the 90's. That team didn't need a true center to win in the NBA, and this team wouldn't either.

However, in the 90's there were not nearly as many good NBA teams as there are now. And in today's game, if you can't dominate on the boards, then you can't win championships.

The current NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers would be the probable team standing in the way of the Miami three. The Lakers' dominance on the boards was the main reason they won this past season's championship.

The strength of the Lakers is their frontcourt of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. The size of all three players would cancel out the brilliance of Wade, Bosh, and James.

Where would the Heat go to find a post player with the size and skill to offset Gasol and Bynum? Bosh would probably be effective against Gasol, but he couldn't guard all three Lakers.

Additionally, the Lakers have been to three consecutive NBA Finals and have forged a bond that is built on a unique blend of chemistry and experience. It is hard to duplicate that over the course of just one season.

The Lakers are not some group of All-Star players thrown together in the pursuit of glory. They are a team—a pretty talented one at that—and much deeper than any team the Heat could field.

Miami would win plenty of games with Wade, Bosh, and James, and they would likely be the NBA's most popular team, but popularity doesn't equal championships.

A team with all three players would still be flawed.

I would actually love to see a deal like this made, and it's no more preposterous than some of the other rumors floating around, but it's highly questionable the Heat can make it work, roster-wise and financially.

I hate to spoil the dreams of so many Miami Heat fans (Hotnuke, this means you), but there is probably a greater chance of the Lakers three-peating than Miami signing Bosh, Wade, and James.

Come to think of it, even if the Heat managed to sign all three, the prospects of the Lakers winning a championship in 2011 still look pretty good.