The Miami Heat and NBA Super Teams: Are They Bad for the League?

The experiment in Miami seems to be working.  Although the team has struggled somewhat with LeBron sidelined, the Heat are clearly a title favorite.  However, with the signings of James, Bosh and Wade this summer, the Heat brought up the question: is this good for the NBA?  Is it good to have two of the top five (and one of the top 20) players join forces to form a "super team?"

Before I answer that question, let me state the obvious.

LeBron, Bosh and Wade all signed with Miami with a singular goal in mind - to win.  They knew they had to sacrifice individual numbers, but they proceeded anyway because of their collective desire to become NBA champions.

The "Heatles" have definitely raised the NBA's popularity.  They are a daily occurrence on SportsCenter and sell out most (if not all) of the games they play.

Now on to the real question.  Are "super teams" good for the NBA?

In my opinion the answer is no.  Here are the factors that took part in my own Decision.

What It's Already Done to LeBron's Legacy

Already one of the all-time greatest small forwards, LeBron James put his image in jeopardy when he teamed up with Wade and Bosh.  Dwyane Wade had already won a title in Miami; he had won Finals MVP.  LeBron has done neither of those things.

In this light, Miami looks to be Wade's team and unless the Heat can win a few titles in a row, LeBron's image will forever be tainted by his decision.  

If James had stayed put in Cleveland and recruited Bosh, or even joined Derrick Rose in Chicago, no one would be fussing about him.  However, because he teamed with not one but two superstars, it seems like LeBron took the easy way out.

His move to Miami has also reversed his public image.  A man loved by everyone while in Cleveland, LeBron has turned into the NBA's villain, the bad guy, following his move to South Beach.  Although it's not affecting his game (James averages almost six more points when he's playing on the road than he does playing at home), it is shocking how quickly the public can turn on a player.

If more elite players decide to form "super teams" of their own, they could face similar circumstances.

It's Starting a Bad Trend in the NBA

There's only one "super team" right now, but who knows how many there will be in four or five years?  Rumors have been circling about Dwight Howard wanting to join the Lakers and Chris Paul joining Amar'e in New York if Carmelo ends up there.  Both Howard and Paul become free agents in 2012 and although these are just rumors, the possibilities are real.

If these rumors became reality, the aforementioned teams would become exceptionally good.  However, it would signal a permanent shift in the NBA's structure.  No longer would a team be centered around one superstar with a pretty good second player and a cast of supporting role players.  There would be no "next" Michael Jordan because a superstar wouldn't be required to do all that work; he would have help from his teams' other stars.  There would be two or three of the NBA's top ten players on the same team, making them almost impossible to beat. 

Drastic Effects On Other Teams

Kevin Love has openly talked about discussions with Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook on one day teaming up and playing together.  If this were to happen and Love left Minnesota, the Timberwolves would be devastated.  

The NBA is about small markets just as much as it is about big cities such as New York or Miami.  If the small market teams lose their star players, what's left of them?  Talk of contraction has already been discussed.  This would require it to become seriously considered. 

If five or six "super teams" are formed, the other twenty-or-so teams have little or no chance at a title. Their future would be bleak.  It's impossible to amass that much talent in a draft and because most small market teams aren't preferred destinations for players (Utah, Indiana, etc.), those teams will face an incredibly difficult situation.  

If their former stars leave for greener pastures and their locations aren't attractive enough to lure max free agents, they may have no choice but to be shut down for good.

Now these are extreme measures, but they are more than plausible.  If the "super team" trend continues, we could be looking at a hardly recognizable NBA in the near future.