Why LeBron James Should Start Thinking About His Next "Superteam"
The age of the "superteam" in the NBA turned the corner in 2007 when the Boston Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to pair with Paul Pierce. That team won a title in 2008, and it set the benchmark for teams to actively try to pair superstars in large-market cities.
Kobe Bryant got Pau Gasol with Andrew Bynum en route to two titles. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh took the plunge in 2010 to the Miami Heat, followed by Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to the New York Knicks and Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in "Lob City."
The model is certainly working to an extent, as all the teams mentioned found themselves in the playoffs in 2012. Miami finds themselves 48 minutes away from their second NBA title, and first in the superteam mold.
Teams like Dallas and Indiana are on the verge of trying to keep up with the Jones', so to speak, aiming to make a big splash in free agency this summer.
But as great as the Heat have been in besting the rest of these super squads during their two-year run, it makes sense to start looking at LeBron's escape from Miami, before he can win those eight titles he promised the city in his welcome party in July 2010.
Here's a look at a few aspects of why LeBron should start plotting an escape route, and doing it sooner rather than later.
Wade will be 31 next season. That certainly isn't over the hill by NBA standards, but it isn't going to make it any easier for him to play a full season next year when the league goes back to 82 games.
While he's a warrior in both attacking the basket and in playing aggressive defense, Wade has always been praised for having no regard for his body when he's on the court. That showed in Game 4 of the Finals, when he fell flat on his back going up for a shot in the paint against Serge Ibaka.
There's no guarantee LeBron stays healthy either, of course. NBA minutes are precious, but Wade has some nagging issues that are more likely to be highlighted again than they are go away.
If the injury bug hits the No. 2 guy in Miami, then this next issue might be the more pressing one of the two.
Is Chris Bosh a No. 2 Option Anymore?
His numbers are down across the board, but that's not fair considering his role in Toronto vs. in Miami. He's the clear-cut No. 3 guy, and while that surely hurts his confidence sometimes, it's a role that often makes him the most important player for the Heat in winning games.
Being the X-factor is fine when you're not "the guy." Should Wade bow out year after year, he won't have the luxury of not seeing double teams or not having to score 20 points for the team to win.
That's a big "what if?" question that isn't fair to answer right now, but without the threat of Wade to go off at any time, what more are the Heat than the old James-led Cleveland Cavaliers?
In year four, when all three players have the option to opt-out of their six-year deals with the Heat, will Wade even be at an elite level anymore? Will Bosh? That brings us to the most interesting issue of the decision.
After "The Decision," everyone was enamored with the idea that these men left money on the table, or took a pay cut, to play together.
That may be true over the entirety of a contract, but when each is scheduled to make $56 million of the current $58 million salary cap in 2013-2014, what will happen when the Heat have to find new players to replace their current ones?
Better yet, what happens in 2015-2016, the sixth and final year of their contract? Each is slated to earn more than $21 million, costing the Heat $12 million in luxury tax before they sign any of the other 12 players to fill out the roster.
Note: Here's a great look at some of the provisions of the new salary cap post-lockout, which enforces some still penalties on the luxury tax front.
Conclusion
The current elation that will be had should Miami hold on and win the NBA Finals this season is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. No one will ever question James' decision to leave his home state and pursue basketball excellence again.
But it would be wise for LeBron to start taking a look at his options sooner rather than later. Whether it's breaking up the Big Three by trade, injury or contract departure, James could be playing ball in a new city sooner than you think.
