Los Angeles Lakers: Lessons from failed super team, longtime rival
The 2012-2013 Superteam Failure
After Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol lost steam from three straight Finals runs from 2008-2010, and getting swept by the Mavericks in 2011, things kept piling up for the Lakers. Phil Jackson retired, Los Angeles was eliminated by a rising Oklahoma City Thunder squad in 2012 as well.
As a result, Lakers management, then directly controlled by general manager Mitch Kupchak, decided to take a shot at creating a team around Kobe Bryant. It was a last-ditch effort for him to win his sixth championship and to finally catch the ghost in Chicago.
At the same time, center Dwight Howard wanted out of Orlando to also contend for a championship, and to flee from his head coach Stan Van Gundy. Every team at that moment saw Dwight as an upside to their franchise. He was far-and-wide the best center in the game in 2012.
As the archetype of a “do-it-all center” such as Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid hasn’t arrived yet, Howard was the perfect build of a dominant big man.
Standing at 6’11”, Howard could posterize anyone with his massive wingspan, and his athleticism would alternate any shot attempt at the rim. Kupchak quickly rose to the occasion and worked with three other NBA teams to post a mega-trade to obtain Howard’s services.
The four-team trade is extremely complicated, so here is a layout of what each team received during the process.
Not only that, but Kupchak decided to upgrade the point guard position. With that in mind, the Lakers acquired Steve Nash in a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns.
Nash was at that time still considered an elite point guard. He could shoot and beat defenses with his court vision and unselfishness.
Now, at that time, there should not have been any questions to why this team couldn’t operate together. Nash was healthy and still produced huge numbers on a thin Suns roster. Howard collectively incinerated defenses with his athleticism. And Kobe Bryant was still… Kobe Bryant.
However, things did not go as planned.