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Los Angeles Lakers: The history of LeBron James and NBA superteams

By Jared Hopkins

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Christopher Trotman/Getty Images) – LeBron James
(Photo by Christopher Trotman/Getty Images) – LeBron James /

LeBron James vs. superteams in the early 2010s:

LBJ’s move to Miami formed what many now consider to be truly “The Big Three”, with an emphasis on “The”. LeBron James and Chris Bosh joining Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat marked the beginning of LeBron genuinely beginning to evolve the makeup of the league.

After falling to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in the Heatles’ first year together, LeBron’s superteam began to face off with other ones.

In 2012, the Heat’s big three dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder as they won the Finals in 5 games against Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.

While that OKC team could be considered a superteam, the James Harden that we know today likely never exists if he was not traded to the Houston Rockets where he could be “the man” on a team. In addition, I do not believe having all three of them together would have allowed Russ to develop in the same way that he did by playing alongside KD and alone in OKC.

Prior to the 2012-2013 season, the Lakers had their eyes on the prize, looking to surpass the Thunder and Spurs as the superteam of the Western Conference, and compete with the Heat for a shot at the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Trading for Dwight Howard and acquiring Steve Nash via a sign-and-trade, the Lakers looked to give Kobe a superteam of his own to make another push at a championship, following the voided Chris Paul trade in the previous season.

Injuries and chemistry issues ended the attempt for a Lakers superteam. Unfortunately for basketball fans, in 2013, Kobe Bryant ruptured his Achilles, the team was swept in the first round, and any chance of seeing the Kobe vs. LeBron Finals matchup that fans so dearly yearned for was gone.

In 2013, LeBron and his big three beat the San Antonio Spurs in a thrilling 7 game series. This Spurs superteam already had 3 rings under their belt, and Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu had already punched their tickets to the Hall of Fame, while all of them were still playing at an incredibly high level.

In addition, they had drafted a promising player the previous year out of San Diego State University by the name of Kawhi Leonard.

LeBron successfully repeated as an NBA Champion and Finals MVP, averaging 28 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 7.2 APG, and .46 FG% in those two Finals series.

The following season the Heat were overpowered by the Spurs, as the Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs to their fourth title in the 2000s. People now began to believe that there was a possibility that when it is all said and done, this Spurs team could very well end up having four Hall of Famers on its roster.

LeBron, much less publicly, announced his return to Cleveland that summer. Joining a young star in Kyrie Irving, The Chosen one was back in his city, and he had a promise to deliver on.