What is it about the ‘Superteam’ trend in basketball that has caused a divide between NBA fans?

To start, here are the ways a basketball organization can build a Superteam:

A] Draft your star players.

B] Trade for star players.

C] Sign star players.

D] Any combination of the above options.

Now here is a list of paradigm-shifting moments in the NBA:

1)迈克尔·乔丹赢得6个NBA冠军1991 and 1998 with the Chicago Bulls, setting the ultimate standard of success as a professional basketball player.

Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, John Stockton. While none of these players were on the same level as Jordan, all of these players certainly deserved every opportunity to win a Championship and there are a few reasons why they never did. First off they didn’t have the CBA rights that modern NBA players do, so joining a Superteam was not so easy. Second and equally important, the culture was different back then. Being an unopposed leader, cashing big checks, loyalty to your team, and getting the best endorsement deals were arguably as important as getting a ring.

2] LeBron James makes the polarizing decision in 2010 to join the Miami Heat with the goal of playing and earning a Championship next to his friends Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. He accomplished his objective twice before departing in 2014 to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the modern era of basketball this could arguably be the first instance of NBA players exercising their rights to form a Superteam and chase rings.

In contrast to previous era’s of basketball, no matter how talented or great a player is in the NBA today, if there isn’t a Championship Ring on the finger the legacy is significantly diminished. LeBron’s choice to join the Heat was directly related to the comparisons he was drawing to Michael Jordan’s success, and the quickest route to reaching that level was putting himself in the best situation to win.

3] Kevin Durant decides against returning to the Oklahoma City Thunder to attempt another shot at a championship with Russell Westbrook, and instead signs with the Golden State Warriors as the 4th All-Star on the team in 2016.

This is where many NBA fans start shaking their heads. What KD did was well within his rights as a professional basketball player. Many would argue that it was a cheap move, an easy way to get a ring, and a betrayal to OKC. Durant doesn’t really have a choice but to argue against these opinions and defend his decision.

4] DeMarcus Cousins becomes a free agent and signs a staggeringly low one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Golden State Warriors in 2018 after suffering a torn left Achilles in 2017 while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Cue the sound of mutual disgust from any fan not wearing a Golden State Warriors jersey. While DeMarcus could certainly have signed a much bigger contract with several other teams who had the cap space, or returned to the Pelicans and rejoined Anthony Davis in his quest to challenge the rest of the Western Conference, he instead went with the plan that will almost definitely get him a ring regardless of how much time he spends on the court.

As basketball fans we are witnessing how the culmination of previous events is affecting the priorities of All-Star NBA players today, especially when the opportunity to join a Superteam presents itself.

Location? Not too big a deal.

Role? Flexible if it means winning.

Pay? Cut back if necessary.

Teammates? Only if a couple of them are Allstars.

Now that we have gained some perspective on how the modern Superteam gained momentem, I'll answer the original question that prompted me to write this article by quoting Kevin Durant’s recent response to the criticism surrounding DeMarcus Cousins’ decision to join GSW:

"Nobody likes a good thing."

Well no Kevin, you’re wrong about that. Everybody likes a good thing,if it is good for them.

What some NBA fans don’t like is the consolidation of talent to a handful of teams. They don’t enjoy watching a basketball season where the ending is predictable. They don’t look back fondly on an NBA season where there isn’t a feel-good story. There are no movies about sports teams that had everything they needed out of the gate to win a championship. You know why? Because no tale ever told has a perfect hero. The struggle to become a better person and then being recognized and rewarded for the effort is what ordinary people, who are the majority of NBA fans, connect with the most. Watching a team come together and work the hardest they ever have to win an NBA championship is the pinnacle of sports entertainment. Everybody appreciates a good thing when it is earned, not when it is handed over without a fight.

On the other hand, fans and players both like it when their teams wins, not when they lose. NBA players have earned their rights. No matter if you agree with their decisions or not it is their career and their choice.

That is why NBA fans are divided over the Superteam trend. You either love it for the personal gratification of the players, or hate it for the way it is changing the landscape of basketball entertainment.