The superstars joining forces issue

[libermaniac]

What stinks about the NBA, is that there are 3 ways to build a championship-caliber team, and 2 of them stink:

1. Tank and get lucky in the lotto (preferably in subsequent years).

2. Clear all of your contracts so you can make a run at free agents.

3. Build a team through good drafts and trades (The way it should be done).

[More Banners]

What stinks about the NBA, is that there are 3 ways to build a championship-caliber team, and 2 of them stink:

1. Tank and get lucky in the lotto (preferably in subsequent years).

2. Clear all of your contracts so you can make a run at free agents.

3. Build a team through good drafts and trades (The way it should be done).

And any mistake when implementing #3 gets you what we had in the '90's and the first 4 years of Danny's reign (the LaFrenz years).  No wonder teams punt for options 1 and 2.

[bobdelt]

They have to win first, and the rest of the heat look WEAK. I'm actually surprised, i thought that roster would fill out faster.

[cdif911]

They have to win first, and the rest of the heat look WEAK. I'm actually surprised, i thought that roster would fill out faster.

Mike Miller is no slouch... Haslem was a contributor to their last title squad...I think the kids will be alright

[obnoxiousmime]

The Celtics had Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett. Out of those three, only Garnett was considered a certain hall of famer and a top 5 player in the league. At the time, Pierce and Allen were not considered hall-of-famers, now they're either "certain" or "borderline" depending on who you ask. They were both probably top 15-20 players at the time.

The Heat have LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. LeBron and Wade are almost certain hall-of-famers at this point and considered top 5 players, perhaps top 3 players in the league. LeBron is considered perhaps the best player in the league. Even if you think Bosh is overrated he's a top 5 big man in the league going forward.

I don't think there's a comparison here in terms of the level of talent that is being bunched up on one team. You could probably compare it to other big threes in history, though.

[Redz]

The Celtics had Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett. Out of those three, only Garnett was considered a certain hall of famer and a top 5 player in the league. At the time, Pierce and Allen were not considered hall-of-famers, now they're either "certain" or "borderline" depending on who you ask. They were both probably top 15-20 players at the time.

The Heat have LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. LeBron and Wade are almost certain hall-of-famers at this point and considered top 5 players, perhaps top 3 players in the league. LeBron is considered perhaps the best player in the league. Even if you think Bosh is overrated he's a top 5 big man in the league going forward.

I don't think there's a comparison here in terms of the level of talent that is being bunched up on one team. You could probably compare it to other big threes in history, though.

I've considered Ray a future hall of famer for a lot longer than he's been a Celtic.

[obnoxiousmime]

The Celtics had Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett. Out of those three, only Garnett was considered a certain hall of famer and a top 5 player in the league. At the time, Pierce and Allen were not considered hall-of-famers, now they're either "certain" or "borderline" depending on who you ask. They were both probably top 15-20 players at the time.

The Heat have LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. LeBron and Wade are almost certain hall-of-famers at this point and considered top 5 players, perhaps top 3 players in the league. LeBron is considered perhaps the best player in the league. Even if you think Bosh is overrated he's a top 5 big man in the league going forward.

I don't think there's a comparison here in terms of the level of talent that is being bunched up on one team. You could probably compare it to other big threes in history, though.

I've considered Ray a future hall of famer for a lot longer than he's been a Celtic.

Redz, I think you would be in the minority. At the time, I'd guess that most people thought he was borderline. The championship secured Pierce and Ray's candidacies.

[celticsclay]

The Celtics had Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett. Out of those three, only Garnett was considered a certain hall of famer and a top 5 player in the league. At the time, Pierce and Allen were not considered hall-of-famers, now they're either "certain" or "borderline" depending on who you ask. They were both probably top 15-20 players at the time.

The Heat have LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. LeBron and Wade are almost certain hall-of-famers at this point and considered top 5 players, perhaps top 3 players in the league. LeBron is considered perhaps the best player in the league. Even if you think Bosh is overrated he's a top 5 big man in the league going forward.

I don't think there's a comparison here in terms of the level of talent that is being bunched up on one team. You could probably compare it to other big threes in history, though.

I've considered Ray a future hall of famer for a lot longer than he's been a Celtic.

Redz, I think you would be in the minority. At the time, I'd guess that most people thought he was borderline. The championship secured Pierce and Ray's candidacies.

Regardless, Ray Allen was on the back nine of his career and has aged extremely well (better then we could have hoped). KG was still a top power forward, but his decline has been more severe. Comparing their situations to the Miami 3 really doesn't seem fair to me, but I can understand why people bring it up.

[LooseCannon]

I think Ray Allen was considered a lock HOFer.  Before coming to Boston, he had eight straight seasons of at least 21.8 ppg with a reputation as one of the greatest pure shooters of all time.  It was always considered a question of when and not if he would break Reggie Miller's career 3-point record, so long as he avoided getting hit by a bus.  Meanwhile, Paul Pierce was the under-appreciated guy.  (I didn't realize until just now that Pierce has a shot of ending the next season in the top ten in career three-pointers made.)

[obnoxiousmime]

The HOF question will always remain a little subjective, I guess. Still, the point was Ray and Paul were never considered top 5 guys in the league. They just weren't in the same conversation as the top superstars, ever.

[Redz]

The Celtics had Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett. Out of those three, only Garnett was considered a certain hall of famer and a top 5 player in the league. At the time, Pierce and Allen were not considered hall-of-famers, now they're either "certain" or "borderline" depending on who you ask. They were both probably top 15-20 players at the time.

The Heat have LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. LeBron and Wade are almost certain hall-of-famers at this point and considered top 5 players, perhaps top 3 players in the league. LeBron is considered perhaps the best player in the league. Even if you think Bosh is overrated he's a top 5 big man in the league going forward.

I don't think there's a comparison here in terms of the level of talent that is being bunched up on one team. You could probably compare it to other big threes in history, though.

I've considered Ray a future hall of famer for a lot longer than he's been a Celtic.

Redz, I think you would be in the minority. At the time, I'd guess that most people thought he was borderline. The championship secured Pierce and Ray's candidacies.

Perhaps.  I've just always been a huge fan.

[celticsclay]

This raise the question of whether Bosh is on track for Hall. At this point I would say no. If he does, then that is really bad news for the celtics fans cause it probably means the heat will have won a bunch of titles.

[pearljammer10]

However, in my opinion, and maybe I am being a homer, that was different. That was three guys in their early to mid 30's that had been on long struggling teams agreeing to sacrifice themselves and their number to play team basketball. Similarly if Steve Nash or Jason Kidd got traded to the Bobcats right now and joined forces with Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson to win a championship I would have no problem with it. What I do have a problem is when younger and younger players start demanding their team wins now even when they are 25 or younger. Lebron started it after his owner tried everything to please him.  where does it end? Now Chris Paul all of 25 years old who has played 3.5 seasons in the NBA needs to go to a winning situation to play with another superstar?

First off you addressing the fact the Celtics started this trend doesnt make any sense. Who cares if they are in there 30's compared to being 25? Its the same thing. Even worse on the Celtics part because they were superstars that couldnt get it done by themselves anyway so bring in all three to create a super team.

Second; I wouldnt have a problem with Nash or Kidd going to the Bobcats with Jackson and Wallace either because that still doesnt make them threats in the least. Did you really just compare a big three of Nash, Wallace, and Jackson to the celts or the heat?

First off Ray Allen and KG didn't demand to be traded to the celtics. I kind of think Ray Allen didn't originally even want to come here when he was first dealt. Secondly, there is a huge difference between a guy with a few years left on his career (as we have seen with KG he really only had 1.5 elite season left in him) and a guy that has been in the league for 4 seasons making demands. Also, maybe they are not the best team in the east, but a team with Stephen Jackson, Wallace, Chandler, Nash and a few other veterans fill ins would be a pretty interesting team and middle of the playoff team in the east at worst. However, my point with that was not to compare that big three with our big three, but to say players at the end of their careers on bad teams switching up is different then guys in their 5th year.

I dont mean to keep knit picking on things but Chandler was traded to Dallas well before this topic came up.