ReggiesKnicks wrote:At the end of the day, the Chicago Bulls, in most years during the 1990s, had more high-end talent than a majority of teams in the NBA. The definition of a SuperTeam can be closely defined as "An accumulation of multiple highly accredited players".
We don't see teams like the 2019 Toronto Raptors as a super-team with Kawhi/Lowry at the helm, even though Siakam was All-NBA and an All-Star in the following year.
The Warriors didn't get labeled "superteam" by the media and NBA fan base in 2015 or 2016, even though Curry/Klay/Draymond were all All-Star to All-NBA caliber players.
I personally label teams "Superteam" as the overall collection of talent stands above the rest of the NBA teams. I consider the 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder a superteam. I could see arguments for the 2024 Boston Celtics being a superteam, and I see them similarly to the 2019 Toronto Raptors in terms of having 6-7 starting-caliber players with top-end talent to complement.
The 1996 Chicago Bulls had two players finish Top 5 in MVP voting, another who received at least a single vote (Dennis Rodman), the 6MOY, and another 6MOY candidate in Steve Kerr. Let's compare this to the other contenders in the NBA in 1996.
Orlando Magic: Top 5 MVP Candidate, Top 10 MVP Candidate, 3 respectable starters, and a weak bench
Indiana Pacers: Top 15 Player (Reggie Miller)
San Antonio Spurs: Top 3 MVP Candidate, All-Star, Middling 6MOY candidate
Utah Jazz: Top 7 and Top 15 MVP Candidates, 1 respectable starter, and a weak bench
Seattle Supersonics: 2 Top 10 MVP Candidates, 2 respectable starters, and a middling bench
Los Angeles Lakers: 1 Top 15 MVP Candidate
When you compare the 1996 Chicago Bulls to the other contenders in the NBA in 1996, they are head and shoulders above everyone else. To me, that is a superteam.
One mistake many people make is comparing teams of the past to the modern-day game. The modern-day game has more talent. Teams routinely have 5-7 players who I would define as respectable starters. There isn't a drop-off of high-volume scorers outside of the all-star level.
If we took the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic accolades to teams, here is a modern-day equivalent.
Chicago Bulls:
Nikola Jokic
Jaren Jackson Jr
Duncan Robinson
Keon Ellis
Donovan Mitchell
Payton Pritchard
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Orlando Magic:
Rudy Gobert
Evan Mobley
Josh Hart
Norman Powell
Cade Cunningham
Tim Hardaway Jr
Georges Niang
I'd argue most championship teams of any era are super teams. There is more talent now from 1-15 on a team but the upper tier talent was different in 96' than today. I don't mean better but the difference between a team's best player and 4th best player had more of a spread than it is now.
Comparing teams from different eras isn't really a mistake more so a comparison of champions over time, which also talks about the eras these players competed in. Even though the Bulls won two-three peats i dont think they were the best ever assembled team. For me since the Bulls run;
GSW KD/Steph/Draymond/Klay/Iguodala
Heat with LeBron/Bosh/Wade
Lakers Kobe/Shaq
Cavs Lebon/Kyrie/Love
Best teams assembled without a Superstar of Superstars
Celtics Pierce/KG/Allen
Pistons Billups/Wallaces/Prince/Rip
Raptors Kawhi/Lowry/Siakam/Gasol- Vanvleet, OG, Norm Powell, Danny Green
These teams had a better collection of talent. Despite not having as much success as the Bulls. The issue I think ppl ignore is that Basketball is the single sport where one player can dominate a game on both ends offence/defence and basically take control of everything. Whatever era you play in if you were lucky enough to draft/sign/trade Jordan/Lebron/Duncan/Kobe/Shaq/Steph you had a good chance to win. This is why we see Jordan winning 6 championships or Kobe/shaq with 5 and 4 or Lebron with 10 final appearances.
To put it simply a team is as good as their best player. Players 2-4 matter but if you have the top 1-2 players in the league chances are you appear in the finals at the very least.