The 2023-24 NBA Season: New Superteams?

As the 2023-24 NBA season finally kicks off, fans are excited for yet another season of action-packed basketball. During the NBA offseason, it is very common for teams to trade their players, in which they send their players to other teams and receive players from those teams in return, in hopes of improving their performance from last season. The 2023-24 season is no exception to this idea; some fans are even saying that the trades this offseason have resulted in the creation of new superteams. Here is The Spectator’s review of some of the supposed superteams this NBA season.

1. Milwaukee Bucks

In a huge blockbuster trade, the Bucks traded their point guard, Jrue Holiday, for seven-time All-Star and former Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard. After 11 years of loyalty to Portland, during which he became the all-time leading scorer in franchise history, Lillard has finally requested a trade. Lillard landing in the Bucks was a big surprise for many, as most fans speculated that Lillard would go to the Miami Heat or possibly even the Chicago Bulls. Nevertheless, this trade was a big move for the Bucks, and Lillard will undoubtedly be a huge asset to their team.

Currently, the star players of the Bucks include the power forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, who are seven- and three-time All-Stars respectively, and now Lillard has been added to the mix. Antetokounmpo has already been one of the most dominant players in the league over these past few years. His height of 6’ 11”, coupled with his exceptional athleticism and strength, allows him to easily drive in and be a dominant force in the paint. He is also known for being a strong rebounder and an outstanding blocker on defense. Additionally, Middleton has been a strong supplement to the Bucks’ scoring ability with his consistent jumping and shooting abilities from beyond the arc. With the addition of Lillard to the team, it is safe to say that this season, the Bucks are nothing short of a superteam. Lillard is an elite scorer on his own, given his ability to score deep three-pointers even in the most high-pressure situations. In fact, Lillard has earned the nickname “Dame Time” for his ability to make big plays and clutch, game-winning shots when the pressure is on. Lillard is sure to attract the defense of the opposing team, giving Antetokounmpo and Middleton more opportunities to score. The combined offensive capabilities of the Bucks undoubtedly make them one of the strongest in the East.

2. Phoenix Suns

In a three-way trade, the Phoenix Suns gave up their center Deandre Ayton for former Washington Wizards guard and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal. With the likes of forward and 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant, guard and three-time All-Star Devin Booker, and now Beal, the Suns might have their most star-filled lineup in history, making them, without question, a new superteam this season.

Durant has already been one of the greatest players in the league for years now. He has won two championships along with two finals MVP awards and has always been a star player for each team he has played for. Durant’s height and remarkable 7-foot-5-inch wingspan give him a physical advantage over defenders, allowing him to drive to the basket or shoot over defenders with his consistent mid-range jumper. Alongside Durant, Booker is another elite scorer who is great from the mid-range and three. He has phenomenal off-ball movement and excels as a shot-creator, generating scoring opportunities for his team. Booker has had a career-high game of 70 points, making him only the sixth player in NBA history to reach that milestone. This duo can display an offensive masterclass on their own, but with the addition of Beal, their offense could genuinely be unstoppable. Beal is a very efficient scorer on his own, averaging 23.2 points per game with the Wizards last season, and is also a skillful ball-handler, an effective slasher, and a consistent three-point shooter. It will be hard for any team this season to guard all three of these scoring prodigies at once, and assuming they play good defense with minimal turnovers, it’s difficult to imagine this Suns superteam losing a lot of games this season.

3. Golden State Warriors

Most fans are aware of the Warriors’ dynasty, with the team winning four championships in the past eight seasons and reaching the NBA finals six times in eight years. This was in part due to the former Warriors superteam from 2016-2019 that consisted of Durant, point guard Stephen Curry, shooting guard Klay Thompson, and power forward Draymond Green. This superteam of young stars allowed the Warriors to reign as one of the most dominant teams in the league during that period. However, a couple weeks after the end of the 2022-23 season, the Warriors traded one of their finest young talents, guard Jordan Poole, to the Wizards, and in return received former Suns guard and 12-time All-Star Chris Paul. This has made many Warriors fans excited and hopeful of another great Warriors run.

While it’s true that Paul is, without a doubt, a future Hall-of-Famer and one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is no longer in his prime. Paul is currently 38 years old and is not the same player as he was during his early years with the Hornets. However, even late in his career, Paul will still most likely be very beneficial to the Warriors because of his amazing playmaking skills and consistent mid-range jumper. While Paul may no longer be the greatest individual scorer on his own, he is one of the best when it comes to racking up assists and creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. Currently, Paul ranks third in all-time assists in NBA history, and his presence on the court will take some of the defensive pressure off of Curry, who is very often double-teamed for his other-worldly shooting capabilities. Curry is arguably the greatest shooter in NBA history and the Warriors’ greatest weapon. Paul gives the Warriors the luxury of subbing out Curry for some time and letting him rest, as Paul is an NBA veteran and knows how to run an offense as a point guard. All things considered, it’s questionable whether or not this is another Warriors superteam due to the older age of Chris Paul. Nevertheless, this is still a stronger Warriors team than the previous season and is worth keeping an eye on.

All in all, the trades this offseason have certainly created stronger teams and given rise to new superteams. While these teams look very good on paper and are very exciting for fans seeing such talented players play on the same side, there is still a possibility of these superteams failing if the players cannot work well with one another. A prime example of this was the 2021-22 Brooklyn Nets superteam of Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, which ended up not working as well as fans thought. Regardless, this season is sure to be full of action and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.