In the NBA today, there seems to be an ongoing trend of teams trying to get the best players all on one team. The world has determined these teams to be known as a “superteam.”

In this past offseason, all star forward Kevin Durant had announced that he will be joining the Golden State Warriors for the 2016-17 NBA season.

Durant used to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder where he saw great success. He was able to lead the team to an appearance in the NBA Finals, he won himself an MVP award, and he also won multiple scoring titles. But, there was one thing missing for Durant, a championship.

The NBA today is all about the amount of championships you win. People will say that LeBron James is better than Michael Jordan, but their retaliation is, “oh yeah? How many rings does LeBron have?!”

To be considered one of the great NBA players, you have to win a ring. Well, according to about 99% of NBA fans.

Sure there has been great NBA legends who did not win a ring in their careers, but they were able to produce other accolades to help solidify their legacy. They still hear all about how they were unable to capture that elusive championship.

This leads to “superteams” happening in the NBA. This most recent move with Durant is not the first time this has been done, but it is one of the worst moves in NBA history.

Durant and the Thunder had a 3-1 lead against the Warriors last year in the playoffs but were unable to finish out the series. So what does Durant do? Joins them.

In 2010, LeBron James went to the Miami Heat to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. This would cause a lot of controversy in the NBA because people thought it was unfair for these three players to team up. But, the same people who were complaining, were the same ones who were cheering when Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen all came together on the Boston Celtics.

Although a lot of people complain about “superteams” in the NBA, they are not necessarily bad to an extent. Teams like the 2010 Miami Heat, the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers, and the 2008 Boston Celtics did not have the best record in NBA history the season before they all came together. They did not have a back to back MVP point guard on the team and they for sure did not have one of the deepest rosters in the league.

The move that Kevin Durant did is bad for the NBA because it shows that the competition is not there anymore. He had the chance to come back this season and finish what he started in the 2016 playoffs, but he decided to take the easy way out and try to win a ring with the least amount of effort possible.

This kind of “superteam” is not what the NBA needs. This is just one of the many ways how the community has pinned on players that if they do not win a ring, then they are not worthy enough to be considered one of the greats.

The NBA this season will be interesting to see because of this new Warriors lineup. A lot of people have them winning the whole thing, but others do not see that happening.

Sometimes when a “Super Team” comes together, they do not have the right tools to make it work. The Warriors are coming off a record breaking 73 win season last year without Durant on the team. They were known for their offensive game as they were able to score anywhere on the floor with the lineup they had. Guard Klay Thompson is one half of the so called “Splash Brothers” alongside Stephen Curry. With the pick up of Kevin Durant, it seems that Klay could not see the ball as much as he is used to with Durant being one of the best scorers in the league and becoming the team’s first option.

When it comes down to it, a “superteam” is not what the NBA needs. This is a sorry excuse for guys to come together and try to win a ring in the easiest way possible. The league would be much better with teams that have a few good players that are able to come together and win. Building a team full of superstars is just cheap and does not help the league grow.

Competition is needed in the NBA as the ratings are going down every year. With moves like this going on, it seems the NBA will never be looked at as serious as it once was.