5 NBA teams that are over-reliant on only 1 star player
The Milwaukee Bucks showed the NBA community that a superteam is not needed to win an NBA championship. Regardless, a few teams have left the heavy-lifting to one star player without providing them with much help.
Teams have taken the initiative to surround their star players with All-Star caliber players to give themselves a decent chance at competing for the championship. But some are following in the footsteps of the Bucks, and maintaining an average roster with just one superstar.
While that might give the franchise room to build for the future, their chances of having a successful season are slim, especially if the star player is unavailable for some reason.
Basketball is a 5-man game, and each player has to pull their weight to guarantee success. The over-reliance on LeBron James and Anthony Davis cost the LA Lakers their chance at a back-to-back NBA title last season.
Team Slovenia also suffered the same fate at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 men's basketball tournament. Luka Doncic's injury deeply affected the Slovenian national team, as they could not overcome Team Australia to win the bronze medal.
Over-reliance has hurt NBA teams in the past, but it is still a common occurrence. Here are five teams that are over-reliant on only one star player:
#5 Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler has been the Miami Heat's star player since he joined the team in 2019. Since then, the Heat have looked to him for production.
Although his first stint with the franchise was successful, things fell apart for Miami in the 2021 NBA playoffs. A poor shooting display from the veteran forward resulted in a first-round sweep by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Butler had led the Miami Heat to the 2020 NBA Finals, but failed to measure up with the superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Things might be different for the Miami Heat during the 2021-22 NBA season following the acquisition of Kyle Lowry. Nevertheless, Miami will always be Jimmy Butler's team, and his performances eventually will determine their success or failure.
#4 Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid is the Philadelphia 76ers' franchise player, and for good reason. The Cameroonian has elevated the team's status as one of the best in the Eastern Conference.
The end of the 2020-21 NBA season was rather disappointing for the 76ers, as they lost to the 5th-seeded Atlanta Hawks in the conference semi-finals. It was an anticlimactic end for the No. 1 seed who started the 2021 NBA playoffs on an extremely high note.
Embiid featured in 51 games for the 76ers, and averaged 28.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per outing. Without the big man, they went on a 10-11 run.
The 2021 NBA offseason has not been the most productive for the 76ers, as they have failed to bring in an elite player to complement Embiid. Although Ben Simmons is a certified All-Star, his inefficiency shooting the ball and the recent cold war between him and the franchise could see him leave the team sooner rather than later.