Since the blockbuster trade for James Harden, the Los Angeles Clippers have lost four games in a row, prompting speculation about the move's success.
The 34-year-old shooting guard has averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 1.5 steals so far, shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from the three-point distance in 31.3 minutes per contest.
Those numbers aren't the usual gaudy numbers that the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player has consistently put up in his career.
However, Harden is not expected to shoulder the production load, with the Clippers having a myriad of stars, including Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook.
The team has appeared disjointed since the arrival of the ten-time NBA All-Star and currently stands as one of the struggling teams in the league.
If the current trend persists and the experiment doesn't pan out as hoped, the Clippers won't be the first superteam to fall short of expectations.
Read more: Should The Golden State Warriors Trade Klay Thompson Amid Another Poor Outing And Contract Row?
Here are five NBA superteams who failed to live up to the hype:
1. 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets
The Nets acquired aging stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and D.J. White from the Boston Celtics in a significant nine-player blockbuster trade.
In exchange, they relinquished Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans, and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
The team failed to make a splash, and the Nets were severely crippled by the trade years later. The Celtics would then use the picks to select Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
2. 1996-99 Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets boasted a formidable lineup in the latter half of the 1990s, featuring standout players like Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, along with the later additions of Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen.
The Rockets reached the Western Conference Finals in their initial year together in 1996-97. However, in the subsequent two seasons, they faced early exits, being eliminated in the first round in brief fashion.
3. 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers were looking to bounce back in 2021-22 after failing to defend their title during the previous season, acquiring marquee names such as Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard to join LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
However, not only did the team fail to perform on the court. They missed the postseason by a wide margin, finishing 33-49 and 11th in the Western Conference.
4. 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers
The 2012-13 season proved to be tumultuous for the Lakers. Despite securing Dwight Howard, considered one of the best big men in the league at the time, and adding top-tier point guard Steve Nash to complement Kobe Bryant, the team encountered persistent struggles throughout the year.
Bryant played a crucial role, frequently single-handedly steering the team's performance. However, a significant setback occurred when he suffered a torn Achilles in a late regular-season game, forcing him out for the remainder of the year and marking the onset of his physical decline.
They would make the playoffs as the eighth seed and get swept by the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers' longtime owner, Dr. Jerry Buss, also passed away during this season.
5. 2021-23 Brooklyn Nets
On paper, the 2021-23 Brooklyn Nets were expected to be one of the most formidable teams in NBA history, boasting a powerhouse trio in their primes with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden.
However, this era was marred by misfortune, as injuries and drama disrupted their potential success.
In the 2021 playoffs, Durant's potential game-winning shot that could have propelled them to the Eastern Conference Finals was narrowly a two-pointer as he stepped on the line. This turn of events forced the game into overtime and eventually led to their defeat.
Irving faced controversy about refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and alleged anti-Semitic remarks, which were a huge distraction to the team and caused him to miss games.
Meanwhile, Harden requested a trade out of the team just a year after he was acquired.
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