As a Laker fan I am all to familiar with super teams. Well, in the case of this once storied franchise I am familiar with what could have or should have been a super team.
First, it was the grouping of Karl Malone, Kobe, Shaquille O’ Neal and Gary Payton in the 2003-2004 season. The team was able to make it to the NBA Finals that season but eventually were bested by the underdog Detroit Pistons in five games.
Then came the 2012-2013 season. This version of the Lakers superteam featured the likes of Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, the Black Mamba and the ever enigmatic Dwight Howard. With a starting lineup composed of four All-Stars one would think a championship was in sight, right? Wrong, oh so wrong.
The Lakers struggled to a 45-37 record, a seventh seed in the playoffs and were swept in embarrassing fashion by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
But I digress. The fact that the Lakers have not made the playoffs since or that I think Dwight Howard is chump is not relevant here. What is, is the superteam that was officially assimilated on a fateful Fourth of July morn.
In a move to rival the likes of Lebron taking his talents to South Beach,  seven-time All-Star Kevin Durant did the unthinkable and left the house that he built in Oklahoma City to join the Splash Brothers and Draymond Green in Oklahoma City.
It is a move that should give every one in not only the Western Conference, but the entire National Basketball Association chills. Never has such talent been assembled on one team. Just to put things into perspective a bit, the leagues past three MVPs (Curry, Curry, Durant) are now playing together. Scary right?
This move marks the first time two players — Curry and Durant — who shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from the three point line, and 90 percent from the foul line suited up for the same team. Convinced now?
Although it may have been a cop-out on Durant’s part, or even “weak” according to First Take’s Stephen A. Smith, Durant made the best move for himself in his chase for rings.
“The primary mandate I had in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a player — as it has always steered me in the right direction,” Durant said in a post he wrote in the Player’s Tribune.
When considering the insane floor spacing and ball movement of the Warrior’s offense as opposed to the often stagnant offense of the Thunder, the decision becomes more clear.
But all the statistics and burned jerseys aside, what could this move really mean for some of the other teams in NBA?
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder went from being 48 minutes away from an NBA Finals berth to being without two members of their Big Three after trading Serge Ibaka and seeing Durant bolt to the Bay Area.  All that remains is Russell Westbrook and he very well may not be around for long. According to an article by Bleacher Report, Westbrook has no intention of re-negotiating his contract with the Thunder. Financially, this does make sense considering he will be able to make more money if he waits to restructure his contract next summer when the league’s salary cap will go up $13 million. The Thunder may be without its founding father now, but if the organization does not find a way to retain Westbrook and fast this situation could become even more dire.
Los Angeles Lakers
It is no secret that the Lakers have coveted five-time All-Star Westbrook for ages now. With his wingman, Durant, out of the picture acquiring him is now much more of a reality for the Lakers. Westbrook is from the area, and as it stands with the Lakers picking up Ingram in the draft and their young core of Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson they could be a free agent acquisition away from wooing the point guard home.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers may have broken a half-century curse but their push for a second championship will be even more difficult. The East already is becoming stronger as the Pacers continue to add talent and the Knicks added Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, Courtney Lee and Brandon Jennings to assist Melo and Kristaps Porzingis. Now the Warriors, a team who just took them to the brink in the NBA Finals have added an essentially unguardable player to the mix. The Dubs exposed several deficiencies in the Cavs defense in that series and as good as Lebron is he can not guard all five positions.  The Cavs are sure to make moves to acquire a defensive specialist in free agency to remedy that.
Now that the biggest free agent chip in recent memory has fallen a domino effect is sure to ensue around the league as other teams scramble to measure up to the new SuperWarriors. But will anyone be able to? Can Durant coexist with Curry, Green and Thompson? Will Westbrook pass the ball at all now or will he need to average a triple-double with 50 points a game for his team to stay relevant? Find out all this and more on the next exciting episode of the NBA.
Anthony McDougle is the sports editor of the Daily Leader. Email him at anthony.mcdougle@dailyleader.com.