“It’s hard to build friendships, you always feel like an outsider… The grass isn’t always greener” - Colin Cowherd questions if mobility in the NBA is good for the star players, says even LeBron James and AD don’t feel like it works anymore

NBA player mobility has become popular topic with the recent breakdown of the Brooklyn Nets. As a result, Colin Cowherd questions whether or not NBA mobility is good for star players.

While superteams have existed for years, the recent increase in mobility has led to more stars joining forces. For example, LeBron James and AD joined forces in Los Angeles to lead their team to an NBA championship.

During a recent segment on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Cowherd spoke about the issue.

"Are we sure it's great for the star players? I looked at the last like 7, 8 massive star player moves in the NBA. Here's what I saw this morning: Jimmy Butler moved T-Wolves to the Sixers, that didn't work. Miami kind of works. Anthony Davis, Durant, Paul George, and Harden. Kyrie to the Cavs to the Celtics to the Nets. LeBron, Leonard, Paul, and Westbrook."

Of the ten-player moves Colin Cowherd mentioned, most did not end the way that the players would have liked.

"There's one title, five disasters, and four to five 'yeah, I thought it'd be a lot better.' By the way, the one that got you a title, LeBron and Anthony Davis, don't feel like it works anymore. Anthony Davis isn't the leader the Lakers thought they were getting. LeBron only plays 55 games a year, and what you find with mobility."

While his math is wrong, there are technically three titles among those ten. The conclusion does have some validity, though. Of the three players that won championships thanks to player mobility, none made the postseason.

While the star players love mobility, it has not led to sustained success, whereas other approaches have done it.

NBA teams have had more sustainable success with lower mobility

The Milwaukee Bucks won an NBA championship with primarily homegrown talent.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been the most successful players to join forces during the player mobility era. Still, many other teams have been as successful, if not more successful, over the last five years by doing it differently.

"Maybe you bring in a Chris Paul, or you're bringing a Jrue Holiday, but it's drafted, patient, and developed. Here's the thing with KD, as we circle back to KD. He changes the temperature in any room, and he just does. He's a lot, and chemistry is so hard to build once you have it; why screw it up. I mean KD to Golden State, think about that; it was perfect."

Even the Brooklyn Nets forward found more success by joining a team rather than using player mobility to build one.

While player mobility creates interesting teams, championships seem to come from more traditionally built units.