The Philadelphia 76ers have dominated this offseason's headlines, and rightfully so, after pulling off the signing of arguably the greatest player of all time, LeBron James, to a two-year, $8 million contract after managing to acquire Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics to complete one of the most talented teams ever assembled.
The excitement is understandable given that James and Brown will complement a starting lineup that already boasts the likes of VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Their starting five alone drew hype that they might be one of the greatest squads ever assembled in NBA history.
Yet, not everyone believes their star power could propel them to those conversations. NBA legend Tim Hardaway reminded everyone that one of the greatest teams in history was built on overall talent and sacrifice, citing the 2004 Detroit Pistons, widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive teams in history.
For Hardaway, that Pistons team represents something many superteams struggle with: complete buy-in from every player on the roster. Unlike many in the GOAT teams conversation, Detroit was stacked in talent from their starters to their bench.
"One of the greatest teams that ever put their egos aside and won and understood what they need to do," Hardaway shared . "You had Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace. Ben Wallace wasn't just a scorer, he was just a defensive player, and he knew that, and he did that all coming off the bench."
"They had a team that all 10 guys could go somewhere else and start," he added.
The Pistons were led by a core of Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace, who was acquired at the trade deadline. His arrival completed the league's stingiest defense, which was complemented by Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown.
Aside from their starters, players like Lindsey Hunter, Mike James, Elden Campbell and Mehmet Okur played meaningful minutes and did what was expected of them, no questions asked. That depth allowed Brown to manage their talent without ever disrupting chemistry, something Hardaway points to as one of their greatest strengths.
"Kudos to Larry Brown because he said listen, we all got to understand, myself included, that we got to put our egos aside, and it's one thing and one thing only. If you all want to win a championship, everybody has to sacrifice something," he said.
Their collective mindset culminated in one of the greatest upsets in NBA history as they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers superteam, featuring Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton, in just five games, cementing the team forever in basketball lore as world-beaters.
Most championship teams in history have featured at least one undisputed star in their prime, but the Pistons won without an MVP, a scoring champion, or a perennial MVP candidate. They dominated the league through their sheer aggressiveness and notorious defense.
All of their players worked their way to the NBA and fought to survive and be the best, which is why their egos never really became an issue compared to other great teams, allowing them to actually continue their dominance even after 2004, reaching consecutive Conference Finals in the next four years. Not to mention advancing to the Finals the next year.
Comparing them to the new-look 76ers or any other great team might be a lost cause given the generational difference . However, one can't doubt their impact given how much they dismantled teams, equally or even greater, in their era, aside from the Lakers.
The current 76ers might look good on paper and might even surpass expectations come the regular season, but the 2004 Pistons will forever be the standard for assembling winning teams, despite the surge in superteams.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
