Shoe companies dictating where the stars align

Yes they should. Just another factor like where their wives prefer to live. Should a wife who doesn't like the rain influence where her husband is going to play?

It's a free country.

 

I think this is different than weather or wives. This is a financial incentive, something that NBA has regulated in the past by blocking shoe deals from specifically increasing based on market.

Houston is lucky. We are JUST big enough, but we are SUPER lucky that Harden didn't do this to go to LA.

 

I just hate how outside forces dictate and influence the game so much nowadays. I know the media and big companies have a place but not when it jeopardizes the integrity of the game. It’s not even a secret how they have their hands so deep in the pot it’s ridiculous.

Lebron did not make a basketball decision and that speaks volumes of the direction of the current NBA.

 

Yep. That’s why NFL will always be the superior competitive pro sport. You don’t ever this kind of stuff there

 

Are you serious? You really think he's given up on winning a championship? I highly doubt a guy who spends a few million annually of his own money on personal chefs, 24/7 treatment on his body and rolls around in a custom van for this purpose, hardly ever takes a complete day off for the past 15 years of his life is just giving up on winning. This is a guy who dragged a garbage Cavs team to the finals with one fully functioning eye, one non broken hand, and one JR smith. This Lakers squad has way better role players and potential stars AS IS. Next season they will likely add another piece, or who knows maybe in the next few days as things come together. I agree this is a business move, but to say he just gave up on winning is ridiculous. Lakers have a ton of talent as is, and Luke Walton just hasn't been good enough to put it together. Lebron is an incredible coach, I wouldn't doubt him when it comes to what he will do for Ingram, Ball, and Kuz. These guys are immature off-court, but they're young and probably be influenced in a positive way with Bron.

 

If Nike is paying more than the NBA then maybe the NBA should pay more. Lebron could sell shoes no matter where he goes. If all the players movement are controlled by shoe companies why did PG stay in OKC?

 

Well its wrong, NBA should have no control over shoe companies.

NBA players are free men, if they want to be influenced by shoe companies then they should be able to do it. Nobody is holding a gun to Lebron's head and telling him to go to LA, its his own choice to do so. Maybe Nike encouraged him with more $$$, but its still his choice in the end see Cp3 who reupped with Houston. Thats why its called free agency they are free to sign based on their own agenda.

 

Or maybe he just prefers living in LA. Lebron is world-famous regardless of where he is, and Nike already has him on a lifetime contract. He can go wherever he wants and still get his money.

 

Winning and selling shoes are directly correlated. Him being in LA and not winning won't sell a ton more shoes. LA fans will destroy Lebron and feel vindicated about Kobe being better all along in their opinion. Winning and having good designs, and good marketing is what will sell shoes. The Lebron 15 is finally a shoe without ridiculous straps that the masses loved. It is extremely successful and has a ton of great and unique color ways (Griffey, Orange Box, Etc did very well). The number of rings he has is what will determine his ability to sell shoes beyond retirement. I think this is more about him and Maverick's aspirations to enter into other business ventures in the LA area, not so much about shoes. He will sell shoes regardless.

 

You are stupid and a bad parent if you look to nba stars as role models. Period.

It is what it is, there is a reason it is about the brand and bottom line $ as opposed to competing. Very much an us vs the evil white owner, take as much without respecting fair play, dont care about purity of the sport etc. That drives its popularity over the past decade.

 

The NBA needs to be in cities that are large markets and "destinations" that can attract free agents equally. right now there are nearly 10 teams that just can't compete for superstar talent on an open market. shoe companies and players themselves will always prefer the large market and the "destination city." The hierarchy is always:

TIER 1:
LA, NY, miami, and boston. chicago and golden state historically depend on who's running the team to determine if they are tier 1. used to be chicago and not GS, now its flipped since the bulls front office has been crappy and golden state's is highly respected.

TIER 2:
philly, phoenix, portland, washington, houston, and the spurs only because of RC and pop, once those guys are gone they are maybe tier 3 at best. superstar talent will come here but only if their chances of winning are better than a tier 1 option.

TIER 3:
tier 3 teams can probably retain their own stars like dallas, denver, indiana, new orleans, toronto, and OKC (mostly a team culture thing that wont last once front office management changes).

TIER 4
doesn't really have a chance. atlanta, charlotte, cleveland (forget the lebron years they were never relevant before him and will never be relevant again), detroit, memphis, milwaukee, minnesota, orlando, sacramento, and utah

the NBA can do 2 things:
1- relocate to destination cities. memphis, charlotte, and minnesota really need to be seattle, las vegas, and san diego. they would all jump from tier 4 to tier 2.
2- allow the home team to pay more, in order to match the money lost on shoe deals. like if the home team can pay $45M+ but the new team can only offer $35 you might keep your star. if you draft well and manage your cap, you might be able to keep/afford 2 stars without paying the tax. this is the only way the remaining tier 3 and 4 destinations can stay competitive.

 

I'm typically on the side of it being a free market, and these are professionals.

However if I'm an NBA owner this is clearly an issue effecting competitive balance. What's the point of any caps if the shoe deals (or endorsement deals in general) effectively give other teams more money to spend. With every star in the league slowly congregating in a very small group of large markets, the other 2/3 of the league will continue to get marginalized even more so than they already are.

It's still not hurting the league right now, but if this continues it will be catastrophic. They may as well be like soccer in England. A few teams that actually compete for things, and everybody else that just enjoys the privilege of being in the league.

 

If owners are willing to get rid of both max salary and max years, then the money players will have to leave on the table becomes bigger. If 30 billionaires can't out bid a shoe company then there's a problem.

 

When it comes to selling shoes ,Historians might agree that it had started with this guy

 

Should they be able to Influence? Yes
Should they influence? No

IT does not help the game.

Rocket River