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The Legacy of today's Free Agency system. Is it good for the NBA?

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by TheresTheDagger, Jul 4, 2016.

  1. TheresTheDagger

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    Free agency has changed the face of the NBA. There is no question about it. The Lebron "Decision" in 2010 marked a moment in time that changed the face of team building in the NBA and essentially moved a great deal of the power away from individual organizations and toward superstar players. One or two players can (in effect) change the balance of power in the league for years... potentially up to a decade.

    Obviously, this move has been beneficial to the players who make more money and are in control of their own destiny.

    However, my question for discussion are:

    Is this good for the NBA long term?
    Is this good for fans? Do you as a fan like the current system of free agency?

    Looking to hear opinions.
     
  2. Ultimateian

    Ultimateian Member

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    Once players are allowed to globtrot, eventually teams will globetrot too.
     
  3. conquistador#11

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    Back in the golden years, when players were men, if you didn't like a ninja turtle that wouldn't pass you the ball, you'd take up with management. fake an injury, demand a trade but you'd never turn coat in your PRIME. that's whack.

    it's bad enough we got 90% warriors coverage. Now it's going to be 100%.
     
  4. digitallinh

    digitallinh Member

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    It has less to do with anything the NBA is doing and more to do with how our society is changing.

    Blame the internet, mobile communication, group texts. The ability for players to be marketable in places like OKC. The ability for players to be in constant communication, build friendships... Warriors players have been talking to Durant for the entire last year. It makes a difference.

    Blame the fact superstars make a boatload more money outside of the NBA than in it, no matter what market you're in, it means teams have less leverage, players have more.

    The world is changing. And I believe it's great for the fans. Thanks to the Internet and generally more interconnectivity, we aren't tied to one city, we can be fans of multiple cities and teams. You don't even have to live there to be a full fledged fan.
     
  5. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    Today's???

    You mean vs the 60's when Red Auerbach won 11 rings
     
  6. chandlerbang21

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    Teams have general managers that are paid to build competitive teams and within the rules. The CBA is structured to give home teams advantage by paying more money. Players have freedom of movement and salary cap has increased allowing easier player movement.

    The system works and putting together winning teams depends on players having fun and winning. Case closed
     
  7. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    TV viewership and revenue have been going up since LeBron moved to Miami. Not that the FA moves are the main thing driving the increase, but the system sure doesn't seem to be killing the cash cow.
     
  8. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

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    Great for fairweathers that jumps ship every year
     
  9. BigDog63

    BigDog63 Member

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    The 'build friendships' part is definitely new, and not to the benefit of the league(s), IMHO. Players on competing teams used to HATE each other, and that spurred interest in them playing. Moving to play for your rival was absolutely unthinkable then...they'd die first. That is what has changed.

    Think OKC is thinking that just now? I see your point, but I don't follow players, I follow teams. And all this friendship bs works against that.

    That's true, but not sure how that connects with the FA moving thing. You could follow any team before. Heck, NONE of them used to be on TV.
     
  10. Ariza4MVP

    Ariza4MVP Member

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    blame the system. if there were no max contracts, elite players would take up over half the salary cap. star players teaming up would be much more difficult.
     
  11. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    This. Hardcore fans hate franchise players jumping ship. It takes away the rivalry aspect of the game.

    You want to love your team's star and hate the other team's star. That's the fun of following a team and hating on its rivals.
     
  12. BigDog63

    BigDog63 Member

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    Nope. All the leagues have been chasing the casual fans for years. The casual fans will probably be more interested in watching the Warriors next year. I'm not sure any hard care fan (except of the Warriors) will. I have no interest in watching them play next year. Why should I? But millions of people will.

    At some point all the leagues working against their 'true' fans has to reach a tipping point. Not sure when that is, but when they reach it, it will be a long, hard, fall. Baseball came really close in their last strike year...and it took a long time (and juicing) to bring the fans back. It was the #1 sport then, though, and now it's battling...hockey? Definitely behind football and basketball.
     
  13. TheresTheDagger

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    True. But without it, we get the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox situation. The team with the richest owner....Wins.
     
  14. BigDog63

    BigDog63 Member

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    You can have a salary cap without max contracts.
     
  15. vcchlw

    vcchlw Contributing Member

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    We are living in an era during which it's ok for a player to lead 10 different teams to championships throughout his career. This hypothetical player will probably be considered GOAT more so than Bill Russell who led one team to 11 championships or Michael Jordan who had 6 with one team.
     
  16. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    Their is leading and then there is coattail riding

    Rocket River
     
  17. Major

    Major Member

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    Players are and always have been best friends off the court even when competing on the court. You all are romanticizing a past era that didn't exist. As an example, Jordan and Barkley were best of friends.
     
  18. digitallinh

    digitallinh Member

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    Well, the thing is sure you could follow teams before, but you didn't get to watch all their games and read all their news like you do today. There's literally no cost for the player in terms of his fan base to leave the city he became popular in.
     
  19. digitallinh

    digitallinh Member

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    I do agree that players were always friends off the court before but I think I was reading they included Durant in certain group texts last year, which is an entirely different level of communication.
     
  20. digitallinh

    digitallinh Member

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    It's amazing to me. I grew up in an era where all I had was the Houston chronicle to tell me what's going on, I became a fan almost by default.

    Now I get to pick the most entertaining team to follow, and it changes every year. Keeps it totally fresh and worth following, especially when the team whose city you happen to live in isn't very good ie not entertaining.
     

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