My apologies if there is a thread for this. I can't seem to search the forums. I'd like to get clutchfans thoughts on what the new CBA might look like and what (if anything) can be done to balance the strength of the franchises despite the market they're in. It seems the trend now is for superstars/allstars in their prime to leave their team for a "bigger" market for more money and an easier shot at a title. I just heard on Mike & Mike ESPN that D.Howard is already looking to bigger markets like LA. As a middle/upper market area like Houston, this use to not affect us as much but it seems the trend is more pronounced now. The way I see it, the process now goes like this: 1) Bad teams get high draft picks & draft their franchise/all star players...or mediocre teams get lucky in the draft/get a franchise player. 2) They develop their young talent and get better (10-6 seed), and IF that talent develops into a superstar that star those stars then go to a bigger market with other superstars and a larger fan base to play for a better shot at a title. Unless there are 60-90 super/all stars coming up in the next 5 years, there aren't enough for every franchise to have 2 or 3 studs. Seems like franchises that have the advantage of getting superstar players are 1) ones that already have a superstar and are deep in title contention 2) in big markets 3) ones that have exceptionally run Front Offices and well coached. Only the last one can an organization control. Moving into this rebuilding process, I'm wondering how do the Rockets compete? Even if we draft a Star, how do you keep him? How would a franchise tag really work and impact the current powerhouse markets? There are studs like Yao, Duncan, Dirk, and K.D (the only young stud) who seem loyal to the teams that drafted them, and right now OKC is my last vestige of hope that a small market can break the trend. But is there anyway in the new CBA to level the playing field more? Otherwise I'm going to lose interest watching a league constantly owned by 5-8 teams. What are you thoughts on rules in the new CBA that could address this problem? Or do you even think this is a real problem?
Your three factors are wrong. This isn't a real problem, it's just another media-hyped frenzy. 1. Miami didn't have any superstars (Wade was unrestricted FA) nor were they title contenders. 2. Miami isn't a big market. 3. Miami had a rookie head coach.
A franchise tag would make it alot tougher to acquire a superstar in a trade (for ahem..assets) or free agency since a team can just keep the tag on a player basically the rox would be forced to draft a star or try and lure a FA from a team with multiple stars like westbrook from a team capped out and no way howard goes to the lakers, even if he wants too...they have 90 mil already commited for the 12-13 season and almost all unmovable
Your three factors are wrong. This isn't a real problem, it's just another media-hyped frenzy. 1. Miami didn't have any superstars (Wade was unrestricted FA) nor were they title contenders. 2. Miami isn't a big market. If Miami is a considered a big market then Houston is New York. 3. Miami had a rookie head coach.
And you're on the opposite side of the spectrum. I think it's somewhere in the middle. Bigger markets are always going to be a lure for some type of players. But there are Duncans and Durants out there. Still teams should be able to at leaast protect one player from the dog eating wars.
Yes there are the Duncans, Durants, LeBrons, Wades, Boshes, Dirks, Nashes, and others who are fine with not playing in big markets, that is if you consider us to not be a big market like you do.
People should stop buying into this Talk radio b.s. The state of the NBA is the same as it ever was. Trust me. During the eighties you basically had 3 teams that could win a title, Boston, L.A. and Philly during the early eighties and then Boston, L.A., and Detroit during the late eighties. We know who dominated the nineties, and so on. Players migrate to teams that have a chance to win and where the money is. It just so happened you had a unique situation this year because so many great players where free agents and three colluded to go to Miami, a small market team BTW. You have an even more uneven situation in Baseball but nobody is crying or complaining that it is "ruining the game" Ultimately a team is succesful because the front office makes good moves combined with good luck. NY is the biggest Market in the world but yet the Knicks have sucked for almost a decade. Why? The front office has been run by a bunch of morons.
Shaq did the same thing in '96 when he went to LA Mo went to Philly in '82 Shaq did it again in '04 when he went to Miami Magic forced his way to LA in '79 Kobe forced his way to LA in '96 Don't fall for this talk show bs, its the same as it ever was
I don't know how I feel about a franchise tag. I like the fact that small market teams can keep their superstars but I don't like the fact that it makes it tougher for superstar trades and signings. Most superstar trades are made because players have the leverage to walk away from their teams. It really removes the power from the players hands. The draft would be the best way to acquire a superstar. I would also worry about the quality of teams after a franchise tag is implemented. As it is now, superstar players demand their GM's and owners to improve their team for championship contention. In effect, we get really good teams with really good players. This high level of competition makes the play-offs extremely entertaining and competitive. I think I would prefer a balance between small market leverage and player control. I think the drafting team should have the ability to offer players contract deals that are SIGNIFICANTLY better than the rest of the league. Such as offering a max deal with max money and max years to Lebron for $250Mil at $25MIl for 10 years from Cleveland vs. free agency giving him $80MIL over 5 years. If Lebron really wants to win and hates his situation, he will sacrifice his money. This could backfire on a team as well. The team could committ max money and years to a player that isn't particularily good. This opens up trade possibilites. I also think small market teams should be compensated with draft picks for losing a superstar. But what system would be in place to classify players as superstars?
Two of the best players in the world just took a pay cut so they could play for a small market team. I fail to see a problem here.
Miami has 3 of the best players in the game compared to last year when 3 teams had their own superstar. 2 small market teams get destroyed in the process. They took a small pay cut to play with an established superstar that was there already. Why go to Miami if not for Wade being there?
Do what the OKC Thunder did if you're a small market team. Suck for about 6 years and make the playoffs twice in 12 yrs, eventually you'll hit a homerun wit ha couple of high draft picks and the rest will come into place
Uhhhm...Toronto sucked with Bosh, so no change there. Miami and Cleveland are small markets, so in essence two small market franchises traded their fortunes. One went from a 55-60+ win contender to a lottery team and the other went from a mediocre/lottery team to a 55-60+ win contender. So after all the moaning and histrionics about haves and have nots, the balance of power has basically not changed BTW, Cleveland and Toronto will always have the draft next year
"Can a new CBA level the playing field" ie. punish the teams with the most money and most talent and give artificial advantages to the crappy teams to force the league to be competitive.
Don't you want your team to be competitive? What if the Rockets become the timberwolves? We don't need money but what if we can't acquire talent through a high pick?
The spurs situation and the "Tim Duncan" contract blows all these stupid ideas out the water. Duncan has never signed for more than 4 yrs and during his glorious prime, it kept the pressure on mgmt to draft and work the free agent market well. They couldve let Robinson walk earlier or traded him,but Duncan contract was coming up. The yr before manu free agent yr, they made sure they didnt have the Arenas/boozer fiasco. They traded some decent players and positioned themselves to match manu's contract offer. They held on to Parker and watched him develop vs traded him for Kidd. Smaller markets can thrive and hold on to their best players if theyre smart.The bucls were in the conf finals and wouldve had a good run until they broke up their trio and overpaid for tim thomas off the bench. Every team doesnt deserve a title shot or great players. This is nothing new or need fixing imo.
Huh??? The Lakers selected Magic with the first pick of the entire draft. The draft pick that they used to select Magic came to them prior to the '76 season as compensation for the Jazz signing Gail Goodrich. How did Magic "force" his way to LA?
I agree Spurs management is extremely smart but it also takes a special player for this situation to work. Duncan worked his contracts like a pro. Duncan and Yao type players are extremely loyal and put pressue on their teams to get better. Other players, regardless of great management, good teammates, good coach, and a good city still want to leave. Bosh didn't want anything to do with Toronto. Melo was wet for NY all long. Deron drove a great coach of Utah, although he didn't want to be moved to Nj, he wasn't going to stay. Chris Paul wants NY and now Howard is talking about LA. These players aren't grateful to be in the league like previous stars. These players chase markets, legacies, and other superstars. I don't agree that a CBA is necessary but that's how I feel about player movement.
Cleveland and Toronto are garbage franchises and always will be. Look what Lebron and Bosh left behind, nothing of value. For gods sake, Toronto's glory days came with Antonio Davis as one of their top players. Going to Miami had nothing to do with Wade being there, you know why it happened? Because Miami was the only team with cap space! This isn't rocket science. The NBA has a good system in place to promote competitiveness. The only teams in the last decade that have been noncompetitive are NY, MEM, GS, LAC, TOR. What do these teams have in common? Everyone agrees that they have horrible management. Basically, if you fail to keep your stars, it is always because you failed as management. Btw Deron Williams had no problem playing for Utah, you're just making things up now.
