If all the players said they wanted to come to Houston, we'd all be saying how we're an "attractive" free agent destination, we put for the effort toward contending every year, we have a first class organization respected around the league, low taxes and why WOULDNT they want to come here... Its college basketball style in the NBA where all the recruits can pile into one spot. Or high school ball before that where players do the same thing. Not surprising to see a continuation of that approach in the NBA.Still, it cheats the fans and paying customer fan base who value a certain brand of loyalty. As long as free agency exists, there's always going to be players switching organizations. If they chose the bright lights and big city and the big city can offer it, good for both sides. BUT, they have to get rid of the unfair advantage that certain teams have (no NY Yankees of the NBA). And yes, they have to get rid of some of the player leverage that holds teams hostage (the sign & trade). I don't want the players to become indentured servants just so we can "stick it to those spoiled brats". But we cant let them superfriend it up either.
that's why people on this board are crazy if they think the rockets can build a contender with a bunch of role players.
You can, but if you do, they better be like the 2004 Pistons. Out of their 5 starters, 3-4 of them were good two-way players.
But would there be some sort of compensation if a team was willing to make an offer to sign? Nice thing about it though is the player's original team could match any offer.
Here's a post from realgm that sums up everything . Prop wrote: so basically what it comes down to is this... great players should stick with their teams and be "the man" of a loser franchise in the HOPES that ownership and management builds a great team around them (if they already haven't). demanding trades and degrading teammates is cool in this case. once they've wasted their prime years being the man and not winning, it is completely acceptable to decide to go play with other great players, as long as they've surpassed the arbitrarily set minimum "ring chasing" age. but if a player is fortunate enough to get drafted into a great situation with HOF teammates and coaches and they stay with that team, that player is a noble soul worthy of most lofty praise. however, if you're a great player you cannot choose to play with other great players. top level free agents should not have the power to join forces and give themselves a legitimate shot at contending for titles. great players can have good teammates as long as they aren't that good and as long as their gm wheeled and dealed for them. willingly creating a "superteam" proves you're not competitive...but that only applies to the guys changing teams. the player who is already there is a true warrior with fire in his eyes and strife in his heart.
What a garbage story. That tweet is already deleted and now they are backtracking. http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/14712636/nets-reportedly-back-in-on-melo-after-dolan-jumps-in So basically, about a year ago, Deron was SUPPOSEDLY telling unknown sources that he would follow Amare should he end up in NY. Who knows if that's true, but Deron has NOT told anyone recently that his sights are set on NY. I personally think Deron will go to Dallas in 2012, but he's still not stupid enough to declare that publicly right now. Just another example of NY media at its finest.
Miami is one of the favorite (if not the #1 favorite) road city for NBA players. Plus it had Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade there to attact LeBron and Bosh. If Riles and Wade weren't there, the Heat would be roughly equivalent to the Cavs.
But people are saying players only got to big market towns(LAL, NY), Miami isn't a big market team, it's a team that is managed and coached well, and is willing to do anything to win. If Lebron wanted to be on big market team, he would of went to NY, but he wanted to win, so he joined a team, with the best shot to win. Players will go to teams, with the best shot at winning, and that's how it will work.
And that's how it should work. Look guys, as far as competitive basketball nothing has changed. The league hasn't been competitive since the 80s. Each year we have a handful of superteams that can win and tons of other teams with no shot. The only difference is past teams were built by GMs, usually by tanking and ripping other teams off in trades. The new breed got smart and realized it makes no sense to spend half your career surrounded by crap when you can have help and win. The only difference is that the players choose where to go...which is their rights as free agents. But please stop crying that "superfriends" is BS when I have seen teams like the 80s Lakers/Celtics/Pistons, the 90s Bulls or the current Celtics that landed KG and Allen in one summer. These new teams, like Miami, aren't any more stacked than those teams were.* The only thing that has changed is players woke up....
In a way, yes, free agency is bad for the league. I don't care if it's fair to the players. As fans, I don't want players deciding where they want to play. That kills competition.
But it's fair for players to be traded at whim by GM's, and teams gutted to tank by GM's, leaving there star player with no hope to win? Players are people too, that have rights, and just like us, have laws to protect them in the workplace, and the ability to work where they wants. Cannot have a league of player slaves, where only GM's decide where you play. Imagine being a young player, knowing you could start, but being stuck on the bench, playing 2-3 minutes a game. But you cannot do anything, as GM's control's you life, so you will be stuck on the bench until the GM trades you, as there is no free agency.
Don't give me that crap pretending that players are normal workers. Oh yeah, they are slaves. Let me break the news to you. Players have guaranteed contracts paying them money more than 99% of the population can make for their whole life. They continue to get pay through the contract period even if they grossly underperform. How many people can get paid millions of dollar without having to be accountable for their job performance.
Making a lot of money, means you have to lose your rights in the workplace, and all laws that protect you? Wow, that's pretty extreme. Also, they are accountable for there job performance, as when there contracts expire, they will not get another one, and could find themselves out of the league. Also, most NBA players only last about 3-4 years anyway, and a lot don't have great job prospects outside of the NAB, and they will not see that kind of money again in there life.
