When did they ever have only 28 teams? Before expanding into Canada with the Grizz and Raptors, there was 27 teams. Then, in 2005, they added the Bobcats to make 30 teams. I agree about the Clippers though. Either get rid of them or relocate them. With the exception of two seasons ago, they've always been horrible. There's no point in having a team taking a few good pieces when they're always losing.
The talent pool still isn't what it was in the early 90s. Contraction will never happen until multiple teams file Chapter 11, but it would improve the game overall. The biggest problem with expansion is that fan interest just isn't there. The NBA popularity has been steadily sinking post Jordan and there are already too many teams that can't draw a steady home crowd (Hornets in NO, Nets, Orl, Mem, etc). The NHL made the mistake of thinking corporate sponsor dollars meant a city would be a great expansion home. They over-expanded and imploded. Kenny Smith's European division idea is just plain stupid, and if you search for that thread, you'll see all the reasons why. In short, look at the failure in Vancouver (and near failure in Toronto pre-Colangelo) and you'll see why. It would be a disaster on an unreal scale. Sending the NBDL over there makes a lot more sense. If I were commish, I'd contract Memphis and Charlotte, would have never let the Hornets back to K-Ville (nice PR story, terrible business decision), lean on the Nets to get into Brooklyn sooner.. Evan
If the NBA expands, the talent level will deteriorate to the point that top ranked high school teams could beat them.
Hmmm...looks like you're correct. For some reason, I thought there were 28 teams for awhile. I still think 28 teams would be a perfect number. Four division with 7 teams each...
there is more going on behind the scenes than you know. the clippers are one of the most successfull teams in league history when it comes to making money. teams usually make money most years, lose money some, etc... each year for the past 30 years the clippers are among the most profitable teams in sports. that doesn't excite the fans, but it sure as hell excites the league. at the end of the day, this is a business. and as far as the nba can see, the clippers have been just as successfull as the spurs, bulls, lakers, or celtics.
Talk about relocation, New Jersey is going to Brooklyn Seattle is on it's way out New Orleans might be out Atlanta is garbage just scrap them Clippers don't belong in L.A Some of these teams could actually benefit by moving to small markets like Bay Area, Sacramento and Utah where the fans are so passionate and support their team regardless.
The dollar is crap compared to the Euro now. If you want to get paid, I'd sure as hell rather be drafted in Europe and get paid in Euros. But on the point of expansion, it isn't happening. Seattle is going to move in a few years. Shinn will flake out and move from New Orleans. Memphis looks like they could move. Sacramento is having problems getting a new arena deal and could also move. There's going to be lots of relocation but no new teams.
That just isn't true. The Canadian teams did fine. Even Vancouver was averaging really good attendance (more than the Memphis Grizzlies have since their move). It's just that when Heisley bought the team, he lied to the city and told them that he would stay and renew the arena lease. Then he left as soon as he could to Memphis because of free rent and a new arena sponsorship that he could make good money off of. He's just like Shinn, a money w**** who'll do anything to make some quick money. And now Heisley wants to sell because Memphis was an even worse basketball city than Vancouver. George Shinn did the same thing when he left Charlotte to go to New Orleans. And same with the Raptors. Their attendance is better than most NBA teams. Their problem has been TV deals since there isn't a local FSN to just sell coverage to so they have a hodgepodge of 5 networks covering at various times. Now that's finally changing since the Raptors have gotten really good. But either way, the Canadian teams did just fine. One got screwed by a greedy owner and the other is doing just fine financially.
I would say that a higher talent level on players just help tha nba to evaluate even more. Its good to have a deep pool with alot talented players for alot of reason: Number one scrub players that really dont belong to the NBA will get cut and forgotten. Number two the game itself will have a higher quality with this competition between players that we're now seing. To end this post I just want to add that this is exactly what NBA needs a higher talent level that will rise the game! Hope u guys understand what im meaning.
Professional sports always has and always will follow the money. It's the nature of the beast. I predict in twenty years China will dominate professional basketball and the NBA will be a bush league similar to Europe now.
I have a hard time envisioning your prediction. Alot of superstars will still be americans and do you really think they want to live in China?
In twenty years China will have the largest economy in the world. They already have the world's largest population. There are eight times as many Chinese people than there are Americans. That means that given time there will be eight times more professional quality basketball players in China than there will be in the United States. You ask, "Do you really think they (professional American basketball players) want to live in China?" Let me ask you, "If the money was right would you want to live in China?" Or maybe we should ask Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian the same question.
