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Lockout!!!

Catchall said:
So what are teams like Phoenix (who lost Amare for nothing), Denver (who lost Carmello Anthony), Toronto (who got nothing in return for Chris Bosh), and Cleveland (who got nothing for Lebron and instead got dissed on national television) supposed to do? How are those teams supposed to compete, and how are they supposed to fill their seats when fans want to see a winning product? I think that as much as smaller market teams want a strong share of BRI, those teams are just as motivated to try to gain some semblance of control over the market for free agents. Why? Because they keep getting screwed by players who want to rule the world. I think this is the gist of the conflict and why the superstars, executive "committee", lawyers, and agents shot down the proposal without letting the rank-and-file players vote.
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Fixed.

Further credence to the notion that the journeymen aren't involved in the process.

BTW, cool essay, bro (from one who has a tendency to write them :p ...).

The number of non-big-market teams who lost big players is a good point that you mentioned. Phoenix is a relatively big city, but they still had a hard time holding on to Amare, and Denver is a somewhat fun and hip city, too, but not good enough for the Syracuse punk. More understandable that so many owners were pushing for more parity.
 
carolinajazz said:
....I thought so too, especially the observation that there's definitely racial overtones to this lockout/negotiations that are being overlooked! This is much more than about money, a new system, etc. It involves, as I've pointed out...the "hip hop" culture to a very large degree! With the exception of Michael Jordan, how many of these owners do you think have any "rap" songs in their IPODS???...
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probably at least one, since Jay Z is co-owner of the Nets...


so Jordan's not even the only black owner either, fwiw
 
InGameStrategy said:
Fixed.

Further credence to the notion that the journeymen aren't involved in the process.

BTW, cool essay, bro (from one who has a tendency to write them :p ...).

The number of non-big-market teams who lost big players is a good point that you mentioned. Phoenix is a relatively big city, but they still had a hard time holding on to Amare, and Denver is a somewhat fun and hip city, too, but not good enough for the Syracuse punk. More understandable that so many owners were pushing for more parity.
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Carmello was born and raised in NYC. His wife works in NYC. Do you really blame him for wanting to play in NYC?
 
Cyrone Torbin said:
Carmello was born and raised in NYC. His wife works in NYC. Do you really blame him for wanting to play in NYC?
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No; just that he held a team hostage in doing so. #MeloRule
https://www.hoopsworld.com/carmelo-anthony-proud-of-the-melo-rule/
That's why these players get paid the big bucks. And they get 3, 4, or 5 months off per year, during which time they can live wherever they want.

In fairness, some have argued that Denver got the better end of this deal [kind of like D-Will's tantrum trade probably helped Utah].
https://uponfurtherreview.kansascity.com/?q=node/2968

But it doesn't really add to the game that superstars whine so much about being in small-market cities ("The Decision", anyone?)--and that's probably why there is such a contingent of owners to make player movement be so strict. Agents and superstars don't like restricted player movement because big-ticket players can make more money in big markets, and because more freedom in player movement helps players get the best deal (-> highest commissions).

Ironically, though, players and agents alike will be hard-pressed to recuperate the losses from this year.
 
If racial or "hip hop" issues are holding up the talks, it will be brought out in court and the owners would be destroyed. I find that argument ridiculous myself, Jordan is probably the biggest owner trying to screw the players. Not to mention Euro and Chinese owners are loving the chance to get guys like JR Smith for millions a year.
 
It's not so much about the players whining or small market teams being screwed. It's about the fact that these superstar players, along with the agents who are often their puppet masters, have begun to control aspects of the game that are supposed to be the domain of owners, GMs, and coaches. This is the biggest issue in this lockout and most of the demands by the owners seem designed to directly or indirectly counter this.

See, the scariest thing about last year's Decision was not that Miami put together a superteam, but that LeBron put together a superteam. The owners perhaps don't want to come out and say this outright for fear of further infuriating the players, but this is a major driving force behind their actions. What LeBron and co. did, and Carmelo and Paul are trying to do, isn't good for anyone. It's not good for most teams that their GMs and coaches are being undermined by players who are plotting their own exits, nor is it actually good for teams like the Heat or the Knicks.

Lost in all the hoopla over the Decision was the possibility that it was not exactly what the Heat brass wanted. The addition of Bosh made little sense to many people, and for a good reason. For the money they're paying him, they could have gotten two players who would help them out much more. For 15 million, one can have both Paul Millsap and Raymond Felton in this league. Not saying those players were available to Miami to sign or trade for, but it's an example of talent available at 7-8 million a year. The Heat had no choice though, because the Superfriends offered themselves up as a package. LeBron would have likely not taken his talents to South Beach if the Heat politely passed on Bosh. The Heat had to either take what was offered or deal with the fallout of a situation where they refused Bosh and LeBron. You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. This is why Micky Arison has been talking trash on Twitter. If the league institute a hard cap or severely limit loopholes such as the MLE, he's basically screwed. The current Heat team is too flawed to expect them to consistently make the Finals, and if his room to maneuver is cut out from under him, he's going to be stuck with a good but not great team of three superstars in their early 30s who are taking up most of the available salary together.
 
Cyrone Torbin said:
https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2011/11/post_37.html

Says if the lockout is still happening during the next draft, HS Seniors may be able to enter draft if they also file a lawsuit challenging the one and done rule.
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Hard to keep up with all this silliness. No players union, no CBA, HS seniors 'suing' for entry into what??? So they compromise their collegiate eligibility because they 'can.' Then, the CBA gets inked, a 2andthru rule gets implemented, and they sit for two years .. or go over seas. I think the media just needs worthless stories to make up for the lack of ... an NBA.

Obviously no offense Cy .. thanks for sharing.
 
JimLes said:
He was raised in Baltimore, FWIW.
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carmello-wb.jpg

(West Baltimore)
 
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