s13driver
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Post by s13driver on Jan 16, 2013 22:33:29 GMT -5
So we all know that the situation in the NBA over the past couple years has been, for lack of a better work, annoying. Seeing all these superstar players leaving their original small market team to join a large market team seems to be the norm when it comes to free agency season. Over the past couple years we've seen some of the NBA's biggest stars change teams. Here's just a couple off the top of my head:
LeBron James to Miami
Chris Bosh to Miami
Carmelo Anthony to New York
Dwight Howard to LA Lakers
Steve Nash to LA Lakers
Chris Paul to LA Clippers
Now, everyone seems to be blaming the players for "selling out" or going mainstream. But I'm wondering if it's really their fault. I wonder how much of the problem lies with the media. The media seems to glorify these large market teams and everytime I go on NBA.com or ESPN.com or watch Sports Center or any sports channel for that matter, the only thing that they are talking about are the large market teams. The Heat, the Lakers, the Knicks, the Clippers. I can't even count on both hands, the number of times they discussed the "Lakers troubles" or the "Clippers winning streak". Why aren't they talking about the small market teams? The Bulls are doing amazing despite the fact that their star player has been out all season. The same can be said for the Pacers. Milwaukee Bucks have been impressive with their young roster and the development of Larry Sanders.
I'm just saying, I hate that the players aren't all to blame here. They see the media involvement and they see the attention that the large market teams get, so why wouldn't they want a piece of that??
What do you guys think?
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Post by the franchise on Jan 17, 2013 12:43:22 GMT -5
I don't consider the Bulls a small market team. Due to Jordan they are probably one of the most recognizable sport franchises of all time. To be fair to the Bucks they just aren't an interesting story. No one expects the Bucks to win anything. You look at the Lakers they are built to win it all. Now that they are playing terrible they have become an even bigger story. People are more likely to watch a story about Kobe and Dwight compared to Jennings and Larry Sanders. It also helps that three of the four teams you mentioned are at the top of the league this year. Everyone loves a winner.
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Post by T R W on Jan 17, 2013 16:31:38 GMT -5
There are two ways to get exposure.
1. Be in a large market
2. Have a superstar on the team
When Cleveland had Lebron, they were all over TV.
But just like baseball, basketball players are attracted to the large markets because the teams are able and willing to spend more, and it means more exposure, endorsements, and likely more shots at a ring than a small market.
And now thanks to what happened in Boston, the current trend is for superstars to try and group up in one place to try to win. It used to be you couldn't compete unless you had one superstar. Now you can barely compete with two. That's just the current trend these days, and it is unfortunate because I think it is awful for the NBA and the fans. If you aren't a fan of one of the super teams, then you aren't likely to win, or have exposure. And if you do have a franchise player, you are probably going to lose them when their first contract is up.
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Post by LA Times on Jan 17, 2013 18:29:16 GMT -5
All these superteams are going to kill the NBA in a few years. Why not just contract the league to 4 teams so all the superstars can play together?
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s13driver
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Post by s13driver on Jan 17, 2013 18:32:03 GMT -5
But even the teams that DO have superstars like OKC don't get the exposure they deserve. Granted, they do get some exposure but I'm thinking a majority of that is because they made it to the finals last year. They're the best team in the NBA right now with the best record and the media is STILL talking about the Lakers. Who Care!!?? The Lakers aren't even in the playoff berth right now, why are they being talked about?
The Spurs are playing great also, and Tim Duncan is playing OUT OF HIS MIND at the moment which is amazing considering he's a million years old. But yet again, Sports Center doesn't seem to care. It's just frustrating and annoying.
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Post by the franchise on Jan 17, 2013 20:15:33 GMT -5
It isn't like the Thunder or Spurs get a bunch of national tv games or anything.
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TheBadGuyChico
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Post by TheBadGuyChico on Jan 22, 2013 18:39:49 GMT -5
I feel your pain, i'm sick to death of hearing about the Lakers this year, atleast these other big market teams are winning. Talking about a lottery bound team all year is ridiculious no matter who is on the team. TRW is 100 percent on both points in his post.
1. Big market or superstar= tv coverage anything less= obscurity
2. You need a three headed dragon to win the title. When my Celtics came together back in 2007 it changed the entire NBA. Lebron went to Miami because he couldn't get past us, nobody could. Now almost every team has multiple franchise players.
I love it personally, but why wouldn't i? We raised a banner and are always in contention, even without Ray. Now we just gotta steal Josh Smith *evil laugh*
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Arthur Speaks
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Post by Arthur Speaks on Jan 23, 2013 23:07:28 GMT -5
Yeah, I hate it too. But what do you expect? Not only are they in large markets, but they have a three-headed dragon or simply put, players that sell. The Lakers have Bryant, Nash, and Howard. The Heat have James, Wade, Bosh, and now Allen. The Celtics have Pierce and Garnett. The Knicks have Anthony and Stoudemire. Even some teams in small markets have players that sell. The Thunder have Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka. The Spurs have Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli. Name recognition. That's what it's all about. Besides, you have to actually contend or no one will notice you. That's what the Thunder and Spurs do despite being small-market teams.
The Pacers? Granger, Hibbert, and Hansbrough. That doesn't sell.
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Post by cordless2016 on Jan 28, 2013 23:47:53 GMT -5
First of all, whoever says the Bulls are a small market have no clue what they are talking about. They are in the third largest city and market in the NBA and have a deep team that can still play well even with Rose out. Abut the topic...
Charles Barkley said it best back in 2010..."When Michael Jordan kept getting beat by the Pistons in the 80s, he didn't leave the Bulls to join them. He stayed until the Bulls were good enough to beat them."
The bottom line is that its a two way street. David Stern has been corrupt for years and has made it hard for small markets to keep their stars. On the other hand, Iagree with Charles Barkley that most of the players today have no respect for the game. Instead of being loyal to the teams that drafted and developed them, they whine and b**** until they get their way and expect to be handed titles.
Hell, years before he was even a free agent, Lebron was talking about other teams he could join. He had no loyalty to the Cavs. Now granted the Cavs put a crap team around him. But the fact that Lebron, Wade, and Bosh all talked about playing together on a team after the 08 olympics showed they knew what they were doing for years and broke the NBA rule of not talking to others teams while under contract. There is a reason the Heat tanked for 2.5 years and were dumping salary like crazy. And after joining, Lebron said they'd win atleast 7 titles, and they acted like they were entitled to win the championship.
Deron Williams is another example of a selfish player who has no respect for the game. He got fed up in Utah even though the system was built for him, and got Jerry Sloan to resign after being w/ the Jazz for nearly 20 years. Deron goes to the Nets, and when Avery Johnson's system isn't benefitting him and he is struggling, Williams forced Johnson out as well. The guy blames everyone but himself for not playing up to expectations.
Melo and Howard pulled similar crap, as they flat out told the media they were not going to sign extensions with certain teams, which limited where their current teams could trade them. After b****ing forever, they got their way and went to where they wanted to instead of letting their old teams find the best deal possible for them.
Chris Paul cannot really be put in the same category as the others guys listed. He never begged to get outta New Orleans, and never complained about how things were going. New Orleans was going no where fast, and Paul decided not to sign an extension there because it was a bad market with literally no fan base. The Hornets were the ones who initiated trade talks, no Paul.
So after going through these guys, its like Barkley said. The players have no respect for the game and no loyalty to the teams that drafted them. David Stern has also made it hard for smaller market teams to be competitive and keep their stars for long, so we see constant roster turnovers from them.
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