Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

[phenom1990]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

In the NFL your market size doesn't matter that much because local media contracts are not significant because they only deal with radio and preseason games. Also in the NFL, it basically doesn't matter whether your team is good or not because every team makes money and every team basically sells out due to the blackout rules for local markets. The NBA and other sports would be better off increasing revenue sharing to solve issues than continuing to restructure the CBA.

[BlueNGold]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

I love when people think other leagues can become such a powerhouse like the NFL, as if that's something that can just happen overnight.

Honestly, when you compare the NBA amongst the other major sports leagues, they're looking surprisingly good. They have the most talent they've had throughout the league since the Jordan era, strong teams in the "big markets", budding rivalries, marketable stars, etc. And I can't really speak about baseball, but the NFL has that whole concussion epidemic (as does the NHL to a somewhat lesser extent) going on and the NHL is going through it's fourth lockout in the past 20 years. If you ask me, right now the NBA is in a really good position.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

We know it's not about large markets per sa, but it's about glamour teams. That get all the media coverage or are nice places to live.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the lack of parity. Max contracts, lack of hard cap, season length, best of 7 playoff series being the major ones.

[phenom1990]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

We know it's not about large markets per sa, but it's about glamour teams. That get all the media coverage or are nice places to live.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the lack of parity. Max contracts, lack of hard cap, season length, best of 7 playoff series being the major ones.

How does season length contribute to the lack of parity? And if a best of 7 contributes to a lack of parity... I'll take a best of 7.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

How does season length contribute to the lack of parity? And if a best of 7 contributes to a lack of parity... I'll take a best of 7.

Because the season is so long you spend the majority of your time in that area. If a season is 5 months as opposed to 8 months that's factors in to where you want to live. Notice you hardly hear football players talk about cities as a big factor(if a factor at all) when choosing teams as FA's. If it was every player would bolt out of GB and Buffalo. There's little time to get away for advertising money which is where a bulk of pro athletes make there money.

The more games you play the less likely there is going to be an upset. So the better team usually always wins. So if you want to chase titles it makes sense to form a super team because a best of 7 series creates such large area for error they are almost always going to win. In a best of 3 or 5 series you would see more upsets there for less dynasties. If these super teams aren't slam dunks to make it guys wouldn't rush to form them so quickly. Especially at the expense of losing popularity.

[phenom1990]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

Because the season is so long you spend the majority of your time in that area. If a season is 5 months as opposed to 8 months that's factors in to where you want to live. Notice you hardly hear football players talk about cities as a big factor(if a factor at all) when choosing teams as FA's. If it was every player would bolt out of GB and Buffalo. There's little time to get away for advertising money which is where a bulk of pro athletes make there money.

The more games you play the less likely there is going to be an upset. So the better team usually always wins. So if you want to chase titles it makes sense to form a super team because a best of 7 series creates such large area for error they are almost always going to win. In a best of 3 or 5 series you would see more upsets there for less dynasties. If these super teams aren't slam dunks to make it guys wouldn't rush to form them so quickly. Especially at the expense of losing popularity.

Money is money. Baseball plays 162 games and hockey plays 82 games. They both produce a variety of champions. There isn't a large margin of error in a best of 7 series. The only thing close is the 1st round because of the difference between a 1 and an 8 seed. But there has been 3 # 8 seeds to beat a 1 seed since the 1st round went to a best of 7 ( If you don't want to count the Bulls losing this past year then 2).

If you're telling me that the flaw of a best of 7 series in the NBA is that it produces the best team, I don't know what the problem is.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

I mean, the Bucks have had a winning record 60% of the time since the late 70's, and even recently, most experts thought the Bucks and Bulls were going to battle for the division before the Bucks entire team got injured. Even then, they've been just outside of the playoffs basically every year when they haven't made the playoffs.

Yeah, they haven't really landed a legit franchise player, but they've been a competitive team basically every year.

[TheLetterZ]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

Yeah, but you have to wonder why the same teams are horrible almost every year. Before Lebron and now after Lebron , Cleveland has not impressed anyone. Charlotte bobcats have always been terrible. The Bucks and T'Wolves have been horrible for a LONG time. Phoenix has not been spectacular in recent years. The wizards since changing their name from the Bullets.

The same teams, LA Lakers, San Antonio, Miami, and maybe a select couple others are favorites to win it every single year.

The same teams are horrible almost every year because their front offices consistently make terrible decisions.

And it's not like the big market teams are always succeeding.

There are six NBA teams in metropolitan areas of eight million people or greater: the Knicks, Nets, Lakers, Clippers, Bulls, and Wizards.

The Lakers are the only one of those six teams who have been consistently successful over the last decade and a half.

Not only haven't those other teams been successful, but they've usually been TERRIBLE.

[JerzeyReign]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

I thought market value determined whether or not a team was a large or small market club, not city population size. Oh, silly me.

[SteelersFreak]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

For as bad as Charlotte is now, they were just in the playoffs three years ago.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

For as bad as Charlotte is now, they were just in the playoffs three years ago.

Same with Milwaukee. They've been predicted to be a playoff team the past 3 or 4 years.

At the end of the day, it's not so much the being a solid team that's difficult for the smaller/less desireable markets as much as it's difficulties landing a franchise player.

The T'Wolves have Kevin Love now, who could be a franchise player. Bucks have Jennings/Ellis/Ilyasova (who knows what will happen with them), Bobcats are hoping Kidd-Gilchrist might be the guy, etc.

Personally, I think Jennings would actually like to stay in Milwaukee if we end up paying him, but we'll see. That alone is a step in the right direction for Milwaukee.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

Money is money. Baseball plays 162 games and hockey plays 82 games. They both produce a variety of champions. There isn't a large margin of error in a best of 7 series. The only thing close is the 1st round because of the difference between a 1 and an 8 seed. But there has been 3 # 8 seeds to beat a 1 seed since the 1st round went to a best of 7 ( If you don't want to count the Bulls losing this past year then 2).

If you're telling me that the flaw of a best of 7 series in the NBA is that it produces the best team, I don't know what the problem is.

I guess "large" is subjective. But it's significantly more room for error than lose and your out.

Baseball is different because out of all the major American leagues MLB is the least affected by superstars. Plus they don't have any cap what so ever. Can't really speak on hockey too much. However I'm almost certain the demographic in hockey is completely different than that of basketball.

As far as the best team always winning if you like it that's cool. However if we are talking about parity that's part of it. The NFL is considered the most balanced league because all it takes is for a team to get hot late season to have a legit chance. Every NFL season has a legit 10-14 teams(any given season) that could win the title. The NBA has about 5 max.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

The parity issue in basketball isn't about being decent. It's about being a title contenders.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

I don't think it's nearly as bad as it used to be.

Now you have teams like SA who have won it several times, OKC is on the rise and will be involved for awhile, Cavs were big not long ago, PHX was a competitor for awhile, SAC in the beginning of the decade was good, T'wolves on the rise, the Hornets could be on the rise like the Thunder were,etc.

[Rocky]

Re: Something has to be done to shift the power in the NBA

The same teams are horrible almost every year because their front offices consistently make terrible decisions.

And it's not like the big market teams are always succeeding.

There are six NBA teams in metropolitan areas of eight million people or greater: the Knicks, Nets, Lakers, Clippers, Bulls, and Wizards.

The Lakers are the only one of those six teams who have been consistently successful over the last decade and a half.

Not only haven't those other teams been successful, but they've usually been TERRIBLE.

But look at them now? Haven't they all (except for the Wizards...who are not a traditional large market team in terms of lifestyle. I would switch them with Miami) acquired big name FA's and talent despite being terrible in the front office for years and years.

That's the problem.

The margin of error for small market teams are razor thin while large market teams repeatedly can make the same mistakes but still get players and agents colluding to want to play there. When Cleveland, Orlando, or New Orleans makes a front office mistake, it gives their stars excuses to jump ship. When the Knicks, Nets, and Lakers make a front office mistake they seem to target a big name FA and leverage small market teams to accept 30 cents on the dollar for them.