The winners of losers of the off-season will be covered but that is a task best left to the beginning of training camp. Today it is important to provide our readers with an answer to the question: “what does basketball have left to entertain me with this summer.”
Essentially we are now dealing with the “what if” fantasy rumours that we as a sports community eat up. By conjuring up our own drama we are able to fill the vacuum that August inevitably leaves us with.
However, these rumours often come at a price of integrity to the game. Here are a couple rumours that perhaps come at that price.
Fantasy Pickup 1: Chris Paul
With the success Pat Riley and the rest of the Miami Heat organization experienced this summer, the rest of the league started dreaming up ways to combine their own talents with other marquee names throughout the league.
The unstable ownership situation in New Orleans allowed many of these teams to begin manoeuvring towards the availability of Chris Paul. As an owner, it would not be wise to not at least investigate the ability of a point guard with MVP quality talent.
The spiciest of these rumours came out of Orlando. With tradable assets and arguably the best center in the NBA in Dwight Howard, the Magic dreamed of pairing possibly the best Àlley-Oop duo the NBA has ever seen.
The Hornets would not bite at these rumblings. Knowing that their point guard was growing disgruntled, they made their move to speak with Paul in person. This effectively ended the dreams of the Magic.
This however raises a larger issue in the NBA. The Hornets are looking to cut costs by dumping salary. In doing so, they eliminate the possibility that the Hornets will remain competitive in the western conference.
Is it fair to the fan willing to pony up hundreds of dollars, to see an owner sell out his team to make a few dollars?
For everyone who hates the management styles of Mark Cuban, there should be at least 10 fans that hate the antics of owners like George Shinn who buy teams only as commodities rather than a passion for the game of basketball.
Yes players shouldn’t quit on their teams as Paul is most likely prepping to do, but owners shouldn’t quit on their cities and the fans that support them. If Chris Paul is important to making money in New Orleans; then allowing him to thrive with other players should be plan A. Not selling his jersey and letting his talents rot.
Fantasy Pickup 2: Carmelo Anthony
So Carmelo is pining for greener pastures outside of mile-high city. After years of only moderate success in Denver; the other all-star member of the 03 draft class is looking to form his own dynasty with Amar`e Stoudamire in New York.
With management in Denver afraid of becoming the next Toronto or Cleveland (losing an all-star for nothing), the Nuggets are considering unloading Anthony in order to save face in the summer of 2011.
The ethics of quitting on a team has already been mentioned on this blog site, but the subjugation of fans must be addressed in this situation.
Carmelo has not said that he wants out of Denver. New York has not stated that they are in talks with the forward. Both this instances would be libel to tampering in under the rules of the NBA governing body. However, how ethical is it for other players and personalities to comment on the impending movement of another player?
Amar`e has been actively campaigning for the arrival of Anthony to New York. This is probably due to the fact that Stoudamire thought he would be joining A-list talent in New York with either Dwayne Wade or Lebron James. When this did not happen, Stoudamire resorted to the social media world to recruit his own help.
Entertainment value has Anthony going to the Knicks to be a winning ticket. For the fans of Denver, and any other small market team for that matter: Anthony to the Knicks could spell the end of franchise players remaining in small markets for anytime past their rookie contracts.
Denver fans will suffer; as did Vancouver after the contract spat with Steve Franchise, as did Toronto after the departure Chris Bosh and in Cleveland after their talent left for south beach.
Hope for a Small Market
So in New Orleans we have owners that antagonize their fans. In Denver we have players that do the same. Throughout a league that has continuously tortured fans (re: Los Angeles Clippers), it becomes unclear on what a fan can do. If last season’s playoffs are any indication, we can only hope that miracle runs like Milwaukee’s ‘Fear the Deer’ campaign can be repeated in other markets.
If success cannot be replicated in other small markets then the age of teams located in New Orleans, Denver, Indiana, Milwaukee, San Antonio and Toronto could be at its end.
As a fan I’m hoping one of these teams has the heart of the Hoosier, because this league is quickly turning into the box seat vs. the team bus.
Written by Todd Vaughan
twitter.com/toddcvaughan
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