In closing, I would first like to thank the readers for taking the time to digest some of the knowledge I try to put forth in all of my articles. Without your dedication to The Sports Column, we could not continue to change the landscape of sports and report in the way we do. With that being said, I also want to express my admiration for the game of basketball, not just the NBA, but in general.
I would never want my readers to think that I just use this forum as a mural to vent my frustrations; that also doesn’t mean that I’m going to sit idly by and watch the game – that I love so much – be turned into some kind of side show used to amuse the rich and powerful when they have nothing better to do. I’m so sick and tired of hearing the phrase, “It’s part of the business,” being uttered by players, GMs, and coaches. While transactions are always a part of the business, idiotic trades and senseless draft choices make up a major part of the “ugly” side of the league.
After a desired player has been acquired, the team has to take a “wait and see” approach. In many instances, the player pays dividends for the team; these dividends are in the form of more W’s in the win column, the team advancing further into the post-season, and in some cases, even a championship. More often than not, after approximately five seasons with a high-priced acquisition in place, the team becomes unhappy; either there is a lack of success from the once-desired player or the team isn’t showing any improvement whatsoever.
Once the trade deadline approaches, you start to hear rumblings of this player being shopped because he hasn’t delivered in the way the team envisioned he would, or he’s just too expensive to keep for a .500 team (a team that just breaks even between wins and losses). The player then starts to take a hit in the media; all he’s done is shown up for five seasons, make five all-star teams, lead his team in scoring and steals, while rarely missing any games due to injury, and has never been involved in an off-court incident. He’s basically lived-up to his end of the bargain, but this player becomes the sacrificial lamb because of a screw-up in the front office.
Courtesy: USA Today
Take into consideration that the G.O.A.T. (Michael Jeffrey Jordan) didn’t win his first NBA title until his SEVENTH season! Do you think that at any point during those first six seasons, both Jerrys (General Manager Jerry Krause and owner Jerry Reinsdorf) ever thought that Jordan simply wasn’t working out and that they should trade him? I’ll answer that for you: HELL NO! They went back to the drawing board and surrounded him with players like Pippen, Grant, Kerr, Rodman, Cartwright, Ron Harper, and B.J. Armstrong. They also replaced Doug Collins with the then assistant Phil Jackson and the triangle offense. Nowadays, when the brilliant front office screws-up and the team is at a stand still it is because the marquee player simply isn’t cutting it and it’s time for change.
Then you have situations like the Lebron James and Cavaliers saga; James gave his heart and soul to the Cavs, and they simply sat on their hands, not providing him with an adequate team to help win a title. For seven seasons, James had given his all to that organization and it was time for change; however, he was crucified for simply exercising his right to become a free agent and sign elsewhere. Regardless of how he executed his departure (THE DECISION), it was within the rules of free agency and he followed them to a tee.
When other players opt to find a new home and start all over, they too are perceived as traders or money-hungry egomaniacs. Why can’t they make the decision to cash in on their investments the way the owners do? What makes the owners such a special group? I know the answer, but I’m only allowed a certain amount of space, so I’ll make my exit having given you “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the NBA.”
