LeBron is in favor of contraction

I agree with Lebron

Contraction would be a great idea. We should start by contracting the Miami Heat. They’ve had a franchise for over 20 years, and yet their fans still have to be told how to behave at a basketball game.

by Big D on Dec 24, 2010 1:29 AM CST reply actions 4 recs

What should the NBA do?

Should it be what LeBron wants it to be?

Rose before hoes

by Bullsfan7210 on Dec 24, 2010 1:51 AM CST reply actions 3 recs

Can we stop giving this guy attention?

... And Thibs said, "Let there be 3's" and Deng made 3's
And Deng saw the 3's, that they were good
And didn't shoot long 2's anymore.

by windycitywarrior on Dec 24, 2010 1:51 AM CST reply actions 4 recs

how strange

after skipping college, he’s doing his best to give large sums of money to the NCAA

by darksmokepuncher on Dec 24, 2010 7:28 AM CST reply actions

I think he's right.

"Smith stripped. Smith stopped! Smith stopped again by Pippen!"

by ColonelFatheart on Dec 24, 2010 7:55 AM CST via mobile reply actions

exactly

if he said he had no opinion on it, everyone would call him a pansy for not speaking his mind. the guy gets lambasted for talking in corporate speak, he gets lambasted for talking about how he really feels.

James has done some really stupid things and gone about things the wrong way, but not everything he does is wrong just because he does it. A broken clock is right twice a day or something, yeah?

In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).

Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.

by tyger1147 on Dec 24, 2010 12:45 PM CST up reply actions

Don't tell me you feel sorry for him

if he said he had no opinion on it, everyone would call him a pansy for not speaking his mind. the guy gets lambasted for talking in corporate speak, he gets lambasted for talking about how he really feels.

by Stacey_Is_King on Dec 24, 2010 2:53 PM CST up reply actions

also, its not necessarily the teams that need to be done away with

but rather the owners and general managers

Take the timberwolves for example. They went out and got six draft picks in an incredibly shallow draft (09) and even got their highest picks all wrong.

Drafting Rubio didn’t make any sense then and it doesn’t make any sense now. They then drafted Jonny Flynn…..why exactly? To hold down the fort until Rubio was ready??? You don’t use a #6 overall pick on a guy you don’t plan on starting for very long. Merely taking Stephen Curry instead would instantly make them a better team, not to mention keeping Ty Lawson.

by darksmokepuncher on Dec 24, 2010 7:58 AM CST reply actions

so your argument is because some people are bad at their job, we should get rid of that job completely?

you should be the new head of the education department in my area.

A true friend stabs you in the front - Oscar Wilde

by dantheman3k on Dec 24, 2010 8:29 AM CST up reply actions

Contraction isn't necessarily the best idea...

Restructuring the CBA might actually be a better solution. See the NFL and NHL. You can have teams that are very good over an extended period of time, while not allowing for true “dynasties” to be created with nothing but money.

by Doshi on Dec 24, 2010 8:26 AM CST reply actions

I agree with Lebron here...

I can easily think of 26 guys who have no business being in the NBA (think John Lucas and Brian Scalabrine)…

But, he is an idiot for saying this in a public forum, essentially throwing his NBAPA under the bus, and potentially undermining their position as they move forward into a tough negotiation for the new CBA.

Is this even a basketball game anymore, or am I watching a referee themed television show? -Juiceboxjerry

by Dionysus2.0 on Dec 24, 2010 9:52 AM CST reply actions

he's a tone-deaf idiot

The idea that this guy was some kind of savvy businessman has proven to be laughable. At least while Michael Jordan was merely a pitchman himself, he knew to not say too much.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 24, 2010 11:47 AM CST up reply actions 5 recs

The Heat were founded in 1988.

ALL I want for Christmas is a starting NBA shooting guard and throw in a decent backup point guard!!! Come on Paxson.. seriously John Lucas 3?

by SoulEater7 on Dec 24, 2010 10:02 AM CST reply actions

That's funny...

Because I would say that a team that can’t pack an arena even though they have Lebron. Wade, and Bosh, should be a team that gets contracted. But I do agree with him that contraction wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Also it sounds like he’s trying to rationalize the fact that he went to a team full of All-Stars and is trying to say that others should be the same way.

Hey Rose. I don't see the appeal!

by Dils on Dec 24, 2010 10:17 AM CST reply actions

They should

If the Bulls couldn’t put better talent around Rose in the next five years, I think he’d be stupid for staying. And even dumber for going somewhere that doesn’t have better players.

In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).

Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.

by tyger1147 on Dec 24, 2010 12:46 PM CST up reply actions

I just think he is a douchebag for promising a championship for Cleveland

and then leaving it to wither and die, Cleveland could have easily have trade him and gotten cap relief and picks. Instead the Cavs get dicked on national television.

And yes, I get the feeling he is trying to rationalize the fact that teams shouldn’t depend on one star player (like Cleveland did with him.)

“You had more [star] players on a team, which made almost every game anticipated, not just a Christmas Day game,” James said. “I don’t ever think it is bad for the league when guys decide they want to do some greatness for what we call a team sport.”

I remember once former Bull Dave Corzine staring at a stat sheet after a loss when he had one rebound and Michael Jordan offering, "One more rebound than a dead man."

by Rex Grossman on Dec 24, 2010 1:10 PM CST up reply actions

He is such a baby

he so worried about receiving criticism for his stint in Cleveland, he will say anything.

by Basketball Smurf on Dec 24, 2010 1:58 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

I think Lebron is like 5 years older than me.

So, what the hell can Lebron possibly remember about the anticipation surrounding 80’s basketball games?

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by Andrew7 on Dec 24, 2010 10:14 PM CST up reply actions

Exactly.

He’s slightly more than two years my elder, and wasn’t alive for half of the eighties. He’s full of shit.

by dakoose on Dec 25, 2010 12:43 AM CST up reply actions

But we're not historians of the game, so we won't understand.

Lebron James is a historian of the game! He’s still stuck on reading those 1980’s textbooks though. He hasn’t quite gotten to the 1990’s to learn how a player can become the GOAT.

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by Andrew7 on Dec 25, 2010 11:06 AM CST up reply actions

I agree with contraction

under the condition they also implement a promotion/relegation system.

Promoted team gets top overall pick and 1st pick in the second round.

Relegated team loses all there players with more than 3 seasons of NBA play ( the D league rule at the moment) and the players they lose are entered into the draft. Players who don’t get drafted I guess would go into the D-league with the demoted team.

I remember once former Bull Dave Corzine staring at a stat sheet after a loss when he had one rebound and Michael Jordan offering, "One more rebound than a dead man."

by Rex Grossman on Dec 24, 2010 11:58 AM CST reply actions

by the way, he's not right

focus on the league should be to grow. There’s more talent now than ever, and that talent base is growing worldwide.

Relocation, I get. And lots of fixes to the CBA to help smaller markets. But contraction is a bad idea, and LeBron is a dumbass, so everyone should be wary of what he thinks about anything.

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"Don't nag, flag!"

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 24, 2010 1:18 PM CST reply actions 8 recs

i completely agree

contraction isn’t necessary. The NBA is as popular as ever. This is just a selfish douche throwing low paid NBA players under the bus in hopes that it might save his huge paycheck. His handlers would be better served putting a muzzle on this guy.

by Basketball Smurf on Dec 24, 2010 1:53 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

problem is his handlers have proven to be out of their depth as well

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 24, 2010 2:08 PM CST up reply actions

exactly... there are guys in his locker room that would be out of the league if there was contraction.

by silentpete on Dec 24, 2010 9:05 PM CST up reply actions

It also sounds like he's already pining for a fourth "star" player on that team, or at least the possibility thereof.

Which speaks to your comment regarding tone-deafness.

by jpx7 on Dec 24, 2010 2:00 PM CST up reply actions

I agree with everything you say,

yet you made some statement against parity; there seems to be a contradiction in that. How to improve the league then?

I saw T2 at Walgreens in Deerfield he’s tall. if you’re wondering what his grocery list included: magnums, french vanilla ice cream and a 20 oz sprite

by Super-Structure on Dec 24, 2010 2:03 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not even sure parity is possible in the NBA, there's only so many stars

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 24, 2010 2:07 PM CST up reply actions

I mean, ostensibly a hard cap

makes it so that small market teams field more well rounded teams, while others have multiple stars. Obviously it would take some time for it to even out; but it is an interesting prospect.

I saw T2 at Walgreens in Deerfield he’s tall. if you’re wondering what his grocery list included: magnums, french vanilla ice cream and a 20 oz sprite

by Super-Structure on Dec 24, 2010 2:40 PM CST up reply actions

It would be if the max salary didn't exist

Price ceilings create shortages. Basic economics.

Pat Riley is the devil.

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 24, 2010 2:49 PM CST up reply actions

there was never really parody in the NBA's glory years

in the 80s with less teams, the Pistons, Celtics, 76ers, Lakers and Rockets pretty much dominated.

by Basketball Smurf on Dec 24, 2010 2:09 PM CST up reply actions

parody = parity

by Basketball Smurf on Dec 24, 2010 2:54 PM CST up reply actions

Exactly

Pretending that every team had 3 or 4 All-Stars/Hall of Famers shows how completely ignorant he really is. Who were the big 3 on the Pacers in the mid-80s, or the Suns, or the Bulls for that matter?

Although I hated that he went to Miami I couldn’t totally fault his reasoning, but they way he tries to rationalize it after the fact makes it really difficult to muster any sort of respect for him.

by jpm356 on Dec 24, 2010 3:16 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

No, there were no bad NBA teams in the 80's

Every single game during the season was a Lakers/Celtics clash. All the players were manly men back then, instead of pansies. You know, since punching someone is the best way to prove your manhood. Also, none of that wimpy marijuana shit today’s players smoke; players back then would snort an eightball and then go out and score 30 points.

by Big D on Dec 24, 2010 8:51 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs

I always considered the owners to be the most anti-player.

But it really is Lebron and the fans (the the owners are probably high fiving over this BS). It is a myth that the league was better in the 80s, and we are essentially shutting out extremely talented players and cutting off smaller markets by thinking that the league would be better sending out its mid-tier players to Europe.

Honestly, Lebron is showing how much of media shill he is, and is still trying to cover the tracks of his own apparent guilt. I for one originally felt that he had nothing to be guilty for, but this really changes all of that.

I saw T2 at Walgreens in Deerfield he’s tall. if you’re wondering what his grocery list included: magnums, french vanilla ice cream and a 20 oz sprite

by Super-Structure on Dec 24, 2010 2:02 PM CST reply actions 3 recs

They need to get rid of the maximum salary and go to a hard cap

As it stands mediocre players are insanely overpaid because of two main reasons. First, the fact that there is a max salary makes the superstars of the league so underpaid that the rest of the league’s players become ridiculously overpaid. If Cleveland had to pay Lebron $40 mil/year while he was there, they would not have been able to overpay guys like Mo Williams and Anderson Varejao.

Second, because of how the cap is set up, the only way to truly compete is to find some way to exceed the cap, and the only way to do that is to resign your own players or use the MLE. As a result, teams’ willigness to pay to resign their own players hoes through the roof since their is no alternative way to add talent. This results in guys like Brendan Haywood getting ridiculous deals, which drives up the market for everyone else. In the end, it becomes impossible for small-market teams to turn a profit unless they have one of the 10 best players in the NBA. And even then it’s pretty difficult.

Pat Riley is the devil.

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 24, 2010 2:14 PM CST reply actions

*willingness to pay goes through the roof

Pat Riley is the devil.

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 24, 2010 2:15 PM CST up reply actions

Oh and as for what this rant has to do with contraction, the answer is everything

Besides the bullshit “there’s not enough talent to fill 30 rosters” argument, the main reason contraction’s even being considered is that there are so many teams struggling to turn profits. Well a big reason these teams are struggling to turn profits is that, as a result of the current NBA salary structure, teams are being forced to overpay for mediocre products that only bring in mediocre amounts of revenue.

Pat Riley is the devil.

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 24, 2010 2:24 PM CST up reply actions

Will this Lebron guy ever shut up?

(Sing song)...Everybody Hates Rondo...

by T.Moore on Dec 24, 2010 2:25 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

Yes, I vote to back to the NBA when shit franchises like the Miami Heat did not exist.

by Ozzie Montana on Dec 24, 2010 3:10 PM CST reply actions 3 recs

I really don't buy the whole argument that talent is watered down.

I’ve heard a ton of people say that they prefer college b-ball to the NBA because the NBA players are too good. The reason Scalabrine and John Lucas are in the league has nothing to do with the talent being watered down, it’s not the system’s fault that Gar doesn’t realize that they both suck balls.

by tuff-gong on Dec 24, 2010 3:14 PM CST reply actions

Of course his real motivation isn't about improving the league.

It’s about getting more people to make his ‘decision’ so that he doesn’t think he looks as bad. If more star players want to form on other teams then he would think himself a pioneer of sorts. I guess he still doesn’t get that it is far more how he left Cleveland than the fact that he did.

Dr. Handsome, D.D.S. says:

"4 our of 5 of us recommend Devin Hester. The 5th dentist has gone missing. He was last seen wearing green and yellow."

by Dr. Handsome, D.D.S. on Dec 24, 2010 3:26 PM CST reply actions 6 recs

And by the way

if anything is watered down it is coaching. Too many young talented players do not have the benefit of being coached by the Sloans, Pops and Phils of the world. Instead we’re stuck with VDNs and the like who do not know how to coach and teach young players. This also goes back to the ‘1 and done’ guys, but that is a different topic.

Dr. Handsome, D.D.S. says:

"4 our of 5 of us recommend Devin Hester. The 5th dentist has gone missing. He was last seen wearing green and yellow."

by Dr. Handsome, D.D.S. on Dec 24, 2010 3:28 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

The talent isnt watered down

But in some cases the lack of fundamentals that is watered down.

(Sing song)...Everybody Hates Rondo...

by T.Moore on Dec 24, 2010 3:34 PM CST reply actions

The league is not watered down.

I saw T2 at Walgreens in Deerfield he’s tall. if you’re wondering what his grocery list included: magnums, french vanilla ice cream and a 20 oz sprite

by Super-Structure on Dec 24, 2010 4:20 PM CST reply actions