Author Topic: Be careful of what you wish for David Stern! (Read 358 times)

F-cisco · « **on:** August 08, 2008, 10:53:26 AM »

The article posted below is from my local newspaper the AZRepublic. I'm posting it because the author makes some interesting points about the NBA's future. And is worthy of discussing here in the forums.

Bickley Online Stern's globalization dream now a nightmare
BEIJING

The globalization of basketball is David Stern's dream, and now that dream is coming true.

Except it's starting to look like a nightmare.

We're not talking about heightened competition for the U.S. Olympic team. That's been the case for some time. This is about the newest, hottest trend in hoops. It's the reverse commute that's caught the NBA and its commissioner by surprise. It's the sudden wave of players bolting the league to play basketball overseas.

"They throw 30, 40, 50 million a year at me? I can't turn that down," said Heat star Dwyane Wade, a free agent in 2010.

Already this summer, Arizona recruit Brandon Jennings signed to play in Rome while awaiting determination of his college eligibility. Josh Childress stunned the Hawks by halting negotiations and signing a three-year, $20 million deal to play for Olympiakos in Greece.

Since the salary cap rules only apply to NBA teams, Atlanta had no ability to match the offer. Just like that, it lost a key play from last season's playoff team with no compensation in return.

Since then, a cast of NBA role players has followed suit, grabbing big-money deals to play in Europe. The list includes Carlos Delfino, Bostjan Nachbar, Carlos Arroyo, Jorge Garbajosa, Earl Boykins and Juan Carlos Navarro.

"It's definitely real," said Toronto star Chris Bosh, also a free agent in 2010. "They haven't made an offer to a superstar yet, but they've made offers to a lot of solid players. We visited the Olympic Village last night, and I talked to Carlos. I wanted him to come back, and he wanted to come back, but he had to take that deal."

From a financial standpoint, the decline of the dollar and the absence of taxes have made playing abroad very appealing. Salary cap restrictions on players and teams also make the NBA vulnerable. And the more these NBA players understand how the rest of the world has caught up to American basketball, the more they realize that Europe is no longer the minor leagues.

"The summer of 2009 is going to be really big," Bosh said. "We're going to see how other teams react. Mainly, it's Olympiakos and Moscow now, but we'll see what other (European) teams are going to do, how they're going to retaliate. And we'll see if those guys who signed want to come back to the United States. It's going to be interesting."

Naturally, this has become a very popular topic among the NBA elite. If Childress can get $20 million, imagine what a player like LeBron James or Kobe Bryant could earn. Believe me, they already have.

"You can't turn down $40 million (a year), I don't care who you are," Bryant said. "If someone turns down 40, I'm beating them up."

James wouldn't rule it out, either, which will come as wonderful news to Cleveland fans already freaked out that their franchise player will leave for New York when he's free in 2010.

"Everything is in consideration, honestly," James said. "I'm happy with Cleveland, but at the same time, you don't put every egg in the same basket. Great basketball is great basketball, whether it's America, Europe or Asia."

Could it really happen? Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni doubts the NBA will ever lose a marquee player in the prime of his career, but nothing in this league talks louder than green paper.

"I think right now it's very exciting," Wade said. "They're starting a new buzz. You start to do a little research, and they got money over there. You stay in the States, you make the max, you make $18 million. Take out taxes, and you have 9-10. You have an opportunity to go somewhere and make 25-30 tax-free? We might have to pack our bags."

Don't laugh. The USFL once lured Steve Young and Herschel Walker with huge deals. And it's not like any of these guys feel any binding loyalty to their NBA teams.

"It would definitely be something I'd consider," Hornets star Chris Paul said. "You can never say never to anything. The Olympics have shown how this game has grown. It's not just the United States' game anymore. It's the world's game."

Just like Stern wanted. Or maybe not.

Reach Bickley at dan.bickley@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8253

If either Kobe or Lebron bolts for Europe. The professional basketball infrastructure will be changed forever.