The '14-15 NBA season "reveals an unlikely truth about the sport today: The beating heart of basketball now pulses through the NBA’s smallest outposts and formerly forlorn franchises," according to Ben Cohen of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. The Spurs are reigning NBA Champions and Jason Kidd "ditched" coaching the Nets to join the Bucks. Also, LeBron James left the Heat for the Cavaliers and F Kevin Love was traded to the club not long afterward, meaning James’ "singular talents made Cleveland a player magnet for perhaps the first time NBA history." This "isn’t the NBA of old," which was "dominated by big stars in big markets." All but two of the titles from '80-98 were won by the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Rockets or 76ers, which are all in top-10 TV markets. But this season, three of the four teams with the "best title odds" are the Cavaliers (the 19th-biggest TV market), Spurs (33rd) and Thunder (44th). NBA experts said that the shift is the "result of a number of forces that have converged over the last decade to make it easier than ever for small-market teams to hold their own." James’ decision to return to the Cavs "may be a bellwether of future small-market growth, too." With other superstars nearing free agency, they could "follow James’s lead and decide they don’t need to play" in N.Y. or L.A. to "make a huge splash" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/28). In Akron, Jason Lloyd writes the NBA "isn’t necessarily driven by market size and its stars are proving comfortable residing in smaller markets." F Kevin Durant remains with the Thunder, James is back with the Cavaliers and F Tim Duncan has spent his whole career with the Spurs. ESPN's Jalen Rose: "Playing for a storied franchise -- the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks … it’s not necessary per se to continue to make big-time endorsement dollars, to continue to be the face of a franchise that’s successful, to be in one of those markets" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL. 10/28).
: In San Diego, Ivan Carter wrote decisions "being made about revenue sharing, the salary cap and the draft lottery system will have a huge impact on which markets can consistently compete for championships and which ones are perpetually one injury, one bad draft pick or a bad trade away from irrelevance." Some of the NBA’s smaller-to-mid-sized market franchises recently "voted to shoot down a proposal that would have altered a draft lottery system that gives bad teams the best chance to land the top pick." The idea was to "discourage teams from 'tanking' ... to increase their chances at landing a coveted young superstar." Carter noted Thunder GM Sam Presti "correctly" argued that altering the system "would make it even harder for smaller-market teams ... to land a franchise-changing talent." Carter: "Let's be real: If the money is equal, no superstar free agent is going to sign with Milwaukee over one of the Los Angeles teams, New York, Brooklyn or Miami" (
SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/27). NBA.com's David Aldridge wrote NBA owners "were correct in not being rushed into Lottery reform just because some teams don't like the way" the 76ers are rebuilding. The 76ers' plan was "greenlighted" by Managing Owner Josh Harris, which gives President & GM Sam Hinkie "carte blanche and job security." Aldridge: "If Harris doesn't feel any pressure to win now or please his fan base, that's on him" (
NBA.com, 10/27).
PLAYING WITH MONOPOLY MONEY: The AP's Jon Krawczynski reported with the NBA entering the '14-15 season under a new $24B TV rights deal that nearly triples the league's annual revenue, observers are not quite sure "how the stunning total is going to impact how the NBA and its players conduct business." Team owners, GMs, players and agents are all "grappling with the unprecedented change to the fundamental economic picture." T'Wolves President of Basketball Operations & coach Flip Saunders said, "It's a game-changer for the league. It's one of those things that helps everybody. If you're in the league, or you're a coach or a player or an owner and have more money coming in, that's a benefit." Krawczynski noted the $24B "price tag is crystallizing a new negotiating position" in '17, when either side can "opt out of the CBA." Thunder F Kevin Durant, who can become a free agent in '16, said, "Last year, the fans didn't really get to know exactly what was going on as far as revenue. But now that (the TV deal is done), it feels like we have a little bit of leverage, I guess, as players" (
AP, 10/27).
