Why David Stern must do something about this

Miami Heat President Pat Riley tried to destroy the NBA once before. He was coach of the New York Knicks and had implemented a new defensive system to stop the one superstar he did not have. Michael Jordan. Riley completed shifted tactics from when he was coach of the Showtime Lakers that scored 110 ppg to a system that relied on physical defense and a hard fought game that grinded through to the end. Scoring throughout the 90's dropped like a fly and when Riley was coach of possibly one of the dirtiest teams in NBA History, the Miami Heat, scoring in the conference finals was in the low 70's.

The fans were losing interest and coupled with the roof tactics and constant fighting the fans were turning off the television. Pat Riley had successfully made basketball boring to watch and once Michael Jordan left he had all but accomplished that.

Riley won out and drafted a player in Dwyane Wade in 2003. Wade was someone who would give him good offense and a scoring option. In 2005, the Heat acquired Shaquille O'Neal and in 2006 they won a title. The team had a mix of Showtime Lakers and that defense Riley had with the Knicks and Heat in the 90's. But after 2006, the team was too drunk from winning the title the year before. The Bulls swept them the following year and rebuild went into motion.

What exactly Riley's master plan was will probably never be known exactly. He's known for being a snake and sends his dogs out to do his dirty work. Many have thought all along that's what Dwyane Wade was doing, especially starting with his comments about how Chicago was not loyal to its players but Miami was. That had Riley written all over it.

Bosh was going to follow whoever he could to wherever he could. The fact that LeBron essentially sold himself out to be gifted titles to himself well that's already a covered story. The scary part of this is that these three already make so much money (Well Bosh makes the least) that they don't need NBA contract to carry themselves. If they truly care about winning and creating this one team dynasty with absolutely no real competition to it (if they are able to acquire what they need) then this is something the NBA will need to look at.

What Riley is about to create here is a monster that is going to turn away MANY MANY NBA fans. If NBA fans do not think their team has any chance, they will not care what happens. The popularity of the NBA essentially becomes what hockey was until the past few seasons.

If LeBron and Wade sign for minimum money so they can acquire good role players, you will see a dominant NBA team that no one can rival. At present, the Lakers, Celtics, and Magic can still beat this team. If Miami somehow gets a decent center (Shaq is the only one I can think of but does he have anything left?) then they are a threat to the future of the NBA.

There is a chance the Miami Superteam creates more Superteams. Not in the present state of the NBA. Why? The salary cap.

Most guys do not make 100 of millions in endorsements like LeBron James does. Wade does not make as much as Bron, but makes more than plenty. Carmelo Anthony rivals what these guys does as the next player who is a Superstar and has the money. Carmelo is a free agent next season, but it reminds seen what is important to him. So the fact most of these guys don't have the endorsements leads to the fact that they will take what money they can earn through their salary and run with it.

And what concerns me the most is what the supposed rumor was coming out of the 2008 Olympics in that LeBron, Bosh, Wade, and Chris Paul said they would get together and team up on the same NBA team. My concern with these guys taking less money now is that the Heat create room again in 2012 and add Chris Paul to that lineup (With him taking less money obviously so they can add role players). What does this do for the NBA then? Completely and utterly destroy it. By this point the Lakers are dying, the Celtics are dead, and likely no other NBA has matched what Miami can do. You essentially have the NBA dream team that will go through the NBA like the 1992 Olympic team did in Spain.

So this is where David Stern comes into play. Stern enjoys competitiveness and the marketability of All-Stars. Stern glady let the Lakers first three-peat occur in 2000-2002 with little fanfare. However, I have never had a problem with NBA teams having two superstars. The league has had plenty of teams that could match those teams with two superstars.
But Stern has to realize that what Miami can potentially do and already has done to an extent is EXTREMELY dangerous to the NBA and its future. Miami is a small market that nobody cares about. It's fans don't even care about most of the time.
Fans strive on legacies of players, and none of these guys will have one anymore except Wade, who was already established in Miami, had one going for him before hand.

So I ask what is David Stern going to do about this? There is a collective bargaining agreement on the table for next season and I think these three guys all going to one team will be the center of discussion. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if Stern does something to prevent something like this from happening again. What he could do exactly? I'm not sure. All in all I'm almost in favor of the compensation of a lost FA being brought back to the NBA (The NFL has it why cant the NBA)?

In the 70's if a free agent went elsewhere, the team that lost that FA got compensation picks (This is how the Lakers acquired Magic Johnson). I would welcome something like that back, but in reality NBA draft picks aren't worth that much and a team like Miami would surely be picking 30th every year, so it's not much of a loss to Miami.

In the end, Stern must come up with something. What that something is, I am just not sure.The league is too big to be dominated by one team year in and year out. Though it happens anyways sometimes, to have clear domination is not good for the league. Teams have dominated in the past, but they always had worthy foe's. I'm not so sure Miami will beyond the LA Lakers this season. When all is said and done, the idea of a lockout canceling the NBA season next year is sounding better and better every day.

LeBron Shocks the World; Proves he's unworthy of the title "King"

The "King" is not a King, he's more like a sissy. He has shown that his love of the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees fits right into the way he wants to go in the NBA.

LeBron James has decided to form a superteam in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Of course as a Bulls fan I wanted LeBron James on the Chicago Bulls. I thought it would make a great rivalry with the Miami Heat and they would remain competitive for years. Instead, they all go to the same exact team.

LeBron James has set in action a course that allows the integrity of the NBA to be destroyed. He's taking less money to join the Heat as are Wade and Bosh. My fear is they will take even less so the Heat can sign role players and completely dominate the NBA for the next 5 years (if not longer).

I will bring that up in another post.

Back to LeBron...LeBron took the easy way out. LeBron decided he wasn't going to be the man anymore and was going to go party with his friends in South Beach.

And South Beach is just that. At this point, Miami was the only place they could do this. I dont think any of the free agents were impressed with New York's management and thats why they pushed it aside. It could have been done there, and probably would have been. Instead they settled for the small market of Miami that its fans only care about when the team is a winner. Miami will fill their stadium now and for all we know they will win multiple titles. My only hope is they all fail miserably.

We will see if they can set their ego's aside and co-exist. We will see if Miami can acquire quality role players to do what it takes to beat the Lakers. At present to me this team cannot even beat an aging Celtics team in 2011. They have no interior defense to speak of and any FA out there wont settle that issue. We will see though.

Next....My Pat Riley is very evil post.

Doom and Groom Strikes Chicago

In all likelihood the Chicago Bulls have struck out in this free agency. Atleast in the top three. This morning ESPN reported that Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were going to sign with Miami. At 11:30pm CDT they were on ESPN telling everyone that they were joining forces. They were rather mum on LeBron and said they did not know yet and it was LeBron decision and gave the impression that they themselves did not know yet.

But right now, there is not one source reporting that LeBron is leaning towards Chicago. Everything out there right now says that he is staying in Cleveland, going to Miami to join forces with Wade and Bosh, or going to New York. Chicago has fallen from first, to second, to third, to fourth since July 1st.

So, the Bulls seemingly will move on to Carlos Boozer and some lesser players (likely shooting guards). This is essential the equivalent of getting Brad Miller and Ron Mercer in 2000. Yes Boozer is leagues ahead of what Brad Miller was in 2000 and the Bulls win a playoff series with Boozer being added to this team next year, but if you compare to the free agents class, its a strike out. 2000 had Duncan, TMac, and Grant Hill as their top 3. Duncan re-signed and TMac and Grant Hill joined forces in Orlando (Florida must be a major pull for free agents...that and LA). Eddie Jones and Tim Thomas were the next best available. I guess Boozer could be one of them...but all in all..major disappointment running across Chicagoland today.

There still is a chance the Bulls end up with LeBron. I for one think LeBron only knows his decision and whatever the media reports is just pure speculation. LeBron will reveal his decision tomorrow. He could still pick Chicago, but to me its a small small chance. I just do not see it happening at all, nor should I have ever from the beginning.

I wrote last week that when this all began I thought we had zero chance of getting anyone. I am beginning to come back to that thought now. I'm even getting itchy feelings that we will end up with no one, not even Carlos Boozer. Of course if that happened, that would just lead me to ask questions such as why? What's wrong with our front office? and why would no one want to play with Noah and Derrick Rose?

Free Agency Update

-LeBron undecided
-Wade undecided..Canceled scheduled press conference today
-Bosh trying to get Raptors to sign and trade him to a team of his preference. Raptors don't seem so willingly.
-Joe Johnson has resigned with Atlanta for an insane amount of money
-Amare Stoudemire has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks
-Nothing heard from others, most seem to be waiting on LeBron James

So thats that. Not much to say other than my Joe Johnson prediction is wrong (Though I said in the description he would resign with Atlanta if they gave him max money and they did). Amare signed with the Knicks, one of the two teams I thought he would go to.

LeBron's decision is likely to be Thursday, the first day free agents can sign. After that you should see Wade, Bosh, and Boozer make quick decisions.