NBA TRADE FREE AGENCY ROLLERCOASTER RIDE

by J Boyd
(ON Canada)

The NBA draft is well behind us and now we NBA fans get to endure the thrill of trade/free agency rollercoaster ride. This year's free agency may seem like one of the most spectacular or promising leading many of us with a glimpse of hope of a superstar occupying a seat on our bench, for those of us true NBA fans that did not jump ship for the likes of Miami or Clippers. The glimpse of hope may also very much turn into just that a glimpse or a false feeling when in reality the superstars seem to be very much content with jumping on their own ban wagon of sticking together. Many of our adrenaline rushes we get from the sports headlines giving some indication that one of the sought after free agent superstar are in talks with "our" team is crushed by the waiting game of what one superstar might do before another will make a decision. Since when did one man have so much power in determining the outcome of so many teams. I would have to say the days of Stern the former commissioner, when he chose to veto the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers. Oddly enough this trump of power was claimed to be for the opposite reasoning as the current flex of power. Stern declared he did not want to create unfairly dominate teams, which is quite a joke when considering the current free agency tactics. This is a free agency that is proving to allow the players to bond together and create a dream team within in the NBA, still very much what I call the superstars jumping on their own ban wagon of joining not competing.

The current tactics of fellow team mates, owners, staff and fans can be called ridiculous in what could otherwise be a waste as result of false pretense and really just waiting in the powerless mean time. NBA teams are pleading with desperation to lure one of the top free agents to their roster. Desperation that has never before been seen to my knowledge, full sought out campaigns involving children, bulletin boards, photo shopped players with trophies and the sad list goes on and for those of us who have our fingers crossed with anticipation for some light for our team, we already know the strong will remain strong and the weak will have to learn to fight harder.

It brings me to wonder what the former NBA commissioner thinks of his predecessor. It also leads me to question was this new commissioner not supposed to be in accordance with the same mindset as Stern? And if not what could have happened if Stern had retired earlier not giving him the chance to veto the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers? That very question may lead to a full out debate with those who ask the evident question of what happened to the Lakers? One like myself would be on the side of a trade/free agency being dictated an outcome by disgruntled owners and a commissioner who bowed.

Could this free agency end in the same fan emotionally depleted outcome? When the time comes that the tactics of these owners have no positive or empowering outcome for their roster and possibilities of a ring what will they choose to do? Will those owners who felt promises to only have the rug pulled out from underneath them will they protest with letters to the new commissioner? Will the Clippers owner who was so vocal on crushing the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers, will he be just as vocal if LeBron James turns his back on his team one last time and chooses another home? Will Mark Cuban who is freeing up as much salary space as possible to open up for the possibilities of a Bosh or another superstar will he speak up as loudly when his hopes are crushed? Ironically, all these same disgruntled owners are the same ones who are now pleading to the current free agent NBA superstars to join their team and these teams who are currently far from being deprived from good players.

Free Agency/trade has often been defined as a chess game between owners and general managers today that may be the farthest from the truth.

This is not a trade or free agency built on competing against each other but instead jumping on the ban wagon of the joining the current hot player. Today we NBA fans, general managers, coaches and even owners are at the mercy of the same waiting game. The waiting game of the top NBA superstars owners are at the mercy of the same waiting game, although our glimpses of hope may lead nowhere as the seeked out end result seems to be evident.

All we can do is enjoy the trade/free agency roller coast ride.