When you wage a war, the most primary thing to consider is the ability to sustain the attrition. If this concern is addressed, the aggression, almost always, merits achievement of whatever brouhaha was contested.
In the battle between billionaires and millionaires, the victors would be obvious, in this case the NBA owners. I had always thought that it would be the players who will eventually cringe, tumble and fall in this conflict of egos and greed.
The NBA has about 400 or so players and a good majority of them are marginal athletes receiving the barest salary allowable. What they get is loose change compared to the salaries of the Kobes, LeBrons and other like species, paychecks so ridiculously scandalous it can finance Syria’s revolt.
These ordinary players purely depend on their salaries, devoid of the sponsors, endorsement contracts and personal appearances compared to their more famous and swell-headed counterparts. Take a season away from them and you’ll find a pack of huge and tall individuals applying for welfare.
Both sides could claim they won. Hello. The big winner here is the fans. We pay hard earned money just to see our favourite team or athlete do what they do best. We pay big money for their souvenirs and memorabilia. We pay big money, push, elbow, kick and trample our way just to get the chance to be near and touch our idols if they ever come our way.
We fans inspire the players to showcase their talents and we convince owners to put up teams to entertain us. A high-caliber athlete or team will never welcome the thought of playing to an empty arena. Likewise, a free-spending owner will not waste his resources to a non-revenue generating folly.
We will be seeing a 66-game 2011-2012 NBA season. Sixteen games were knocked off the regular 82-game sked but this is better than the last lockout-shortened season where only 50 games were held. All teams have very tight schedules, playing to some extent 8 to 10 consecutive nights.
The wheeling and dealing starts later today and teams will be scrambling for the top free agents available. Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are the two most sought-after commodities and several top market teams are eyeing their services.
As per reports, the LA Lakers have made initial offers to the Orlando Magic for Howard in exchange for Andrew Bynum and some other players. Sure, Howard is a huge upgrade over Bynum but I rather would like management to address issues at the point and power forward and keep Bynum.
Derek Fisher is nearing antiquity and will eventually become a nice collectible. They should retire him. Baron Davis, although not exactly young, is a very wise option. LA should also get rid of Luke Walton and his atrocious contract and in his stead, get Shane Battier. If they consider Davis and Battier and with the recent coming to terms with Jason Kapono the Lakers could be back in the 2012 Finals.
Yeah, forget Dwight Howard for the moment.