2020 NBA Offseason

[DG_ThenNowForever]

1 hour ago, QCS said:

I saw Stephen Silas is in talks to be the next coach of the Mavericks. Happy for him, it's cool to see a Charlotte assistant get a chance as a head coach.

 

You mean Rockets? He was just announced there.

 

I don't know him at all, but good for Houston I guess. Probably good for Harden too; if I'm him I'm thinking about demanding a trade about now.

[sky1324]

13 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

You mean Rockets? He was just announced there.

 

I don't know him at all, but good for Houston I guess. Probably good for Harden too; if I'm him I'm thinking about demanding a trade about now.

Yep, my bad. I glanced at it on Reddit, must've confused the Texas teams.

[GDAWG]

 

[BBTV]

Are back-to-back games really that bad for NBA players?  Why can't they do baseball-style scheduling with three game series (all in a row) and then get a few days off before their next series?  I don't think the schedule making would be too difficult.

 

The down side would be that they'd have to adopt a NFL-style schedule where they only play certain divisions from the other conference rather than have a game against everyone every year.

[Digby]

2 hours ago, BBTV said:

Are back-to-back games really that bad for NBA players?  Why can't they do baseball-style scheduling with three game series (all in a row) and then get a few days off before their next series?  I don't think the schedule making would be too difficult.

 

At least one theory coming out of the bubble is that frequent games aren’t so bad, it’s all the travel that wears players out normally. There was a concern about fatigue headed into the bubble that never really came to pass. So a back-to-back would be less objectionable if doesn’t involve a few hours on a plane between those games.

[GDAWG]

I know that it's not in the plans right now, but would the NBA consider expansion to 32 to recoup financial losses when the Pandemic is over?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

4 minutes ago, GDAWG said:

I know that it's not in the plans right now, but would the NBA consider expansion to 32 to recoup financial losses when the Pandemic is over?

 

It's a paradox. They might get $1 billion each in franchise licenses, but then they need to split the TV and whatever else money two more portions. I'm sure the match still works in the existing teams' favor, but no one becomes a billionaire by walking away from potential earnings.

[GDAWG]

If the NBA expands again, Seattle should be pretty much a lock.  I would not be surprised if the NBA chooses Las Vegas over Louisville, Kansas City, Vancouver or Mexico City, because Las Vegas seems like they want all 5 major leagues in their city and are not content with the NHL and NFL and of course, the NBA already has a relationship with Vegas via the Summer League.  Louisville could be interesting, but the University of Louisville may not want an NBA team sharing their arena, although I know that the group featuring NBA legend Dan Issel is trying.  Kansas City is my darkhorse because I can see their ownership group including a certain Chiefs QB who just signed a massive extension and who also happens to be a part owner of the Royals.  

 

The NBA is going to have to figure out a way to recoup financial losses after the 2020-2021 season (which is upcoming), and announcing expansion could be a significant option, depending upon their next TV contract.  

[GDAWG]

 

If that is true, Adam Silver might have to change his mind on expansion.  This is what he said in May 2019:

 

Quote

“My answer is, you know, and it’s the same as it’s been for other U.S. cities that have expressed interest, and that is that we are just not in expansion mode at the time,” Silver said. “I mean, we’re flattered that some other Canadian cities have expressed interest, as some other U.S. cities have, but again nothing new…  I’m sure inevitably at some point we’ll turn back to expansion, but it’s not on the agenda at this time.” “At the end of the day from a league standpoint, you’re in essence selling equity in your overall league, and you’re selling a portion of the growth opportunity outside of that market,” Silver explained. “You’re selling the growth opportunity in Africa, and I think what we would be looking at is whether if we’re expanding, not necessarily the short-term benefit of an expansion fee, but is it additive over the long-term? Is that franchise adding something to the footprint of the league that the 30 current teams don’t?”

 

There may not be a choice in the matter if the NBA wants to recoup the money lost.  

[sky1324]

Seattle is essentially a lock, I feel like the NBA is just waiting for an ownership group to form before making the expansion official. My preferred partner would be Vancouver because they lost a team as well and deserve a second chance, but I feel like Vegas is sadly the frontrunner. I'd love to see Louisville get a team to see the possible revival of the Kentucky Colonels, but they may want two teams out West to slide Minnesota to the East.

[GDAWG]

2 hours ago, QCS said:

Seattle is essentially a lock, I feel like the NBA is just waiting for an ownership group to form before making the expansion official. My preferred partner would be Vancouver because they lost a team as well and deserve a second chance, but I feel like Vegas is sadly the frontrunner. I'd love to see Louisville get a team to see the possible revival of the Kentucky Colonels, but they may want two teams out West to slide Minnesota to the East.

 

I would not be surprised at all if Tod Leiweke is part of that group once the Seattle Kraken are up and running but since there will be people who want more POC owning NBA teams (as there are only three who are majority owners in the NBA: MJ in Charlotte, Joe Tsai in Brooklyn and Vivek Ranadive with Sacramento) I would suspect that if Leiweke is involved it's because the Kraken are the primary tenants in the arena and it would be a small part of the team.  If I am a potential Seattle Supersonics new owner, I would not only go after Leiweke but also the diverse array of athletes who live in Seattle or have ties to the city: Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (who already is a minority investor in the Sounders alongside his wife, R&B Star Ciara), US Soccer Star Megan Rapinoe, (once she retires) Seattle Storm star Sue Bird, Former Sonics Legends Gary Payton and Detlef Schrempf, especially if the majority owner is yet another billionaire white guy.  Russell Wilson owning a part of an NBA team while still playing is not unusual as both Aaron Rodgers and Larry Fitzgerald own small shares of the Bucks and Suns respectively.  

 

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Leiweke seems like he'd have to be part of the group, especially since an NBA team would (stupidly) be a secondary tenant. Have dual ownership helps to alleviate some of the issues that go along with not having priority scheduling. Better to compromise key dates with yourself than with a second owner (like in Staples).

[GDAWG]

19 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

Leiweke seems like he'd have to be part of the group, especially since an NBA team would (stupidly) be a secondary tenant. Have dual ownership helps to alleviate some of the issues that go along with not having priority scheduling. Better to compromise key dates with yourself than with a second owner (like in Staples).

 

I would be surprised if he isn't.  I just believe that while Leiweke should play a significant role in a return of the NBA (maybe not in a similar role as what he has with the Kraken where he's President and CEO.  His ties to the city are strong), I do believe that Seattle needs to have a diverse ownership group, especially if the lead owner is another billionaire white guy.  Reach out to Russell Wilson, see if he and Ciara are interested.  Do the same to Megan Rapinoe.  Reach out and see if someone like Gary Payton is interested.  Offer Sue Bird partial ownership stakes to both the Sonics and Storm when she retires.  Have the current ownership of the Storm be a part of the ownership group to keep the continuity there.  

 

Leiweke would no doubt be the connecting link between the Kraken and the NBA expansion team (Sonics?).  I think it would be good if the Kraken, Storm and Sonics had him involved as owner.  

[DG_ThenNowForever]

 

I think there's a little bit of Calvinball in that approach, but on the whole, I think providing more opportunity for meaningful games among more franchises will always be a good thing. And it provides even more of a competitive advantage for the 1 and 2 seeds, which is also a good thing. Seeding matters, and with this approach, seeding matters moreso.

[GDAWG]

 

 

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

No, this is dumb.

 

 

 

[GDAWG]

It will be interesting to see where the Raptors play for the upcoming NBA season.  

[DustDevil61]

3 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

No, this is dumb.

 

 

 

Incredibly dumb. Seeing a team rally from 20+ down to make a game of it—or win—is one of the best (or worst, depending on who you’re rooting for) things about a basketball game.

[GDAWG]

8 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

No, this is dumb.

 

 

 

 

I would have expected the Big3 (if it ever returns) to try something like that.  

[JayMac]

18 hours ago, DustDevil61 said:

Incredibly dumb. Seeing a team rally from 20+ down to make a game of it—or win—is one of the best (or worst, depending on who you’re rooting for) things about a basketball game.

Exactly. They are taking away one of the only reason to even watch a basketball game at all.