If star players still want to team up in the best cities and play for the top franchises, then what exactly did the NBA lockout accomplish? Heat guard Dwyane Wade is wondering the same thing.
“Yeah, no. I don’t see it helping right now,” Wade said when asked about the lockout Monday. “Maybe in a few years we will look back and say it did.”
Wade told reporters competitive balance was a “pie in the sky” ideal. He says that playing in some cities is more attractive than others.
“We knew [competitive balance] was impossible, especially when you’ve got players willing to take less money to be happy,” Wade said.
Wade was likely talking about guys like Shane Battier, who signed for less money to play with the Heat. I actually disagree with Wade. The Cavs were one of the best teams in the NBA when they had LeBron. The Magic have been to the Finals with Dwight. Oklahoma City is one of the best teams in the West. All those teams became successful building through the draft.
If you draft well, you have a chance as a small-market team. The real problem is that the NBA allows teams to spend above the salary cap, which generally favors the teams in big cities.
via I am a GM
