The NBA season has yet to even begin and everyone wants a piece of the Miami Heat. Charles Barkley thinks the new Big Three are punks and it sounds like he wants a piece of them in the boxing ring. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh all got killed with their latest Q Score ratings of popularity among sports figures, reflecting the fact that people have already developed a burning hatred for the Heat and their new superstars.
Then there are those who actually want a piece of the Heat — as in, want to be a part of what they’ve got going. Penny Hardaway made his best effort to get the Heat to notice him and bring him back in a limited role, to no avail. Now, Tracy McGrady says he speaks for the rest of the league in saying he wishes he was given the same opportunity Miami’s Big Three have in front of them.
I am envious (of Miami’s Big Three). I’m jealous as s**t,” McGrady chuckled Tuesday morning before a Pistons workout. “I look at all the teams I’ve been on, and I never had a Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the same team. I’m jealous, but I’m happy for them. I hope they win 10 damn championships.”
Of course, McGrady hopes they start winning those “10 damn championships” after he retires and is no longer a Detroit Piston. Or does he? This is a perfect example of what we talked about with regard to the NBA trying to prevent players from calling the shots with trades.
It’s rumored that Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul want to join Amare Stoudemire to create the next Big Three with the Knicks. Since the Celtics formed the Big Three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen and won a championship right away, players are aware that it works. They know teams can bring in three superstars and still finagle a way to make it work with the salary cap rules that are in place. It’s the new fad across the NBA and everyone wants to be a part of it.
