How far exactly has player empowerment gone?

[celticsclay]

I have seen a few posts that I have found surprising and even been surprised by how the media is covering this thing with Durant. The media has repeatedly referenced them losing Durant, almost implying they will get nothing for him. I have seen a few posters here comment that Durant can just pick his team and the nets have to take a crap package. Is this a common sentiment?

This doesn't really make any sense to me. For one, we just saw with Ben Simmons, a player with 1/18th the resume and a laundry list of health concerns still get offers throughout the year (and they did end up getting a bit more for him than I would have guessed). Simmons, despite the potential of losing money, could actually still hold out a full year and still have a long career.

Do people really think that a franchise has absolutely no power if a player wants to leave with a full 4 year contract? Even when Davis made it clear he wasn't signing in New Orleans, he still got a massive haul in Ball, Lamelo, Hart and a bevy of picks. Yes he was younger, but way less time on his contract. To people really think the power dynamics have massively shifted so much in the last year that someone on a 4 year contract can just demand one team and force his team to take a crappy package in return? Is there any history of this? Curious what folks think. If i am completely wrong on this, the NBA is basically over for small market teams.

[Who]

Its the same as it ever was. This was always the case. Players nowadays are just more willing to play hardball than they were before and many front offices are less willing to play hardball nowadays.

Always a good litmus test to see if your GM has any balls or not. Are you going to be Jerry Colangelo and trade Joe Johnson? Or are you going to be Mitch Kupchak and face down Kobe Bryant?

Most GMs have no balls.

[celticsclay]

Its the same as it ever was. This was always the case. Players nowadays are just more willing to play hardball than they were before and many front offices are less willing to play hardball nowadays.

Always a good litmus test to see if your GM has any balls or not. Are you going to be Jerry Colangelo and trade Joe Johnson? Or are you going to be Mitch Kupchak and face down Kobe Bryant?

Most GMs have no balls.

Did Kobe demand a trade with 4 years left? From everything I have read the times he was unsettled he had free agency approaching and leverage from that. From every I have read the simmons hold out with 4 years left was seemingly unprecedented (especially with the money owed). There was also serious belief Durant could demand a trade with 4 years left. Has this also been like this? Pretty serious journalists have talked about it being a new development that may cause heck in the next CBA

[tazzmaniac]

The Nets will get a very good return if Durant is traded.  Just like NO did with AD and OKC did with PG13 and Houston did with Harden.  All of those players had much less left on their contracts than Durant does.  What franchise hasn't gotten a good return for an actual star player?   

[celticsclay]

The Nets will get a very good return if Durant is traded.  Just like NO did with AD and OKC did with PG13 and Houston did with Harden.  All of those players had much less left on their contracts than Durant does.  What franchise hasn't gotten a good return for an actual star player?

This is my viewpoint also, but have heard others saying he would Fetch a mediocre return if he demanded a trade. The way the media was phrasing it the nets would just “lose him.”

[Who]

Its the same as it ever was. This was always the case. Players nowadays are just more willing to play hardball than they were before and many front offices are less willing to play hardball nowadays.

Always a good litmus test to see if your GM has any balls or not. Are you going to be Jerry Colangelo and trade Joe Johnson? Or are you going to be Mitch Kupchak and face down Kobe Bryant?

Most GMs have no balls.

Did Kobe demand a trade with 4 years left? From everything I have read the times he was unsettled he had free agency approaching and leverage from that. From every I have read the simmons hold out with 4 years left was seemingly unprecedented (especially with the money owed). There was also serious belief Durant could demand a trade with 4 years left. Has this also been like this? Pretty serious journalists have talked about it being a new development that may cause heck in the next CBA

No idea.

But what does it matter? The situation is the same regardless. Either you have a GM with balls or you do not have a GM with balls.

Players probably had trade demands with 3 years on their deals when you had those 7 year contracts although it was more common for players to wait to the 2 year mark because that was the last point where teams could expect to get back a quality return. Later than that there was too much risk the player would walk for free in free agency so the trade packages offered were often rubbish.

[tazzmaniac]

The Nets will get a very good return if Durant is traded.  Just like NO did with AD and OKC did with PG13 and Houston did with Harden.  All of those players had much less left on their contracts than Durant does.  What franchise hasn't gotten a good return for an actual star player?

This is my viewpoint also, but have heard others saying he would Fetch a mediocre return if he demanded a trade. The way the media was phrasing it the nets would just “lose him.”

The media said the same thing with NO trading AD and OKC with PG13.  In some ways its easier if a player really wants to go to one team and that team really wants the player.  Once it was public knowledge the Lakers and AD were joined at the hip, there really wasn't a way for the Lakers to back away.  Are they really going to tell their fans, Len the trade fell apart because of a pick or a role player?  Similar situation with the Clips and PG-13 except Kawhi signing with them was dependent on getting PG-13. 

The Sixers and Simmons situation was different but everyone kept saying over and over again that the Sixers would be forced to trade Simmons soon.  And yet they just kept holding on for most of the season with Simmons not playing until they got a trade that they liked.  What you have to have is a GM willing to play chicken with the player and his agent and a supportive owner. 

[Kuberski33]

When it comes to the superstar players, I don't think it's the GM making the call - I think its the owner. There's too much on the line business-wise for the owner not to be heavily involved - or more likely directing things.

[RJ87]

I don't have a problem with player empowerment because it's basically players realizing their value. These guys generate far more money for their teams and the league as a whole than any contract can pay them.

We as fans want players to be loyal to a fault, but GMs get to make everything transactional. It's a huge double standard. The reality is that this is a billion dollar business - and that's because of the players.

[tenn_smoothie]

It has gone way too far - and has done serious damage to professional sports in our country.
Now the damage is bleeding into college sports.

[nickagneta]

It has gone way too far - and has done serious damage to professional sports in our country.
Now the damage is bleeding into college sports.

The sense of making sure the players on the field get some money in college sports, one of the most corrupt systems in all of athletics, is damaging to sports?

Players are the product. Without the players, there is no money to be made. No reason that college athletes aren't allowed their piece of the very large pie that is the college athletics money making machine.   

[mr. dee]

The league needs power balance between the owners and players. Most players these days are so entitled. Ben Simmons is the biggest example of how player empowerment have gone wrong.

[Kernewek]

It has gone way too far - and has done serious damage to professional sports in our country.
Now the damage is bleeding into college sports.

You're being ironic, I presume?

[Who]

I believe most of these problems stem from having a max contract that is set far too low. This makes players team up with each other more often compared to the 90s when guys were happy on their own team because they made more money as the franchise guy.

Get rid of max contracts and let teams pay whatever they want under the salary cap to star players. This will reduce player movement & stars looking to hook up with other stars. It make teams less replaceable because far fewer teams will be able to meet their asking price.

[gouki88]

It has gone way too far - and has done serious damage to professional sports in our country.
Now the damage is bleeding into college sports.

You're being ironic, I presume?

Wait till you hear the tattoo rant