The NBA Lockout, Explained By Gilbert Arenas (Insightful & simple)

[indeedproceed]

Gilbert Arenas kinda makes sense, the dead rising from the grave, DOGS AND CATS, LIVING TOGETHER, MASS HYSTERIA!

[hpantazo]

The owners screwed themselves by handing out massive contracts to mediocre players. If the argument really is that the small market teams can't afford to keep star players so they overpay mediocre players, then the NBA should just make a franchise player tag and add some rules to prevent players from throwing tantrums to force teams to trade them, or outright demanding a trade. Too many times NBA players have forced teams to trade them, and that should never be allowed when you are under contract. Any teams that are still losing money consistently after having a franchise tag and some rules preventing players from forcing trades, then those teams should be contracted, plain and simple. These 3 things would fix the problems and still allow players to get a shot at good contracts imo.

[erisred]

The NBA wants its big market teams to be better.  Sure, they want the small market teams to have hope, but pure parity is not in the interest of the league.

I think this is absolutely true...at least it is what The League Office (ie. Stern) sees as being in the best interest of NBA the brand! However, "the league" isn't The League Office, but is really a collection of 30 individual interests, each of whom have their own interests. It is a house divided, a house very divided.

The Owners each have one vote and there are more small and mid market teams than big market teams. So, the big market teams don't control the NBA's contract demands, right now. I think most of the real negotiating drama is going to be going on inside the Ownership committee meetings for the next few months.

Only when Ownership has settled issues like revenue sharing, levels of competitiveness, the "middle class" player "problem, and the "Miami Problem" among themselves will the action move to negotiations between Ownership and Players. And depending upon how Ownership settles its issues the negotiations with the Players could be short...or very protracted.

Personally, I'm afraid this is going to be a very long and very bumpy ride.