Darren Collison contemplating signing with Clippers or Lakers

[Fafnir]

Not a surprise. Sounds like he was burned out, then like many who retire discovered that not playing basketball for 6 months left him going stir crazy.

It would be a huge lift for the LAL to get a player like him if he can regain his form and fitness from last year.

[Androslav]

respect his right to come out of retirement and choose where he plays but really disgusted with him only looking at the 2 LA franchises.  if that's where he ends up, hope he sucks bad enough to cost them some games.

Disgusted seems a bit harsh.

He grew up in SoCal, he played at UCLA, he played for the Clippers, and he currently lives there.  I think most of us would make a similar decision under the circumstances.

Yes, guys are making decisions that are making the most sense, just like we are trying to do in our lives.

[Fafnir]

If you're going to come back at a cut rate, why wouldn't you look at the two contenders near where you live/grew up?

I'm betting he'll go somewhere else on a market rate contract after this season if he decides to resume his career full time.

[PhoSita]

This is one of the least surprising developments of the season.


"I'm retiring to spend time with my family and doing religious stuff."

six months later

"Just kidding, I'm gonna sign with one of the LA teams."

[jambr380]

Hopefully they just move more teams to LA - say the Wolves, Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Hawks. That way players will have more options when they force trades or choose to sign for pennies on the dollar with the franchises there.

I get that Boston is hardly a victim as the city does quite well both in attracting FAs and attendance, but it must be a helpless feeling being from the cities of those teams above or like CLE, DET, CHA, SLC, IND, and knowing no FA (not from the area) will ever choose you as a destination.

[PhoSita]

Hopefully they just move more teams to LA - say the Wolves, Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Hawks. That way players will have more options when they force trades or choose to sign for pennies on the dollar with the franchises there.

I get that Boston is hardly a victim as the city does quite well both in attracting FAs and attendance, but it must be a helpless feeling being from the cities of those teams above or like CLE, DET, CHA, SLC, IND, and knowing no FA (not from the area) will ever choose you as a destination.

Eventually the NBA will have two headquarters, one in LA and the other in NY.

Fans will vote for 30+ "team captains" at the start of every season, and those captains will then pick teams all at once in the annual "draft."

The teams will play games mostly at the arenas in NY and LA, but there will be a traveling schedule around the middle of the year.  Each reasonably large city will have at least one NBA game played in it during the calendar year.  But if you really want to see your favorite players in person, you'd better travel to LA, NY, or perhaps Las Vegas!


The players will have near-absolute freedom to switch teams mid-season, with much drama covered by the media, reality-TV style.



In other words, I'm betting that the long term future of the NBA is something akin to the Big 3.

[bdm860]

Thinking ahead, so whichever LA team gets Collison, would that lead to the other LA team getting Iguodala?

Bleacher Report has a quote from a Memphis exec who says they are confident they have trade(s) for Iggy lined up.  Marc Stein says the Mavs for Courtney Lee.  I'm not holding my breath on a trade happening though.  I'll think he'll end up being bought out.

[Fafnir]

I'm just thinking of how they messed up the situation with Tyreke Evans, so I don't trust that they have a backup trade that will hold up.

Also I'm not really that worked up over where Iggy ends up, I am really skeptical he can come in after not playing for so long and perform at a high level in the playoffs with a new team.

[Moranis]

Hopefully they just move more teams to LA - say the Wolves, Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Hawks. That way players will have more options when they force trades or choose to sign for pennies on the dollar with the franchises there.

I get that Boston is hardly a victim as the city does quite well both in attracting FAs and attendance, but it must be a helpless feeling being from the cities of those teams above or like CLE, DET, CHA, SLC, IND, and knowing no FA (not from the area) will ever choose you as a destination.

If you look at the major free agent moves of the last decade or so, I think you might be a little surprised where the players end up.  Even this past summer, sure Leonard went to LA, but every other star that went to L.A. got traded there at a pretty hefty price for the two L.A. teams.  Durant and Irving went to Brooklyn.  Walker went to Boston.  Butler went to Miami.  Horford to Philly.  Then you start getting the lesser players like Redick that left a contender to go to New Orleans, Brogdon signing in Indiana, or Rubio in Phoenix. 

At the end of the day the players will sign where they think they can win, where they like the organization, or where the money is right.  Both LA teams right now fill those requirements so it makes them attractive as destinations. 

[Ogaju]

You do not need them to play at a high level. The LA teams already have their high level players. You just need them to come and play special roles on the team.

There is no need having a salary cap that can be circumvented so easily.