Paraphrasing what Shoals said, Childress was in a situation in Atlanta where he didn't want to be and got a highly lucrative offer from one of the best teams in Europe. Landry, on the other hand, is coveted by the Houston Rockets, who are actually a pretty competitive team that does not have a history of ineptitude.
This is just starting to get ridiculous. I mean, I can't fault players for going over all their options and whatnot, but didn't the norm used to be that players were dying to come from all over the world to the NBA? Now, it seems, players are getting turned off by the league and jumping ship, literally. What will this mean for the league and how can we stop a mass exitus to the lands of unknown? I know this much, if the Sixers start playing overseas and I can't watch them at normal times, I'm gonna get pissed.
I really do look at this as a good thing. Or maybe "necessary evil" is a more appropriate term. More and more players have been going overseas but the fact that we might lose two (or more, here's hoping Lou Williams agent isn't paying attention) talented domestics to the Euro leagues is getting a lot of notice and rightfully so. The positive I see in this is that there is no question the NBA has become more than complacent and can use a rude awakening.
ReplyDeleteDavid Stern's refusal to disclose/comment at length any details to the public for the Donaghy scandal or the Seattle Oklahomans move smacks of arrogance. Add to that the unnecessary yearly rule changes that have created confusion not only on the part of the public as to what correct calls are but also on the part of the players and refs and you get a league that has been riding a little too high. For a while now the teams that have been sent to play overseas were haphazardly put together and essentially a poor mix of all-stars ignoring the significance of role-players with the notion that our talent alone was enough to win (and it certainly wasn't). Hopefully the Euro-leagues coming to prominence will cause Stern and the League to do some much needed self-evaluation.
Also, I LOVE the Royal Ivey signing for one reason...I think we may have finally come to the long-awaited end of the Kevin Ollie era! I don't want to jinx us but there is no need to have two minimum-contract level 3rd-string guards. Great day for basketball!
Yea, but the NBA is gonna be garbage to watch if this continues, and how do you correct it? No salary cap? Then it becomes baseball with the Yankees and Red Sox dominating. If Euro teams can pay more, where's there a solution?
ReplyDeleteAs far as Royal, I like it too because it gives them a tough on-the-ball defender and a guy big enough to give someone like Kobe a little, emphasize little, trouble. I hate Stern of late, so I guess, Power to the People.