Lone Star Ball: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Around SBN: Soriano Belts Three, Cubs Snap Slide Bar-right-arrows

OT: NBA going down the drain fast...

Pomeranian2_tiny by miles on

Not only is the NBA getting a hit from the donaghy scandal, but now there is worry about keeping their stars in the U.S.A.

Carlos Delfino, Bostjan Nachbar, Carlos Arroyo, Jorge Garbajosa, Earl Boykins and Juan Carlos Navarro

What do all of these players have in common?  They left the NBA to play overseas for more money.  Why is this?  there is no cap where they are playing.  Some of these owners overseas are  some of the richest people in the world. 

They are willing to drop 40 or 50 million a year on players such as Lebron and Kobe.  Would Kobe and Lebron consider that?  Definite yes.

When Kobe was asked if he would go overseas for the right amount of money, he responded "You can't turn down $40 million (a year), I don't care who you are," Bryant said. "If someone turns down 40, I'm beating them up."

Lebron was also all ears when asked if he would go elsewhere in 2010, as he said "I haven’t been offered that, I haven’t talked to anybody," James said. "It’s just rumors?" When I asked him if he liked hearing them, he smiled and said: "I like hearing good rumors, not bad rumors. That’s a good rumor."

D Wade was also asked the same question when he responded "They throw 30, 40, 50 million a year at me? I can't turn that down," said Heat star Dwyane Wade, a free agent in 2010.

The thing is that overseas owners are willing to pay the dollars to get world class superstars on their teams, these owners are some of the most powerful men in the world.  How can Kobe or Lebron turn down 50 million a year when the most they can be offered in the NBA is 20 million?

So is this the end of the worldly status of the NBA?  The power is already switching, can Euro basketball get bigger?  The fan base is there, and it can only get bigger if they bring in American superstars. 

Former Mav Pops Mensu Botsu is a fan favorite as they chant his name every game and treat him like a god. 

How would Kobe Bryant or Lebron James be treated?

 

Boston Globe

Arizona Republic

New York Times

Dallas Morning News

ESPN.com

0 recs | Comment 93 comments | Add your comment

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Good,

I hate basketball. Funny quote from Kobe there.

Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.

by t ball on Aug 8, 2008 1:42 PM CDT reply reply   1 recs

says nazi

(but i really dont like you) [plain white t’s reference]

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 5:40 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

sounds like...

the David Beckham deal in reverse

by Royal Swine on Aug 8, 2008 1:42 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

first thing that came to my mind too

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 1:44 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Pretty much dead on balls accurate

If you put a dress on a pig, it’s still a pig. Fans in Europe care about soccer, soccer, soccer, soccer, cricket, scocer, rugby, soccer, soccer, and basketball…. in that order. If owners with more dollars than sense throw that kind of jack and land a Kobe or Wade type player, it will get people’s attention in Europe…. until Man U’s season starts or the Italian league starts or whatever. Soccer is burned into their roots like football and baseball is burned into ours. Besides, no one’s even come close to making any player a $40 or 50 million offer, which is just baseless speculation. The offers from European teams haven’t been outrageous yet. Childress signed for 3 years, $20 million instead of working with Atlanta’s initial multiyear offer for $35 million total (yes, granted the Greek team’s 20 million is largely untaxed, but anyways). Sasha Vujacic turned down an overseas offer for 3 years, $15 million from the Lakers.

Bottom line: despite the cap, teams will use players’ Bird rights to throw crazy jack at A-list free agents. Big market teams will take the luxury tax hit and get the Lebrons, Wades, and Kobes of the league. I don’t see Europe taking over the basketball universe.

Aikman and Bradshaw?

Please. They are in the same league as Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon as QBs who were taken to the SB by great Defenses and great Running Games.
-DJCahill

by SarasotaRanger on Aug 8, 2008 3:07 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

You don't see

the point. A few years ago, you would get laughed at if you said a player would go overseas instead of playing in the NBA. Times are changing little by little. It has to start somewhere. Watch the contracts get bigger and bigger.

By 2010, who knows what could happen.

You are being close minded.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 3:15 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

If, by a rational explanation of an alternative to your theory,

you mean I’m being closed minded, then I agree.

Aikman and Bradshaw?

Please. They are in the same league as Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon as QBs who were taken to the SB by great Defenses and great Running Games.
-DJCahill

by SarasotaRanger on Aug 8, 2008 3:45 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Yeah,

But I copy pasted the quotes.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 1:46 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Probably should attribute

The source

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Aug 8, 2008 1:49 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Just did.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 1:52 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

And don't

be surprised when Dirk leaves the U.S. after 2010 for good and plays in Euro league.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 1:48 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Good,

he might dominate a league as soft as he is.

I'm sure the Russians felt there were WMD's in Georgia, and that it was a hotbed of terrorism.

by DJCahill on Aug 8, 2008 2:06 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   1 recs

lol

The 40 Trumps All!!!

by thedirkatron on Aug 8, 2008 2:14 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Perspective note

The drain is uphill from the NBA. It might be hard for the NBA to go “down* the drain.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Aug 8, 2008 1:48 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Hah

Important distinction.

Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return

by zywica on Aug 8, 2008 6:30 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Cuban with a post about it too

love him or hate him…i always enjoy reading his articles

http://www.blogmaverick.com/2008/08/07/from-the-nba-to-europe/


From the NBA to Europe ?
Aug 7th 2008 9:38PM

Could there be anything better for the NBA ?

The more NBA players in Europe the better. The movement of players is taking away the stigma and fear that younger players perceive when they are asked to play in Europe before signing an NBA contract. Knowing that they will be competing against Josh Childress, Earl Boykins, Carlos Arroyo, et al, and getting a chance to get real minutes, AND make good money is a win for everyone.

I know a lot of people think a team that loses a player could get really hurt by the move. In reality, if a team truly has a good handle on your skill level and ability to contribute to the team, they will pay to that level. If they arent sure, then the player going to Europe is a huge win. The player gets paid, but more importantly, the team gets to further evaluate the player in a high pressure situation.

High pressure ? Absolutely. When you are the highest paid American player on your team overseas, you better be a star that produces, on a team that wins. If as a player, you improve your game (and the 2 a day practices over there give you that opportunity), then you can come back to the states after a shorter season and your value will have improved. If you are a player that went over to be the star and didnt star… Well, you probably will have a long career in another country.

From the NBA team’s perspective, not only do we get additional evaluation time, but we still retain the same rights we had the day before you left, and I dont want to speak for any other team, but the hardest part of a player leaving is his going to a team you compete with and having to see him and read about it all the time. When a player defects overseas and you still hold the same rights, its not nearly that bad.

And one last question thats been getting asked a lot. What about a guy getting far more overseas than he could get paid in the NBA ? Yes, yes, yes. Nothing better than competition for the NBA.

With the exchange rate, 25mm a year paid in Euros is the equivalent of about 12mm paid in Euros just a few years ago. So NBA players look like bargains. If we lose a few players, thats not a bad thing. in fact a couple All Stars going over there is a GREAT GREAT thing.

Let me explain why. Lets say for the sake of example a couple players got 25mm, 50mm or whatever a year pay and they play on teams that just dominate. They rip apart every team they face. What happens next ? People wonder who the best teams in the world are. When that discussion becomes serious, the NBA and those winning overseas teams get paid.

European Soccer has done a phenomenal job of inventing tournaments that drive huge revenues and TV dollars. This would allow the NBA to do the same thing. Take a Christmas break, or do it in the summer , where the top 6 records in the league play the top 6 teams over there , with the revenues from the event being split primarily among the participant teams rather than equally among all NBA teams. Not only would that be a great revenue source for all the teams involved, but it would create a huge economic incentive for the other 24NBA teams and all overseas team to become top tier teams.

Then of course we could create our own World Cup type tournament every 4 years.

ALl of this could open the door to create more NBA owned competition. I’m not saying it would be easy or automatic. Quite a few parties that dont always see eye to eye would have to come to agreement, But the timing for all of that is right and its an amazing opportunity for players, leagues and teams alike.

Who would have ever thunk that the combination of Josh and the drop in the dollar could create such a wonderful opportunity

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 1:51 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

If I were

Cuban I would sell now. The NBA is a mess right now and he knows it. He will sell in the next year and try to get into MLB or NFL.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 1:53 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

yea

evidently hes the front runner for the cubs?

hes a business man…and a damn good one.

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 2:06 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

that sucks

luckily i dont really watch basketball

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Aug 8, 2008 2:02 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

do you really think hurley will be a #2?

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 2:07 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

yeah he has great off-speed pitches

and now that connor is out of here, he’ll be able to go back to himself and throw his mid-90s fastball

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Aug 8, 2008 5:31 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

was connor his pitching coach last year at AAA when he got hammered?

or this year when he got killed?

you think “great offspeed pitches” make someone a #2? why else

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 5:40 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

WHAT ELSE MAKES SOMEONE A #2, A GOOD SINKER??

for us he is a #2 for anyone else he would be a #4, but since we decide to not have good pitching everyone jumps two spots. except mendoza, he would be a #9 for a regular team but for us he is a #5

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Aug 8, 2008 9:12 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

He is the #9

Look at the DL for reasons why a Mendoza has so many starts.

Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.

by t ball on Aug 9, 2008 7:13 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I'd love to see

an uncapped league loot the NBA of players. It’ll be good to see the owners deal with a free market.

I'm sure the Russians felt there were WMD's in Georgia, and that it was a hotbed of terrorism.

by DJCahill on Aug 8, 2008 2:24 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

I only have one question

What the fuck is the difference between 20 million a year and 50 million a year, besides that extra 30 million laying around.

What do you mean you could not turn that down? You already have more money than you could ever spend now.

by SaltyGoesYard on Aug 8, 2008 2:28 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

ummm 30 million dollars

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Aug 8, 2008 2:30 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I already said that

You son of a bitch, READ.

by SaltyGoesYard on Aug 8, 2008 2:32 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Yeah I read that

And that is absolutely the reason. I don’t care if you are Bill fucking Gates you could always use an extra 30 million dollars

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Aug 8, 2008 2:36 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

They don't have more money than they can spend.

Ask Mike Tyson.

Or Mike Jackson.

What’s the difference to the team between paying the players 20 million, or 50 million?

I'm sure the Russians felt there were WMD's in Georgia, and that it was a hotbed of terrorism.

by DJCahill on Aug 8, 2008 2:32 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I guess what im saying is

I dont get how they could say “You could not turn down 40 or 50 million a year, thats just crazy”

I mean…yes you could. Now maybe if you were one of us who sit around and work all day for mostly shitty pay, THEN you could not turn that down.

But your already a superstar athlete who wipes his ass with 100 dollar bills and is worshipped everywhere you go, YES YOU CAN TURN IT DOWN.

by SaltyGoesYard on Aug 8, 2008 2:36 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

That's ignorant

30 million per year over 4 or 5 years is the difference between being super duper rich and being just ungodly super duper king kong mega-mega rich. There is a huge freaking difference. There really is.

You could take that money and do some really damn good things for your community or your old hometown or your old school or your family (every cousin gets a million!). Or, if you’re an NBA player, you could finally get that gold-plated mural of yourself you’ve always wanted. The solid gold statue just looks so lonely without it.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

by thedirkatron on Aug 8, 2008 2:39 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I'm with lil Salty here

If it is a work scenario that isn’t unpalatable, fine.

But if you play for one of the contenders, have never won a ring, and you and your family love it where you live, good God man, do you really need the 2nd yacht and the 4th vacation home and the 24/7 on-call-testicle-washer?

If your point is that most pro athletes are all about the money, I don’t disagree. Time and time again, you see players take the contract with the perennial cellar dwellar b/c they offered 12 million instead of the 8 from the contender. I have a theory that alot of that stems from their natural competitive nature, which may be the case with alot of aggressive “captains of industry” as well. A pride thing.

But Salts is right. Of course you can turn down 30 million when you make 20. It’s like the old Chris Rock divorce analogy:

If you are worth 30 million, and you have to give up 15, fine. No problem. But if you make 30 thousand, and they want 15 for alimony…she might have to die. “I aint gonna move in w/ my momma cuz you ain’t in love.”

Last week I took a pleasure trip. I drove my wife to the airport.

by Brian Thomas on Aug 8, 2008 5:05 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Lebron has said

many times that his goal is to be a billionaire. That extra money can go along way toward making that happen. Also, the taxes are paid by the clubs in these other countries, so while a $20MM salary goes down to like $10MM from taxes, the $50MM they make there is all theirs to keep. That difference is up around $200MM over 5 years, not counting the ridiculous amount of money made from endorsements over there. I would be on that in a second.

by CS3 on Aug 8, 2008 2:49 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

He would

also become an international icon around the world.

Which means even more money.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 2:54 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Why would you, though?

When someone asks you if he can double or triple your pay, for doing the same job, just in another country, why would you say no unless its a war zone?

Unless its gonna kill your endorsement deals, what the hell is so great about the NBA that you would turn down $30 million?

Thats another vacation island somewhere. Or maybe a private jet with an aircrew. Trust me, I know folks with a decent amount of money, and they usually can figure out a way to spend it if they put their mind to it.

I'm sure the Russians felt there were WMD's in Georgia, and that it was a hotbed of terrorism.

by DJCahill on Aug 8, 2008 2:57 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

+1

eom

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 3:25 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Not to mention

If the club is paying them 50M euros that is nearly 75M U.S. and from my understanding the teams in Europe pay the taxes.

This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC

by nikpin on Aug 8, 2008 3:06 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

would YOU turn it down?

making that much in one year makes you already in the 99.99% of highest paid people EVER.

would you turn down 50 mil to do your job?

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 3:26 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

yeah...

...its like having stack with $100,000…. except, its like having 300 of those stacks.

I blame it not on Ron Washington, but on society. Society is to blame. And Ron Washington. ~Ken Tremendous on Ron Washington sac bunting in the 11th vs LAA

by ivysafety39 on Aug 8, 2008 2:32 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

what?

Tony Romo's #1 fan!

by Longhorn on Aug 8, 2008 2:41 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

-1

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 2:49 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

interesting....

will duechbags like Kobe get the same calls in international play that they get here…doubt it.

that might be reason enough to stay.

Also lets factor in deals such as nike….will nike shell out a huge contract to a player overseas? doubtful because he will not have the same kind of exposure as he would in the states.

by clinton33 on Aug 8, 2008 3:29 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

You are kidding, right?

You know how much more Nike would make if he went overseas?

The money is endless. Money would be coming in from everywhere, worldwide.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 3:30 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

disagree

NBA gets worldwide exposure because it is the premier league. One guy and 11 schleps playing in Milan or Madrid isn’t going to do that. You need a collection. Perhaps the talent gets more diffuse and you have a situation like Premiership/La Liga/etc. and you have dominant forces in their leagues like Chelsea/Arsenal/ManU/Barca/Real Madrid etc.

But Yao Ming sells Nike in China BECAUSE he is in the NBA; ditto Dirk in Germany.

by thedudeabides on Aug 8, 2008 3:58 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Tell

a random person to name another player on the Cavs besides Lebron.

Once more and more players move overseas to teams, players will be more known.

And matchups like Lebron vs. Kobe would bring world wide watching.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 8, 2008 4:03 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I don’t know what you mean by when more players move overseas to teams, players will be more known. Known by whom? You mean once Lebron moves to London I’m going to care about the 11 other guys with him? Nope. Does a basketball fan in Japan care more about Kobe (say plaing in Madrid) vs. Lebron (London) than he does now? I can’t see how. And Kobe vs. Lebron already do bring world wide watching to the extent they otherwise would.

If the talent gets more diffuse and you have a championships league like soccer perhaps, but most soccer fans care more about winning their league than winning the championship. If Aresenal loses to ManU in the premeirship and wins the champions league, the fans are still pissed.

In any event, call me when they get someone who plays a significant role and that someone doesn’t come back within 2 years after learning that the fans throw objects onto the court with regularity over there.

by thedudeabides on Aug 8, 2008 4:27 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

again, what?

Tony Romo's #1 fan!

by Longhorn on Aug 8, 2008 3:32 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Screw it...

The Celtics finally won another championship so I just don’t care much about the NBA now. I was never a huge NBA fan to begin with anyway. I would trade the Celtics title for just the chance of the Rangers getting to the playoffs in September.

How about condensing the NBA to 20 teams in one conference in the US and another 20 teams overseas as a world conference as the other half of a larger league. Don’t think it would work, but it may make the NBA interesting again. Imagine the travel costs/time for those road trips!

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Aug 8, 2008 3:32 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

dont travel

2 divisions of 10 teams here

2 division of 10 yeams there

playoffs/division (like NHL?) – winners face off

Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark

by knockoutking on Aug 8, 2008 5:43 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Nevermind the NBA

imagine what this would do to the NCAA

Top talent heads overseas leaving a hole for college guys to leave early
+ high schoolers going to Europe to get around one year rule = Weaker talent in college.

by Taylor on Aug 8, 2008 3:42 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

That'd be great.

I see nothing wrong with kids having a professional alternative to College Basketball. They have one in baseball, I don’t see anything wrong with it.

I'm sure the Russians felt there were WMD's in Georgia, and that it was a hotbed of terrorism.

by DJCahill on Aug 8, 2008 3:48 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

It's already happened with one player

McDonald’s All-American Brandon Jennings signed a one-year deal with an Italian team rather than spend his obligatory year in college.

Aikman and Bradshaw?

Please. They are in the same league as Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon as QBs who were taken to the SB by great Defenses and great Running Games.
-DJCahill

by SarasotaRanger on Aug 8, 2008 4:52 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Meh

That was a grades issue more than anything.

This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC

by nikpin on Aug 8, 2008 10:50 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I don't know if it was or not

I do know that if a player can get $300,000 overseas or go to college for a year, Europe is a tempting option. The only X-factor would be the effect of playing in Europe on his draft status for the next year since the far more prevalent media coverage of an NCAA athelete is in the US. However, we’re seeing more and more international players being drafted, so that might not necessarily be a detractor. Europe could become a kind of minor league system for the NBA, although I don’t see the NBA itself being seriously threatened by European leagues.

Aikman and Bradshaw?

Please. They are in the same league as Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon as QBs who were taken to the SB by great Defenses and great Running Games.
-DJCahill

by SarasotaRanger on Aug 9, 2008 10:15 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs