One of the most exciting NBA regular seasons in my lifetime just ended and the playoffs have opened with a bang, but it’s hard to ignore the writing on the wall.
We might not have NBA basketball next year.
Even as other great storylines are unfolding across the playoff landscape, it’s hard to escape the overriding sense that this might be it for a while.
Think about it. No Derrick Rose for a year. Miami’s polarizing ‘Big Three’ cut down at the height of its powers—not by injuries, but by labor strife. The Old Guard’s (Celtics, Lakers and Spurs) title windows forcibly shut by the powers that be.
No matter what happens in the following months there are dark clouds looming on the horizon. The momentum that has been created in the regular season--and that will certainly continue in the playoffs—could be halted by a potential lockout
It’s a shame for a league that seems to be on the precipice of another golden age. When Magic, Bird and Jordan (the first time) retired, the NBA entered a long transition period. Due to overexpansion, a diluted talent pool and an initial lack of a rookie pay scale, the league’s product suffered.
From a talent standpoint, the NBA has finally reached the top of the mountain again. The competitiveness level was as high as it has been for two decades. That’s not to say the league doesn’t have problems it will need to iron out with the next collective bargaining agreement.
The NBA, unfortunately, isn’t in a position like the NFL is with its current lockout. Essentially, the NFL is just trying to sort out a money distribution conflict (Should players get a bigger piece of the owner’s pie?), while the NBA truly has pressing, fundamental problems.
Questions need to be answered. Should owners institute a hard salary cap? What about shortening the length of guaranteed contracts? Is the Miami superpower model a good one for the NBA? Early indications show that Miami’s ‘Big Three’ has helped boost interest and revenue, but it’s going to be a difficult sell for small market franchises.
That’s what’s going to make the Heat’s postseason run so fascinating. Their potential successes or failures could have long-term ramifications. Surely, if the ‘Big Three’ satiates our instant gratification society and brings the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to Biscayne Blvd. in its first season, there will be copycats. In fact, the Knicks must have been sold on Pat Riley’s blueprint already, as they’ve started to assemble the pieces for their version of the ‘Big Three.’
While Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh are supremely talented, there is no guarantee their collective gifts will be enough to get past the other title contenders. This spring, they’re attempting to prove you can win the whole thing with three all-stars and nine other guys with a pulse.
If they do win a championship, it could increase the growing schism between big-market and small-market teams.
There will be plenty of on-court excitement over the next few months, but as the playoffs progress the lockout will loom larger.
"Think about it. No Derrick Rose for a year. Miami’s polarizing ‘Big Three’ cut down at the height of its powers—not by injuries, but by labor strife."
ReplyDeleteGood.