RealGM

Where are the out of the box thinkers during this lockout? There is no reason all these players need to sit around making zero dollars, complaining that they wish they could be playing, during this lockout. There is even less reason for guys like Brandon Jennings to be touring the country looking for pickup games for free ... this is madness!

Fans want to see some ball and players want to play some ball ... and get paid.

The perfect solution is a PAY-PER-VIEW 1-on-1, 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 tourney.

The stars would play in the 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 tourneys and the young guns would play in the 1-on-1 tourney.

The 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 teams would have to be comprised of real nba team mates, ala Westbrook/Durant vs. Rose/Deng and LBJ/Wade/Bosh vs. Melo/Amare/Billups, etc.

The 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 tourneys could have 2 teams represent each NBA team, along with four teams comprised of rookies. That would be two 64 team fields like the NCAA Tourney.

The 1-on-1 tourney could have 32 players per position with a winner being decided for each of the 5 positions. There could also be height groupings instead of positions so that someone like Lebron (who would never enter the 1-on-1 tourney anyway for fear of getting beat) couldn't enter as a PG but would be matched against players in his height range.

I have no doubt you could find 100,000 NBA Fans to pay $99 for a 1 month pay-per-view to see all of these tourneys played. There would also be major advertising dollars involved and the winning teams and 1-on-1 players could easily walk away with some major pay checks and every player who participates could probably be guaranteed at least $100k

Honestly I would LOVE to see this happen and would pay more than $99 just to see the 1-on-1 tourney. As for the 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 tourneys, those could even be 3 month long leagues with a bunch of games played, stats kept, etc.

I think it's ridiculous no one has thought of pay-per-view and arranged a simple 1-on-1 tourney which all real NBA fans would pay good money to see and all young guys would be happy to participate in.

Your thoughts?

This wouldn't work. There aren't enough actually interesting players to do this (see why the lockout continues as a result of restricting player movement). There aren't enough fans to actually pay $99, most, if they're like me, would say f*ck you and get a new CBA so I can go back to paying $0 to watch you on cable, and even if they did generate the funds to do this you're talking months of planning for gym space, insurance, promotions, dealing with agents who wouldn't want an even money split for their clients and probably a myriad of other hurdles.

I don't agree at all. You've got players playing pickup ball all summer for free with their agents receiving NOTHING. The young players would jump at this opportunity in a heart beat and their agents would be all for at it, as as-is they are currently making NOTHING.

You may be a very casual NBA fan and many are and therefore those folks would not pay the $99 but I can assure you there are many hard core nba fans out there like me who would plunk down $99 to watch a 1-on-1 tourney. I don't care if the Finals end up being"

Kemba Walker vs. Jimmer (PGs)
DeRozan vs. Marshon Brooks (SGs)
Jeff Green vs. Paul George (SFs)
Cousins vs. Villanueva (PFs)
Javale McGee vs. Deandre Jordan (Cs)

I'd pay!!!!

That was the minor issue... read the rest of my post.

Maybe this can still happen during All-Star weekend?

^ Oh man, I would LOVE to see a 1-on-1 competition during all-star weekend, even if it was just, say, an 4 man field at each position ... that's 20 players, 15 games, 5 winners ... could play some of the games on Friday and Saturday with the title games to come on Sunday before the actual all-star game ... sounds good to me.