Around the League: 2023-24 Season

[blargh]

I wonder why they didn't have to resort to gimmicks and bribing players to play hard and have some pride 30-40 years ago, when the game was a blast to watch?

One unacknowledged truth is that the iso hero-ball of the eighties and nineties meant you had great individual stories/interest for the stars, which naturally translates well into the all star game. That came at the expense of more attractive team-oriented basketball

[mjkvol]

I wonder why they didn't have to resort to gimmicks and bribing players to play hard and have some pride 30-40 years ago, when the game was a blast to watch?

One unacknowledged truth is that the iso hero-ball of the eighties and nineties meant you had great individual stories/interest for the stars, which naturally translates well into the all star game. That came at the expense of more attractive team-oriented basketball

That's a good point, but the stars in the '80's and '90's relished the All Star game and took pride in the product. They were mostly score-fests and there were very convenient MVP's, but there was never the feel that they were mailing it in like we've seen for at least the last decade and a half.

There was never concern or need for silly gimmicks to generate interest or bribing players to make them care. The biggest stars would take part in dunk and 3-pt. contests - there were certainly no G-League guys winning them.

I'm not saying anything here we all don't already know, but it's just sad that we're talking about bribing players to get them to care about a showcase product of the league that is the reason they're getting paid monopoly money, in what is supposed to be an honor for them. It's pathetic.

[Stanford]

I wonder why they didn't have to resort to gimmicks and bribing players to play hard and have some pride 30-40 years ago, when the game was a blast to watch?

Maybe it was the novelty of having a larger-than-usual audience. Some guys probably wanted to look as good as they could while everyone was watching. Today no one even cares about regular season accomplishments. You could score 60 in the all-star game and people would ask how many titles you've won. Hard to fault players for not giving a ****.

[mjkvol]

I wonder why they didn't have to resort to gimmicks and bribing players to play hard and have some pride 30-40 years ago, when the game was a blast to watch?

Maybe it was the novelty of having a larger-than-usual audience. Some guys probably wanted to look as good as they could while everyone was watching.

Large audiences a novelty? Not sure how old you are or if you're just kidding, but the '80's and '90's was the height of the NBA's popularity, when it was actually challenging the NFL and MLB, with major network coverage for all-star games and playoffs, and triple-headers on CBS on Sunday that were must-see TV. It peaked in the Jordan years and then lost interest in the 2000's as so many legendary players got older and retired. For me, the NBA and NCAA hoops were king in those years.

[Sixerscan]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_on_television_in_the_1980s#:~:text=By%20the%20late%201980s%2C%20CBS,series%20appeared%20on%20national%20television).

By the late 1980s, CBS was telecasting 15 or 16 regular season games per year. In 1989 alone, only 13 of the 24 playoff games (Games 1–3, specifically) in Round 1 aired on TBS or CBS (for example, none of the four games from the Seattle–Houston first round series appeared on national television). Notably, Game 5 of the 1989 playoff series between the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers (featuring Michael Jordan's now famous game winning, last second shot over Craig Ehlo) was not nationally televised. CBS affiliates in Virginia elected to show the first game of a second round series between Seattle and the Lakers.

The Sacramento Kings were scheduled to play 22 national TV games this past season.

Seems like as solid an explanation as any.

[Stanford]

major network coverage for all-star games and playoffs, and triple-headers on CBS on Sunday that were must-see TV.

And I'm sure players were hugely motivated to play their best in those games as well. The rest of the season they were exclusively on local TV and maybe a highlight or two on ESPN. There weren't YouTube channels dedicated to uploading every positive box score statistic a player produced in every game they played.

[mjkvol]

major network coverage for all-star games and playoffs, and triple-headers on CBS on Sunday that were must-see TV.

And I'm sure players were hugely motivated to play their best in those games as well. The rest of the season they were exclusively on local TV and maybe a highlight or two on ESPN. There weren't YouTube channels dedicated to uploading every positive box score statistic a player produced in every game they played.

TNT and TBS started doing games in the late '80's. You clearly weren't there to not remember how big the league was in that time between Magic/Bird/Julius and Jordan.

Are you suggesting that because there are YouTube channels for a handful of supernerd fans (no offense to them at all) and more games on TV, the players now just can't get motivated for the showcase event of the league responsible for their generational wealth?

[Stanford]

I see

[GoSixersBro]

If Golden State really wants to give Steph one more chance at a title they desperately need to bring in a top 15 player by trading a mega package and then hoping that lures more big fish. I love Kuminga, but for me he's a easy sell high candidate with Podz.

[76ciology]

Revenues have exploded. The players these days, even minimum salary guys, are making money that setup at least the next generation. If you are a Gary Trent level player, you can expect to make $100m in your career, that's like the next 3-4 generations set up on passive income if invested responsibly. That's not even getting to the guys that actually are good enough to play in all-star games, i.e. better than $300m Tobias Harris.

They will never put forth effort in an exhibition. See what happens when the next star tears an ACL or achilles in one of these games. It will happen at some point, and then it'll be over, mercifully.

The guys in the 80s were getting jobs after they retired, except the star of the stars. It's just different now.

Exactly. The disparity in salaries creates an imbalance in the game. Honestly, it even diminishes the significance of a player winning the championship. Much more for some exhibition game like the allstar.

Seeing how players like Brandon Ingram and Pascal Siakam are striving to position themselves for supermax eligibility, I realize this incentive can effectively motivate players to perform at their best.

[mjkvol]

Revenues have exploded. The players these days, even minimum salary guys, are making money that setup at least the next generation. If you are a Gary Trent level player, you can expect to make $100m in your career, that's like the next 3-4 generations set up on passive income if invested responsibly. That's not even getting to the guys that actually are good enough to play in all-star games, i.e. better than $300m Tobias Harris.

They will never put forth effort in an exhibition. See what happens when the next star tears an ACL or achilles in one of these games. It will happen at some point, and then it'll be over, mercifully.

The guys in the 80s were getting jobs after they retired, except the star of the stars. It's just different now.

Exactly. The disparity in salaries creates an imbalance in the game. Honestly, it even diminishes the significance of a player winning the championship. Much more for some exhibition game like the allstar.

Seeing how players like Brandon Ingram and Pascal Siakam are striving to position themselves for supermax eligibility, I realize this incentive can effectively motivate players to perform at their best.

I don't believe the players union would ever go for such a proposal, and the owners will certainly not. The great players are going to qualify for supermax eligibility either way, and as Sixth Street said, the money is so big now for even middle of the road non all-stars like Tobias that there will just not be the incentive you are anticipating.

The bottom line is this - if the players don't care enough about a showcase league event to at least fake a real effort, no amount of gimmicks or bribing will change that. The fact that a media company is willing to pay monopoly money to broadcast this crap insures that it will continue, and we can expect more ridiculous proposals from slimeball Silver to put lipstick on the pig.

[LeonJordanJr24]

Tyus Jones literally saved the suns like geez they needed him badly. Beal can play 3 and booker got some 3 size they will be fine..

[GoSixersBro]

Tyus Jones literally saved the suns like geez they needed him badly. Beal can play 3 and booker got some 3 size they will be fine..

Phoenix using Beal as a point guard last year was one of the biggest head scratchers in recent memory.

I love Tyus' game. One of the best distributors everywhere he goes.

[M2J]

Tyus Jones literally saved the suns like geez they needed him badly. Beal can play 3 and booker got some 3 size they will be fine..

Phoenix using Beal as a point guard last year was one of the biggest head scratchers in recent memory.

I love Tyus' game. One of the best distributors everywhere he goes.

We'll see, I feel like there will still be a lingering issue of 3 strong ball dominant players getting off the ball for a guy making the minimum. Defense will suck.... They should just blow that up

[GoSixersBro]

Reading Instagram comments with kids saying Shai and Brunson are better than prime Iverson. Is this what becoming old is all about?

[M2J]

Reading Instagram comments with kids saying Shai and Brunson are better than prime Iverson. Is this what becoming old is all about?

3 prime players I would've loved to see in today's easy offense NBA. Iverson, Kobe, Melo.

[GoSixersBro]

Reading Instagram comments with kids saying Shai and Brunson are better than prime Iverson. Is this what becoming old is all about?

3 prime players I would've loved to see in today's easy offense NBA. Iverson, Kobe, Melo.

Iverson would've had the potential to average 37 ppg.

[M2J]

Reading Instagram comments with kids saying Shai and Brunson are better than prime Iverson. Is this what becoming old is all about?

3 prime players I would've loved to see in today's easy offense NBA. Iverson, Kobe, Melo.

Iverson would've had the potential to average 37 ppg.

There's almost no doubt about it

[Stanford]

Would Iverson foul grift?

[the_process]

Reading Instagram comments with kids saying Shai and Brunson are better than prime Iverson. Is this what becoming old is all about?

3 prime players I would've loved to see in today's easy offense NBA. Iverson, Kobe, Melo.

Iverson would've had the potential to average 37 ppg.

In 01-02, Iverson led the league with 31.4PPG while only shooting 39.8% from the floor and 29.1% from 3. He took 27.8 FGA as well as 9.8 FTA per game.