playoffs wrote:dhsilv2 wrote:playoffs wrote:I don't lose sleep over it but it is stupid. Sure, any NBA champion would crush any Euro team. But at the same time, theoretically next year a bored billionaire could take over a Euro club, let's say Real Madrid, and start shelling out $80/year contracts to 5 NBA superstars (keep in mind that Euro salaries are post-tax) and $30 for great role players. It won't happen, but it's a theoretical possibility. So let's say within 3-4 years Real was able to construct a team consisting of Giannis, Jokic, Luka, AD, and roleplayers. Obviously that team wins the Euroleague easily, but they are not 'world champs' because they play in Europe. Meanwhile, the NBA champion is, let's say, on par with the 2019 Raptors. Do we still call them the undisputed world champions?
You think those guys are so uncompetitive they'd want to play in a league where nobody would respect their game? That's the problem with this idea. You can't just buy players to play for a team that doesn't matter in a league that doesn't matter. There were rumors 75M was offered to Kobe and Leberon at one point, they never left the nba and that was a decade ago. And to play in a nothing league, they might actually lose endorsement money. You'd you'd have to at least triple that number...maybe more to get these guys. 500 million a year for each and sure...ok. 80 isn't going to land more than MAYBE one star and that's insanely iffy. That's the power of having the NBA as a closed off league where either you're in it or you can't compete at the highest level. It's also why NBA superstars were ok to sign off on these player salary caps that prevent them from getting more money.
I explicitly said it's only a theoretical possibility. I'm not suggesting it would happen. But the fact that such a possibility exists means, imo, that in order to proclaim yourself as a world champ, you actually have to compete against the rest of the world. And sure, the NBA has historically been, and still is, significantly better than any other basketball league, but there's no guarantee this will last forever. The gap is shrinking year by year, and over time, yes, it will become possible for some Euro clubs to reach elite NBA levels. And then, at what point do you stop just assuming that the NBA teams are better? Are you sure that this can't happen in the next 10-20 years? A couple Euro billionaires and a bad CBA negotiation year, and you will start seeing that shift. If the last 5 years have taught me anything, is that it's foolish to take anything for granted.
Theory would imply a proven well established and tested thing that's built on other theories or facts. So you're saying hypothetically? Cause this isn't a theory! Theory is another word for the best factual evidence we have possible!
Anyway - it's not a reasonable idea! And why would those guy not just buy an nba franchise and/or move it to europe if they want to see game played there as if live fans matter?
The reality is the NBA has because they have a closed league and have no issue expanding and WANT TO expand to the europe...there's just no chance this happens.
If at some point another league becomes competitive, ok...maybe we should take a pause. But that's not probable. The nba system is just too effective and the nba is DREAMING of moving into other countries, they just can't figure out logistics. If there is enough talent to do it, they'll be elsewhere and figure it out.
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