Why we need to stop worrying about players leaving for Euro

[britblazerdude]

Look guys, stop fretting about our players leaving across the Atlantic to play in Europe. So what if Josh Childress goes across the pond.

My reasoning...Soccer:

If we look at the other sport that is played everywhere around the world...soccer we can come to one firm conclusion. This is not bad for the NBA. In Europe, there are several major professional leagues, each with at least 18 teams.

English Premiership has:
Christiano Ronaldo
Michael Owen
Fernando Torres
Steven Gerrard
John Terry
Frank Lampard
Emmanuel Adebayor
Dimitar Berbatov
Carlos Tevez
Javier Mascherano
Cesc Fabregas
Wayne Rooney
Micah Richards
Rio Ferdinand
Emmanuel Eboue
Ashley Young
...etc, etc, etc

Germany:
Luca Toni
Mario Gomez
Lukaz Podolski
Kevin Kuranyi
Thomas Hitzlsperger
Torsten Frings
Frank Ribery
Willy Sagnol
Miroslav Klose
Philipp Lahm
Ze Roberto
etc...

Italy:
Alessandro Del Piero
David Trezeguet
Adrian Mutu
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
KaKa
Francesco Totti
Fillipo Inzaghi
Gianluigi Buffon
Pavel Nedved
Adriano
Luis Figo
Hernan Crespo
Patrick Viera
Ronaldinho

Spain:
Victor Valdez
Thierry Henry
Aliaksander Hleb
Eto'o
Julio Baptista
Iker Casillas
Robinho
Sergio Ramos
Ruud Van Nistelrooy
David Villa
Raul
David Silva
Roberto Abbondanzieri

Even if these names don't mean anything to you, basically all of these players are world-class soccer players. Them playing in different countries does not in anyway affect the final product that you see. The soccer you see in England is not at all watered down. Nor is the soccer you see in Italy or Germany.

Then apart from these four...there's the Russian, Portuguese, Greek, Turkish Scottish, Dutch, Argentinian and Brazilian leagues all with exceptional players. If anything, top players leaving America will expand the game and have more world class players coming in from Europe. Players leaving America won't matter a tiny bit. It didn't matter at all to Real Madrid when Beckham left. I have no problem with the game expanding to oversees. Basketball has so much potential in europe. And how cool would it be to have a Basketball world cup as big as the soccer world cup? Let us not worry about this global expansion, let us embrace it.

[Teddy KGB]

OT: Bit crazy how almost all the guys on the Spain list play for either Real Madrid or Barca...

Forca el Barca!

[OzThunder]

That reasoning is pretty shallow and flawed. In most european countries soccer is a huge number 1 sport, especially in England. I don't think all the sports put together would have the same amount of supporters as the EPL. Also there are a huge number of sports and leagues in the US which filters some of the fan base.

Even more to the point is that we're are talking as two competing leagues. In soccer there are leagues and 'super leagues'. What your saying is that its ok because both the Spanish league and the English Leagues have huge followings and an equal split of strong players. But under that principle it would be fine for the NBA and Euro-ball to have equal following. Leading to half of the worlds best players being in one league and half would be in the other (just like it is in soccer).

I'm not saying that's a problem as i think numerous leagues and then "championship/ premier leagues' is a good thing, but that would technically mean that more players will leave for euro.

When you talk about 'worrying more players will leave' i assume you mean the NBA not being the worlds most prestigous league and your soccer example doesn't really work there. Personally i think splitting the talent is not such a bad thing. Sure it'll make the NBA a little weaker, but it will lead to basketball growing as a sport, and more people following it. Then more money will be invested, skill level will rise etc etc etc

[rutheredfox]

i feel like you tried to make a bold connection but failed miserably. to put it simply, EPL and rest of the european soccer league is having the same problem the nba is having. When beckam came to us to play in MLS, it was a major deal for soccer in europe, not because he's the best player in the world, but because he's still an allstar caliber player in europe. there was a talk about ronaldinho coming to mls as well, when Milan had to drop out of the race due to the financial situation and it freaked the hell out of soccer fans in europe. why? it's a simple method of supply and demand. soccer is expanding in us and basketball's expanding in europe, which creates a higher demand for these sports players. what's the classical economist theory of demand? the higher the demand, the higher the price. that's where we need to worry. sooner or later, we're gonna eventually have to face the competition and raise the salary of nba players in order to keep them. no one gives a flying rats ass if childress, nochbar, delfino go? hell i dont even care if dwyane wade went and played in europe. however, i'll start caring when european teams start to offer players money that they can't refuse and when my team has to pay the players the money and force the issue of luxury tax. it'll eventually screw up the whole system. that's why we have to worry.

[NO-KG-AI]

I don't worry because the NBA is a super star driven league, and the game of basketball is the one team sport that one player can single handedly have the biggest impact. Until some top players start going to other countries, I don't really care.

I really don't think it helps to be honest for them, if Childress heads over there and dominates, he makes the league look like a joke to any player looking to compete at the highest level.

Guys love the money, but for a superstar, the money isn't enough an issue when it comes to your own pride. Honestly, if say LeBron, Kobe, Duncan or Garnett were to flee to Europe for a contract thats like a bit higher than theres is now(lets say 30 mill USD), I'd either think they were insanely greedy and money hungry, or just a coward.

The best players want to prove they are the best, I don't think money comes into play for guys making 20 million a year. What can you buy for 40 million a year that you can't buy for 20?

This could have a major impact on MLE type players, and I do think some past his prime star with nothing left to prove may head for Europe one day, but it's not going to become the dominant league, and it's not going to steal the superstars away.

[OzThunder]

its easy to say now that oh... its only navarro...it's only garbojosa...it's only delfino...it's only childress....but what you have to agree with is that its starting to become mainstream. Now every time someone enters contract negotiations the "euro" option is always going to be thouroughly looked into. And the calibre of player being poached is rising.

Childress isn't a 'bench' player option...he was a solid 6th or 7th man, and an up and coming player. It's no longer the NBA bench riders considering the option. This will come off like i'm pro euro or anti nba but really as an Australian, Sonics/ OKC supporter i think i'm pretty un biased. I just find it funny that people assume that the NBA is always gonna be the best, and the Euro league is soft and 2nd tier etc. I think the Euro league is really growing and more players are going to be drawn to it, and for the NBA not to be worried would be stupid.

I'll be really interested to see if Okafor speaks to any overseas clubs.

[Minge]

Stern needs the Euro teams to have local ad money, deep pocket ownership, a big arena, a big tv market, and suites filled to expand. Its similar to the ABA merger. He takes teams in Paris, London, Barca, Berlin and Rome. But then there's Panathinaikos, Maccabi and CSKA.

Brandon Jennings was the first lottery level draft talent to sign with a European club, over a college, to gain experience and exposure. Josh Childress was the first free agent to sign a Euro offer over an NBA offer. It isn't a statement of European basketball, but moreso a statement of the current CBA. It has a hard cap and luxury taxes. Retaining players has become harder with inflated salaries that are dictated by the free agent market.

I think the next step will be non-guaranteed contracts. An amnesty clause added to the CBA. Where if a "pacman" situation occurs, a team like the Pacers could get out of their contractual obligations to the player, and just release players like Tinsley and Stephen Jackson, rather than try to trade them.

To most of the players and prospects, being in the NBA is a dream. To others its a job. While I think agents may begin to explore offers from European clubs to gain leverage in contract negociations, I think ultimately, its a decision to be made by the player. At what point do you sell out your dreams?

[eatyourchildren]

I'm not freaked out just like David Stern isn't freaked out. He's been wanting to expand internationally for a good decade now. It started with sponsorships (Haier, etc.) but really the man has had his eye on expansions teams out there for a long time. Starting with fringe players like Childress et al. is really the opposite of a threat. I don't mind it either. What's the downside to basketball becoming a more international sport?

[Leolovinliberal]

Stern needs the Euro teams to have local ad money, deep pocket ownership, a big arena, a big tv market, and suites filled to expand. Its similar to the ABA merger. He takes teams in Paris, London, Barca, Berlin and Rome. But then there's Panathinaikos, Maccabi and CSKA.

Brandon Jennings was the first lottery level draft talent to sign with a European club, over a college, to gain experience and exposure. Josh Childress was the first free agent to sign a Euro offer over an NBA offer. It isn't a statement of European basketball, but moreso a statement of the current CBA. It has a hard cap and luxury taxes. Retaining players has become harder with inflated salaries that are dictated by the free agent market.

I think the next step will be non-guaranteed contracts. An amnesty clause added to the CBA. Where if a "pacman" situation occurs, a team like the Pacers could get out of their contractual obligations to the player, and just release players like Tinsley and Stephen Jackson, rather than try to trade them.

To most of the players and prospects, being in the NBA is a dream. To others its a job. While I think agents may begin to explore offers from European clubs to gain leverage in contract negociations, I think ultimately, its a decision to be made by the player. At what point do you sell out your dreams?

How would Stern having NBA teams in Europe change anything? The same MLE and RFA and salary cap contracts would still be in place. Plus Childress was the 1st lottery pick to sign w/EL over NBA, not Jennings. Also, Childress didn't turn down a contract, the Hawks were playing wait and see and got burned.

[dc]

Good or bad, it's the sign of the times, and really it's a sign that basketball now truly has gone international.

Bottom line is this is stuff top soccer teams have to deal with ALL THE TIME. They can pickup a great player for another league, and they can lose one of their own to someone else's league as well. Hell, it's getting more and more rare that a great player stays within one league for his entire career.

That's just how it is. If basketball has become big enough in Europe that these teams are making enough money that they can afford to shell out the big bucks for some coveted American players (although the Euro vs. dollar is definitely a factor), then that just means the sport has become that much bigger .

[BullSoxChicago'sFinest]

But at the same time there are always talks for forming one superleague of all the top clubs since they hate playing with the little **** clubs

[NetsForce]

Jennings did not sign overseas to gain experience and exposure, he signed overseas because he couldn't make the cut academically in college AND he wanted some cold cash.

[Chubby Chaser]

Is anyone really legitimately worried about losing players to europe?? Because I sure as hell am not..

[Warspite]

Isnt there a cap on how many American players can play in Europe?


The only players going to Europe are non Americans and non Married Americans. No player is going to uproute his family and move it to a Euro country and make there kids attend there schools.

Still I see no problem with Dirk, Gasol, Fernandez, Manu, Scolla coming to the NBA why would it be a problem for Childress to go to Europe? For 20mil I would live in Athens. Its certainly better than Atlanta.

[Dtown84]

I'm not worried yet. The contracts while large are really just over the Mid level exception, which makes them fantastic for roll players, and especially attractive for those of European descent but not so much the superstars who can make much more playing here.

Along with that there's the restriction on American's that can be on teams, and there's the fact that only a few of these teams bring in the revenue to justify these contracts. They're catching up, but I'm not worried about any stars making the jump soon.

[Lakers_4_Life]

Isnt there a cap on how many American players can play in Europe?


The only players going to Europe are non Americans and non Married Americans. No player is going to uproute his family and move it to a Euro country and make there kids attend there schools.

Still I see no problem with Dirk, Gasol, Fernandez, Manu, Scolla coming to the NBA why would it be a problem for Childress to go to Europe? For 20mil I would live in Athens. Its certainly better than Atlanta.

Yes there are caps. Olympiacos the team that signed Childress is only allowed to have 2 US players in the Greek League under the Greece federations rules. However, there is a way around this because, in the Euroleague (the top champions' league of the continent) that Olympiacos also competes in there is no such limit.

In other words, conceivably American NBA players could make these big contracts with these Euroleague teams and only have to play 16-20 something games in an entire season.

[Lakers_4_Life]

I'm not worried yet. The contracts while large are really just over the Mid level exception, which makes them fantastic for roll players, and especially attractive for those of European descent but not so much the superstars who can make much more playing here.

Along with that there's the restriction on American's that can be on teams, and there's the fact that only a few of these teams bring in the revenue to justify these contracts. They're catching up, but I'm not worried about any stars making the jump soon.

Nachbar and Childress contracts are like NBA max contracts though.

[Roscoe Sheed]

I really hope Vujacic signs with a Euro team. I really despise him. It would be nice to not have to see him at all.