Kevin Durant recently said he thinks trade requests are bringing “more excitement” to the NBA. As great a player as Kevin Durant is, his NBA legacy will be tarnished by all of his flip-flopping he’s done throughout his career. Changing teams every few seasons shows no loyalty or heart.
The players bouncing from team to team to get on the team they “want to play for” makes it even worse if your team is a small franchise. Because the team seems to struggle to become good enough to win. If all the Durant’s and Irving’s just team up on already good teams, the smaller market teams are always behind the 8 ball. Teams like the Jazz are a perfect example. Utah is looking good this year but they would have a much better chance of making some noise, if players weren’t all just teamed up. It’s actually more fun to watch the “superteams” teams fail. It’s so much more rewarding watching homegrown teams succeed. Odds are the Rockets will be one of the favorites in Vegas next NBA Season.
It’s becoming the same formula every year. A player gets upset because they’re not happy with the players on the team or the team’s success and stomp around to get traded. Not a lot different than a 6 year old who gets mad because they lost a game. The recipe goes like this; demand a trade, then a bunch of bought players line up on the team that most likely gives them a shot of a title.
It’s sad.
It’s just not exciting to see all the “top tiered” players team up together to build an All-star team. Watching your team build around some homegrown talent makes it far more exciting. Denver, Milwaukee, and Boston have done it the right way, by adding pieces around their young stars.
Some will argue that there were super teams back in the day as well. There were a few, but they were built, mostly through the draft, and more importantly, everyone stayed true to the contracts that they signed with their teams. They stuck through not just the good times but through the bad. Nobody likes losing, but just because the team isn’t playing as well as you want, you don’t just stomp your feet and run away.
The constant trading may be exciting for the “ring chasers” – but it’s boring for the fans. This generation of players are so entitled. They don’t want to play back to backs, they don’t play defense, they just stand around the arc and launch 3’s all game. The game is like watching the pregame shoot around. Chasing rings because you don’t want to put in the work or stick it out through adversity means so much less than a player that earns it by going through the tough times. The biggest problem for me is, we live in an era of entitled players who want championships without having to work hard for it. Seems like none of these young guys know what it means to have a competitive drive. They want to take the easiest route to glory.
I’m for player’s understanding the value of a contract. You signed it, as the employee, you agreed to it.
Honor it.
You get paid to play a game.
If I’m an owner and you are on a 4 year, you’re on a 4 year commitment. If you don’t want to play, then sit out and lose money. It’s your legacy, and your wallet, not mine. In the next CBA they seriously need to address some of these issues. They need to force players to hold up to their agreement which they signed. Unfortunately, I don’t think that a lot of integrity exists anymore. Especially with the younger players. They just want big paydays and immediate gratification.