What Cancelation Means

Now, we have finally arrived, the inevitable has happened, the league has canceled the first two weeks of the regular season. Both sides couldn't agree upon the financial aspect of the game. This is disappointing at the very least.

I'm majoring in Econ so it is not like I don't know anything about these kinds of things. Ian Thomson of PointForward correctly pointed out the greatest risk there is for both the players AND the owners:

There has been tremendous fear from both the players and owners of alienating their supporters, who will be infuriated that a relatively small group of adults cannot agree how to share the proceeds of their $4 billion industry. But the bigger risk is indifference. What if a large number of fans realize they can live without the NBA? That they're happy enough to focus on the NFL, March Madness and baseball over the months ahead?

I couldn't say it any better (which is kind of the main reason for quoting anyone I guess). Anyway, I can see it for myself. There isn't anything going on this summer, even less than there usually is. I used to get up every morning and check the newest trade rumors and free agent talk. We'd have Summer League and other basketball related issues. Our star has a strained thigh or whatever could rattle me in my basketball life.

David Stern has formed a highly successful league and I believe it's his right to try everything in order to keep it that way ... except for risking its success. People will switch to other sports, maybe not even other sports, but other countries. In 1998 there weren't any strong basketball leagues in this world besides the NBA. Meanwhile, the European leagues have become really strong, especially the EuroCup and the ULEB Cup offer satisfying basketball. If some of the major stars decide to go over there and play for them their marketing budget while explode and help them to offer NBA salaries quite possibly within the next year. Maybe it's Stern's masterplan to create a European Division in the NBA, maybe it's not.

As for myself, I have already started paying closer attention to my old love German soccer. I will follow the German basketball league, which pretty much sucks, and the other European leagues, heck, maybe I will go to Bologna for a week end and see what Kobe's doing. It's just a one-day-drive away although I bet I'm not the only one thinking this.

Alienating a fanbase who's been so supportive during the past decade and risking losing major stars is a big thing. I'm not entirely sure if David Stern understands the world has changed and the players union has much, much more power than a decade or even five years ago. The European NBA stars, especially the ones near or in their 30s won't struggle with the decision whether to go back home. Kobe loves Europe! The Gasols, Dirk, Kobe, Parker, Ginobili, Ibaka, Bargnani, etc. are just some of the names that come to mind.

The season might be saved by January, the NBA could change forever in the next three months.

Gilbert Arenas Suspension

So the NBA officially announced the punishment for the Washington Wizards players Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton for the gun incident that shook the world in the middle of December and stole all of our Christmas spirit and wishful thinking that NBA don’t have guns. Both players will be suspended for the remainder of the season, while Arenas has to sit out for 50 games and Crittenton only misses 38. For both players this appears career threatening.

What’s bothering me about Crittenton’s punishment is he’s only charged with a misdemeanor, so he has not done anything essentially wrong. He won a card game and Arenas owed him $25,000 or something around that number. There was a heated exchange, and apparently, he feared for his life so he brought the gun into the locker room. I’m not a fan of guns for protection and anything other than killing animals for the purpose of eating them and to survive. I do not think they serve any good and should be locked aways afely and away from kids and certainly do not have any business in an NBA locker room.

But I’m of the opinion that Javaris Crittenton didn’t know any better just like a lot of NBA players, including Arenas, he grew up in a world where he was the king for so long and never had to see any restriction. I endorse a punishment, but 38 games? That’s far too much for a player like him and I would have welcomed a lesser punishment.

As for Gilbert Arenas. The level of the stupidity he’s shown throughout the process is astounding. Bringing four guns, although unloaded, to the locker room, showing them off, and threatening a team mate … A ten-year-old should know better than that. I could go and ask my ten-year-old cousin if he thought this wasa good decision to do that and I’d bet my money on him he’d say “No, Jake, it’s not!”. 50 games are a lot of games and a lot of money, in this case I’d say it’s the right penalty in my opinion. I just don’t like the proportion. Arenas was the iniatiator, he brought four guns into the locker room, he lost a bet, he provoked Crittenton, mocked the matter, and just accomplished to finally shut his mouth when NBA Commissioner David Stern had to suspend him indefinitely. Is what Crittenton did really four fifths as bad as what Arenas behavior has proven to be. It’s way too much for Crittenton, Fifteen to twenty games should be enough, and that’s it, I think Stern should look at Crittenton’s penalty again.

As for the Wizards likely upcoming attempt to void the contract. Don’t let them get out of the contract. Various experts warned them for various reasons about a max contract when they handed it out. Hell, Arenas thought the contract wasn’t right and left a few bucks (namely $15 Million) on the table, which was a popular gesture back then. He just came off knee surgery and a kind of surgery that usually limits the players production for a while. So there was a strong possibilty he would never return to form. So when he finally had an entire summer to recover and just produced like an above average guard who had to get accustomed to a new role in a new system with a new coach, a lot of people already regretted the decision about signing him to that contract. Don’t let the Wizards get out of this one unless Arenas prefers to get a fresh-start somewhere else. I strongly believe there is a market for him elsewhere, not for $20 million per season, but seven to eight should be a good deal still. He wouldn’t have to act as a superstar and maybe could play the two-guard towards the end of his career. A strong locker room could certainly make him fit in and he is way too gifted to be on the shelf for a long time. He might not be your 30ppg guy he used o be, but he can still score 15 points and dish out 10 assists efficiently and on a regular basis.

The Wizards signed him to the contract and he pretty much is what a lot of people expected, not the same. I would prefer for Gil to go somewhere else and find his old happiness and swagger. He now has time to rest his knees and sit out until next October. He can re-evaluate his life and decisions we will see what kind of player comes back.

It’s not been that long ago that everybody was in love with Agent Zero, ironically he’s now being penalized for having weapons in the locker. A sincere Good Luck to you Gil!