Wasn’t the recent NBA CBA supposed to prevent this type of deal?
Now that the dust has settled and the nightmare off season for not only Dwight Howard but the Orlando Magic is at a stated end the question still remains, has the NBA’s recent collective bargaining agreement done its job leveling the playing field for all its franchises? Let’s check the scorecard.
Pre-CBA
2007-08
Boston – Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen commit to joining Paul Pierce in the summer of 2007, Garnett’s 7-for-1 trade one of the most heavily one sided (player wise) trades in NBA history, totally benefiting the Boston Celtics with the two coming to the parquet floor. Showing immediate dividends the Boston Celtics were able to win the championship during the 2007-08 season.
Los Angeles – the lakers were able to pull off a major coup trading for Pau Gasol away from the Memphis Grizzlies for what was essentially his brother Marc Gasol and two 1st rd draft pics, leading the lakers to immediate championship hardware in back – to – back season in 2008-09&2009-10.
2010-11
Miami – With the ‘decision’ made by Lebron James the newest ‘big three’ had been made when he and Chris Bosh decided to join Dwyane Wade in South Beach! Miami was able to after a year of adjusting were able to capitalize that decision into a championship during the 2011-12 season.
So the theme here big time potentially NBA hall of fame type players were able to move from their essentially smaller metropolitan cities to bigger ones scoring championships in the aftermath, leaving their former teams in disarray in attempts to turn their received players and draft picks into successful formulas. This led many smaller city teams to decry for restraints that would prevent players, teams, etc from moving and penalizing/stabilizing the bigger city teams with financial burdens if they made a move to obtain the wanted players. Hence the new collective bargaining agreement had financial, selective points in place to slow or prevent the recent movements discussed. So the aftermath…..Lakers were able to seek three big time players Chris Paul (unsuccessful), Steve Nash and Dwight Howard (successful). Now coupled with their new television contract and packed home stadium for the upcoming season how can they not be one of the favorites for not only this season but barring not be able to keep D12 for seasons to come! Is that a level playing field the same for Orlando, Indiana, Atlanta, etc.?
