Is the shine even off the words printed on the latest version of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement? It's been about a week since the announcement of a tentative agreement, but it appears that the players are making up for lost time. Those that flew across the Atlantic are coming back to the States. The release of a 66-game schedule will happen Tuesday night. And local gyms are full of professional ballers gearing up their game.
While all of this is promising to me, there is something that leaves me a little irked. With a delayed start to the season comes a delayed start to the free agency process. Teams are furiously lining up to select the next jagged piece that fits into their championship puzzle. Tyson Chandler, Mike Dunleavy, Shane Battier, and David West should be the focus of this 2011 class (underwhelming that it is).
However, it's West's New Orleans teammate that's stealing the spotlight. Hands down, Chris Paul is one of the top three point guards in the league. For my money, he's number one. Now he allegedly wants to be the top guy on the basketball's biggest stage. It's reported that the six-year vet is seeking to join Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire as a New York Knick. Problem ... Paul's still got a year left on his contract.
That's where the irksome part comes in.
It's one thing to be sick of a location and want new surroundings. I get that. There's no real problem with wanting to seek a better opportunity to win a ring. I understand. And using leverage against your own team to get that ultimate payday? It's all part of the game.
Where the line becomes visible (to me, anyway) is picking your eventual dance partner and inevitably turning the other suitors into wallflowers. There's no doubt that Paul was drafted into a difficult situation that grew even worse before he could make his professional debut. Being one of the faces of the city post-Katrina has been more than admirable. He deserves his payday and his ring. But just because you get thrown in a bad situation doesn't mean you can always trade your way out of it.
Thus, I welcome you back into the new age of modern basketball. It's a world where the stars call the shots and, no matter how entertaining it becomes, that might not best thing for the Association. I know this isn't a new phenomenon. Heck, we see in not just on the hardwood, but in other sports and in other forms.
In baseball, the term "no-trade clause" seems to have grown into a more familiar part of the lexicon. Whether it's a free agent making a move, or a minor leaguer jumping up to the Bigs with his original team, there appears to be more light shined on the actuality that said player won't go to "X,Y,Z, or anyone." While this could earn loyalty points with some fans, this procedure might also hurt the team seeking to rebuild or retool. (The KC Royals that I root for might have dealt with this situation before dealing pitcher Zack Greinke.)
For football, it's all about the "holdout." Tennessee Titan running back Chris Johnson proved this again over the summer when he didn't show up for training camp until receiving his six-year, $53.5 million contract. And C.J. won't be the last to use this tactic, either. With the NFL's CBA solidly locked in for the next decade, we should expect more late arrivals for two-a-days in the July heat.
But getting back to hoops, I can now see this request as another stop passed by a bullet train that's gathering steam. LeBron James kept our collective breath baited with his free agency tour of 2010, only to leave it bitter after his "Decision." Then Carmelo Anthony topped 'Bron. CP3's dawg and hopeful Knick teammate got the wheels rotating faster after giving Denver the option to trade him or lose him. The Nuggets had to get something out of the deal, and 'Melo got to shine on Broadway.
I wonder if Paul might be setting a new standard, though. Could this be the start of a trend that will truly turn the NBA into a "star-driven" league? Can Kevin Love tell the Timberwolves that it's the Lake Show or bust? Does Monta Ellis decide he can only help Derrick Rose in Chicago? Will John Wall say that he only wear Celtic green-colored glasses?
Welcome to the new NBA ... Where Bright Lights Happen.
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