2023 NBA Draft Discussion Thread

[BStanRamFan]

14 minutes ago, Kingram said:

Tough cookies. He’s got 5 years left on his deal. 

Yeah KD had 4 years. That doesn't really matter anymore.

And clearly he has enough injuries that he can just continue to sit out whenever he wants. Let me know how that plays out for ya. 

[Kingram]

20 minutes ago, BStanRamFan said:

Yeah KD had 4 years. That doesn't really matter anymore.

And clearly he has enough injuries that he can just continue to sit out whenever he wants. Let me know how that plays out for ya. 

That isn’t close to comparable. Nets we’re going to trade Kyrie, that was a rebuild move.

Zion hasn’t given any indication that he doesn’t want to be in New Orleans. You guys really hate small market teams lmao. 

[BStanRamFan]

18 minutes ago, Kingram said:

That isn’t close to comparable. Nets we’re going to trade Kyrie, that was a rebuild move.

Zion hasn’t given any indication that he doesn’t want to be in New Orleans. You guys really hate small market teams lmao. 

I dont. Top tier players do. It limits their national exposure and earning potential outside of NBA contracts. 

And you can try to add in the circumstances for BKL, but a max player wanting out with years left on his deal is nothing new.

Like Anthony Davis...leaving New Orleans.

Paul George leaving OKC after re-signing.

[Kingram]

53 minutes ago, BStanRamFan said:

I dont. Top tier players do. It limits their national exposure and earning potential outside of NBA contracts. 

And you can try to add in the circumstances for BKL, but a max player wanting out with years left on his deal is nothing new.

Like Anthony Davis...leaving New Orleans.

Paul George leaving OKC after re-signing.

Anthony Davis had one year left on his max deal lol He was traded after the 2018-19 season, his last year was 2019-20. 

Zion has made more marketing in New Orleans than AD has made in LA. You hate small market basketball, it’s okay.

I’m sure Zion will leave or be traded eventually, guys don’t play out their careers on one team. Just doesn’t happen. It won’t be for at least 2-3 more years. 

[Sllim Pickens]

58 minutes ago, BStanRamFan said:

I dont. Top tier players do. It limits their national exposure and earning potential outside of NBA contracts. 

And you can try to add in the circumstances for BKL, but a max player wanting out with years left on his deal is nothing new.

Like Anthony Davis...leaving New Orleans.

Paul George leaving OKC after re-signing.

Giannis, Jokic, Dame, Steph, etc don't mind small market teams.  Meanwhile, KD goes from NYC to Phoenix which is greatly diminishing his market size.  The market size argument is such an outdated issue.  With technology and national TV these days, nobody cares about market size as long as the team is winning.  That was an argument when games were only shown in the market if at all and advertising was more regional.  

AD was unhappy with not having help in NO. Lebron was the same in Cleveland.  KD left OKC because he didn't like Russ and wanted a ring.  If players cared about market size, the Knicks, Nets, Clippers, and Lakers would be the top 4 in the league every year.  

[BStanRamFan]

30 minutes ago, Sllim Pickens said:

Giannis, Jokic, Dame, Steph, etc don't mind small market teams.  Meanwhile, KD goes from NYC to Phoenix which is greatly diminishing his market size.  The market size argument is such an outdated issue.  With technology and national TV these days, nobody cares about market size as long as the team is winning.  That was an argument when games were only shown in the market if at all and advertising was more regional.  

AD was unhappy with not having help in NO. Lebron was the same in Cleveland.  KD left OKC because he didn't like Russ and wanted a ring.  If players cared about market size, the Knicks, Nets, Clippers, and Lakers would be the top 4 in the league every year.  

They couldn't get help because their cities were not free agent destinations...cause they were small markets.

Smaller markets have made a surge over the last decade with the players you outlined, but New Orleans has no basketball history and ranked 26th in the NBA in attendance. Again, I have no issue with small markets and prefer them for parity, but New Orleans is not a market suitable for the star power of Zion. He will leave eventually, but this is Griffin in the driver seat seeing what can be had for his best asset. Better he move him now while he has leverage vs 2 years from now when his back is against the wall. If I get back #2, the Hayward expiring, perhaps Bouknight or Kai Jones, I'd do it. And a new owner (MJ just sold) will likely look to make a stamp on the franchise a la Matt Ishbia.

 

This doesn't help.

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2023 by BStanRamFan

[Kingram]

10 minutes ago, BStanRamFan said:

They couldn't get help because their cities were not free agent destinations...cause they were small markets.

Smaller markets have made a surge over the last decade with the players you outlined, but New Orleans has no basketball history and ranked 26th in the NBA in attendance. Again, I have no issue with small markets and prefer them for parity, but New Orleans is not a market suitable for the star power of Zion. He will leave eventually, but this is Griffin in the driver seat seeing what can be had for his best asset. Better he move him now while he has leverage vs 2 years from now when his back is against the wall. If I get back #2, the Hayward expiring, perhaps Bouknight or Kai Jones, I'd do it. And a new owner (MJ just sold) will likely look to make a stamp on the franchise a la Matt Ishbia.

 

This doesn't help.

 

 

 

Windhorst has been pushing the Zion leaving NOLA agenda since we drafted him. By all accounts of people actually in the building Zion is a respected teammate.

New Orleans has a small stadium. They were 12th in percentage of the stadium being sold. The place was also sold out every night until Zion got hurt. 
 

Again… Zion has made far more on marketing in small market NOLA than AD has made in LA. We aren’t a free agent destination because we haven’t been good. CJ McCollum wanted to be in New Orleans, I’m not sure why it matters that it was a trade and not a FA signing. 

[OkeyDoke21]

3 hours ago, Kingram said:

Zion hasn’t given any indication that he doesn’t want to be in New Orleans. 

I feel like there has been smoke around him being unhappy with the organization since he was drafted.  It always felt like he had his family voicing his displeasures.  

[Kingram]

Just now, OkeyDoke21 said:

I feel like there has been smoke around him being unhappy with the organization since he was drafted.  It always felt like he had his family voicing his displeasures.  

By national media, which Zion and his family have refuted multiple times. He just signed a max deal here.

[Sllim Pickens]

9 minutes ago, BStanRamFan said:

They couldn't get help because their cities were not free agent destinations...cause they were small markets.

Smaller markets have made a surge over the last decade with the players you outlined, but New Orleans has no basketball history and ranked 26th in the NBA in attendance. Again, I have no issue with small markets and prefer them for parity, but New Orleans is not a market suitable for the star power of Zion. He will leave eventually, but this is Griffin in the driver seat seeing what can be had for his best asset. Better he move him now while he has leverage vs 2 years from now when his back is against the wall. If I get back #2, the Hayward expiring, perhaps Bouknight or Kai Jones, I'd do it. And a new owner (MJ just sold) will likely look to make a stamp on the franchise a la Matt Ishbia.

 

This doesn't help.

 

 

 

Small markets have made a run the last 25-30 years because that coincides with the growth of the internet, technology and TV deals to broadcast every game nationally.  San Antonio was great in the late 90's on and Tim Duncan stayed there.  As did David Robinson his whole career because they had a great coach and found help.  Utah kept Stockton and Malone (until his last year) in a small market team that was in the finals two years in a row and constantly in the playoffs.  Indiana kept Reggie Miller for his whole career and was always in the ECF or SF.  The Pistons kept Isaiah and Joe D their whole careers and kept their core in the early 2000s together because they were winning championships and had good coaching.  Miami is a small market team as far as fandom goes and they kept D Wade and attracted Jimmy Butler because of their coaching and management. Steph and Klay have stayed in GS because they are winning and have good coaching.   Giannis is one of the biggest stars in the league and wants to stay a Buck for his career as does Dame in Portland.  All small markets have had stars, all the stars have had significant opportunities for advertising deals. 

New Orleans made Drew Brees a star and he thrived there.  It can handle Zion just fine. If Zion pushes his way out of NO, it will be because of poor coaching, management, and lack of winning.  

[Fresh Prince]

Basketball seems to be the only sport where small market or big market somehow matters to a player. 
 

if you’re star you will get deals and endorsements anywhere.

[Supersuavesky]

7 hours ago, Fresh Prince said:

Basketball seems to be the only sport where small market or big market somehow matters to a player. 
 

if you’re star you will get deals and endorsements anywhere.

Not only this but I don't think it matters at all. It's the media that pushes that narrative. It's been proven time and time again that good players get endorsements regardless of where they are.

[beekay414]

7 hours ago, Fresh Prince said:

Basketball seems to be the only sport where small market or big market somehow matters to a player. 

Well, this really isn't true. It's pretty prevalent in baseball but that's more due to the lack of outside marketing for those players and the major market teams being the ones that can offer the substantial contracts. 

[Fresh Prince]

3 hours ago, beekay414 said:

Well, this really isn't true. It's pretty prevalent in baseball but that's more due to the lack of outside marketing for those players and the major market teams being the ones that can offer the substantial contracts. 

Most baseball players don’t care if they play in Boston, NY, LA they just go where the money takes them. If anything I’ve read most players tend to try and stay away from big markets.

Plenty of Star players will stay in the small market if the team pays them. NBA, along with networks like ESPN drive this narrative for NBA players about exposure, playing in big markets, warm weather etc.

[beekay414]

1 minute ago, Fresh Prince said:

Most baseball players don’t care if they play in Boston, NY, LA they just go where the money takes them. If anything I’ve read most players tend to try and stay away from big markets.

Plenty of Star players will stay in the small market if the team pays them. NBA, along with networks like ESPN drive this narrative for NBA players about exposure, playing in big markets, warm weather etc.

And the money takes them to the bigger markets that can afford to pay them.