So what's the solution? No salary cap?

 

The problem with European soccer is that the big clubs just buy the big players because there is no salary cap. The problem in the NBA is that the big name players all want to play together to form super teams. Two different problems that end with the same result: predictable and top-heavy leagues.

 

Everyone knew that the Finals were going to be Cavs Warriors before the season even started. Maybe the Spurs could sneak in, but the East was pretty much set-in-stone. It's just like how there's 3 teams that can win La Liga every year and only 3 teams. Just like how there's maybe 8 teams that have a shot at smelling the Champions League Final. Hell I think there might be more unpredictability in soccer right now than the NBA. That's how low the parity has gotten in basketball.

Edited June 13, 20178 yr by chw42

The NBA is becoming more and more like European soccer, even though it has a salary cap.

 

The draft is supposed to make it be different than European soccer, so the best young players can't be bought by the same clubs. But so many draft picks bust while the Warriors nailed 3 picks in 4 years. Add in the Curry injury concerns that led to his medium sized contract and here we are.

 

The NBA also tried to prevent it by letting players sign the biggest deals with their own teams, but that prevents a lot of game changing free agents from ever being available. Other than Lebron and Durant who make so much money off the court, they can pass up those huge max deals.

https://sports.yahoo.com/2017-nba-finals-wa...-210718543.html

The 2017 NBA Finals were the most watched since Michael Jordan's final title run

 

(Politics AND) NBA basketball becoming must-watch tv this year despite all the complaints of more serious fans...

Edited June 13, 20178 yr by caulfield12

In lieu of the actual solution (a HARD salary cap), the NBA is making it more attractive for free agents to stay with the team that drafted them. This isn't working. The answer is a hard cap. There's no better solution. The only American sports league with true parity is the NFL. Even with the Patriots, the team that wins in between the Patriots' success is anyone's guess. That's what the NBA needs. Teams shouldn't be able to afford to get all the superstars.

MLB with zero salary cap has more parity than the NFL. NHL has the most.

 

http://harvardsportsanalysis.org/2016/12/w...he-most-parity/

 

 

MLB with zero salary cap has more parity than the NFL. NHL has the most.

 

http://harvardsportsanalysis.org/2016/12/w...he-most-parity/

 

This is true, but NBA becomes more dramatic just due to 5 players. NBA just needs to get rid of the max contract, it solves all of this. But when you have weaknesses spread out among 9/10/11 guys on field it introduces more parity. I know hockey has 5 at one time but the ice time isn't remotely similar to how many minutes top basketball players can play in a game.

MLB with zero salary cap has more parity than the NFL. NHL has the most.

 

http://harvardsportsanalysis.org/2016/12/w...he-most-parity/

 

lol the EPL has more parity than the NBA now.

https://sports.yahoo.com/2017-nba-finals-wa...-210718543.html

The 2017 NBA Finals were the most watched since Michael Jordan's final title run

 

(Politics AND) NBA basketball becoming must-watch tv this year despite all the complaints of more serious fans...

Amazing...all of big basketball fans I know barely watched the playoffs at all. It must be the casual fans packing in or I just surround myself with my own "bubble" of people.

Amazing...all of big basketball fans I know barely watched the playoffs at all. It must be the casual fans packing in or I just surround myself with my own "bubble" of people.

 

Same for me. I barely watched this year and most of my good friends who are big basketball fans barely tuned in as well.

Amazing...all of big basketball fans I know barely watched the playoffs at all. It must be the casual fans packing in or I just surround myself with my own "bubble" of people.

 

I might have seen 5 minutes of the NBA finals.

I didn't miss a minute of the finals.

Amazing...all of big basketball fans I know barely watched the playoffs at all. It must be the casual fans packing in or I just surround myself with my own "bubble" of people.

 

I watched about 75% of the Finals, and that was probably more NBA basketball than I watched from October-May.