It's rather appropriate that NBA Free Agency begins just 3 days before July 4th because we've seen quite the fireworks from coast to coast already. However, if your a fan of a team that wasn't in the playoffs last year, or your team just squeezed in through the back door, you might be knocking on that door a little harder next April begging to get invited to the party.
I don't recall an off season where the elite teams from the year before all made major roster moves by adding big time stars, enhancing their already dangerous rosters. Many of the top teams from last year (based on record) have all added critical pieces: Lakers - Artest, Cavs - Shaq, Orlando - Vince Carter, Spurs - Richard Jefferson. As I type this column, the Celtics are in heavy discussions to add Rasheed Wallace to their squad. The only top team from last year that hasn't made any meaningful moves is Denver.
So what does all this say about the state of the NBA? Do we say the league is healthy? To use a college analogy: do we say it's "top heavy?" In these tough economic times is it simply the case of the rich getting richer? The teams listed above all have a strong fan base, more importantly, a large season ticket base. A large season ticket base equals stability. It allows for owners to make moves without worrying too much about the repercussions. Conversely, if you are the Milwaukee Bucks or Charlotte Bobcats, you have to scratch and claw to sell out a few games per year and hope that a big time free agent will want the challenge of turning around your franchise.
Keep in mind, this is a league with a salary cap. Every owner has the same budget to spend. However, some owners (the ones with the strong season ticket base) have no problem going over budget and paying the luxury tax. So how does a Minnesota or Sacramento level the playing field? How do you convince a star free agent to come to your city? Hope and promise? Free agents, for the most part, are looking to play for a winner (unless your last name is Ariza). If that is the general philosophy, then how do the bad teams get better? Or more important - competitive. Their only hope is to draft well. If you're consistently a bad team, who can't land free agents, it's so important to draft well and efficiently. You cannot afford to blow a lottery pick (i.e. Sheldon Williams in Atlanta). You must hope that you find that next diamond in the rough and use that player, that chip, to once again sell "hope and promise" to a free agent.
In the meantime, the top seeds from last year continue to make improvements to enhance and stabilize their position as a "contender" for the upcoming season.
They say there is no 'free lunch' in life. However, for the NBA elite, there is 'free agency'.
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