Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[KillerLeft]

I'm starting to wonder if this is such a pervasive issue league wide which is why Silver has been hesitant to drop the hammer. That's why Ballmer said he'd pursue legal actions, because he isn't the only one doing it.

And if so, then the entire league has become delegitimized under Silver's watch. Insane.

Sure. Is it an isolated issue? Maybe they know, maybe they don't. If it is going on and they don't know, do they really want to find out? Probably not. But, can they afford to look the other way, knowing the mess that might create? And, how ugly might it get with Balmer if they press? Would they (the league) even come out on top in the ugliest version of that scenario? If they don't handle this just right, will the situation get better or worse? 

I wouldn't want to be Silver right now. For whatever reason, the NBA more than any other major sport seems to be suspected of pre-determination and less than fair competition, from the lottery to how the game is officiated and everything between. It's a pickle. 

But, I continue to feel strongly that while it's a tough situation, the longer they drag it out the more eyeballs they have scrutinizing what they'll eventually do. Maybe that's not fair, but it's just a difficult situation. 

At least in baseball, the Dodgers are allowed to be out in the open about it.

I guess the good news for Mavs fans, if there is some, is that our team is in a BIG market and we've never really been allowed to think that way, but now...the Mavs ownership is basically as capable of thinking like Balmer as they've ever been. That's kind of cool for a change, depending on how you look at it.