The Official NBA Season Thread: I’m like Jayson Tatum in the Olympics I'm not playing

[dontsteponmyshoes]

Saudis already got a piece of the wizards on the low, i forgot when they snuck the news in a few months back right after the LIV golf stuff

 

[atlsfinest]

I think this is the beauty of a situation that they are offering Mbappe: it's only one year. It'd be a much tougher decision if they're asking you to play the remainder of your career over there. Mbappe is only 24, he could go to Saudi Arabia and cash out and be back playing for a top European team at age 25-26.

These guys go play college basketball in Podunk towns in the US and don't get paid to dime, You're telling me Embiid (or other top NBA players) wouldn't play in Saudi Arabia for $200M/year?

Hypothetically I could see an NBA player signing a two-year deal that would 5x their salary and then come back to the NBA.

I was in the military so I can understand sacrificing a year of your life for larger goals but I guess these NBA players might not be about that. I know guys who left active duty, got jobs as contractors in the Middle East making 3-4x their military salary (tax free).

Edit: then again when you hear these NBA players talk about the bubble as though they were in prison (and not in a resort in Florida) I realize that most these guys probably couldn't handle living in the Middle East for any amount of money

 

[dacomeup]

This would be the NBA owners worst nightmare. Half of these owners are so cheap they already don't want to pay their current players, imagine if a Saudi league was willing to pay top NBA players $200M per year

A league full of mostly Black American dudes aren’t going to Saudi

 

[moonman818]

Unless you can assure a 20-27 year old they can get high, drink, and put weed in the hookah, they're not spending more than a weekend out there

 

[moderndarwin]

This would be the NBA owners worst nightmare. Half of these owners are so cheap they already don't want to pay their current players, imagine if a Saudi league was willing to pay top NBA players $200M per year

I think that’s what people don’t realize. Say they paid $250/year to:

Steph
Lebron
KD
Giannis
Joker

and they set up a league with 5 teams. And gave each of these captains another 250M to build out a 12 man roster.

It’d be over for the NBA. These upper echelon super stars make the league. No one is watching an nba league that doesn’t have the 5 best players. Current system is a subsidy system so that everyone gets to eat.

 

[clyde the glide]

Maybe in time but u still need the structure. NBA could rebound without its top names. The talent is off the charts new names will arise

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Lavar did it first

 

[Based Jesus]

Legend in 2 games

 

[dman14]

I think that’s what people don’t realize. Say they paid $250/year to:

Steph
Lebron
KD
Giannis
Joker

and they set up a league with 5 teams. And gave each of these captains another 250M to build out a 12 man roster.

It’d be over for the NBA. These upper echelon super stars make the league. No one is watching an nba league that doesn’t have the 5 best players. Current system is a subsidy system so that everyone gets to eat.

Much Less games as well

 

[DCAllAfrican]

What would happen, if the Arabs threw money at NBA players - https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=2295697

Solid convo/points made.

 

[don ramon]

saudis don't have a history of the sports they're trying to barge into these days
even when they're able to lock in a big name, it's not enough.
their sports leagues are utter trash with no pull from a global audience.
i just don't see it happening in their country.

 

[nick.]

 

[dman14]

bron playing 4d and putting pressure on the league and owners

 

[pmatic]

Don't think the Saudis could get top flight stars in their respective primes, but they could probably get washed up stars. Someone like Harden in two years months.

 

[dman14]

Don't think the Saudis could get top flight stars in their respective primes, but they could probably get washed up stars. Someone like Harden in two years.

james harden seems like he would go right now if the price is right

 

[dontsteponmyshoes]

Harden after he try to demand a trade from MBS

 

[antidope]

Some NBA player is posting this.

 

[dacomeup]

Bron trying to get as much cash as possible before he cops that Vegas team

 

[WASHED KING]

Looks like we’re going to Saudi.

 

[WASHED KING]

What are these issues y’all taking about in Saudi Arabia?

 

[jpzx]

A lot of those golfers they got for LIV were old as hell, Greg Norman, Lee Westwood, Charles Howell III, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey.

You know they’d pay a hell of a lot more for recently-retired Lebron, James Harden, Russ, even K-Love types.

It could become known as the next chapter after these guys retire from the NBA and are willing to play 2-3 more years elsewhere for a lot of money.

 

[clyde the glide]

Harden had two 40 point games in that series. Him as a number 1 is no bueno but idk he might have a legit beef with philly/embiid

 

[nick.]

Some NBA player is posting this.

Serious question: How many NBA players know this song even exists?


Also, I know golf is different than basketball but LIV tours all over the world. It's not like they have to live in the middle east, they just cut the checks.

 

[earldagoat]

 

[rolaholic]

A lot of those golfers they got for LIV were old as hell, Greg Norman, Lee Westwood, Charles Howell III, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey.

You know they’d pay a hell of a lot more for recently-retired Lebron, James Harden, Russ, even K-Love types.

It could become known as the next chapter after these guys retire from the NBA and are willing to play 2-3 more years elsewhere for a lot of money.

They got a lot of younger guys in their primes too tbf like Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Dechambeau