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Chris Paul

In late June, Paul, 25, spent several days in Akron, Ohio, with James, who was busy orchestrating his own exit strategy from Cleveland. The two friends and superstars picked each other's brains, with each persuading the other to make significant changes in their branding strategies. For Paul, it was a big step to persuade James to join the social networking phenomenon that is Twitter. For James' part, he finally persuaded Paul to join his Cleveland-based marketing company, LRMR.

Paul's decision to sign with LRMR, headed by James' close friend and advisor, Maverick Carter, was only the first step in his exit plan from New Orleans. Paul officially severed his representation agreement with Octagon earlier this month and will soon officially join the influential stable of clients represented by Creative Artists Agency.

With a stranglehold on the top free-agent talent, CAA dictated the terms, pace and outcome of the monumental free-agent class of 2010. CAA clients James and Bosh agreed to join forces with fellow CAA client Wade in Miami, forming a rare triumvirate through the leverage and friendship of players as opposed to the whim of management.
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This can't be good for the long term health of the league. I get the feeling this agency wants more than just access to these athletes bank accounts... they want to control the balance of power in the league.

The team that has most aggressively positioned itself to reap the benefits of CAA's latest power nexus is the Knicks, who struck out in their pursuit of this summer's Big Three but perhaps didn't whiff permanently.

Team president Donnie Walsh's first step was signing power forward Amar'e Stoudemire to a five-year, $99.9 million deal. The move wasn't successful in swaying James or Wade, but it represents the first piece of a strategy designed to land Paul, Parker or Anthony -- or perhaps, even two of them.
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Interesting, if this does come to fruition, how a team so poorly managed may end up getting a solid nucleus of players due to their relationship with an agency. FYI, I don't know who represents Anthony or Parker... it didn't show up on a google search.

Earlier this month, empowered by his time spent in Ohio with James, Paul was reported to have toasted the idea of forming "our own Big Three" with Stoudemire and Anthony during Anthony's wedding in New York. That comment, never publicly corroborated by Paul, is directly in line with what sources say has become his overriding strategy for the next step in his career. Call it the Miami Model, the South Beach Effect, or whatever you want. It's the new normal for young NBA superstars looking for a new home and a better chance to win.

"Players want to follow in those footsteps," an NBA front office source said. "They all want to do that. Everyone got excited about it, and it opened up the players' imaginations as to what they could do."
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To me, this is exactly the sort of thing that could end up killing the league. There are only so many superstars in the league... I'm afraid that if these "big 3's" start finding success, then all the stars are going to want to be part of a big 3... so they can taste victory.

If that happens, then what's next? Big 4's? Big 5's?

Point being, that there are only a limited supply of stars to go around for 30'ish teams... and if you have all the stars on 4 or 5 teams, you will end up with something that resembles old school WWF more than it does a competitive sports organization.

Stern created this mess by promoting individualism so heavily, and now it's about to sink the league. He needs to step down, and allow someone to lead who will follow the NFL's path to success. Someone who will promote parity and reward "team success".
 
G-O-A-T said:
Stern created this mess by promoting individualism so heavily, and now it's about to sink the league. He needs to step down, and allow someone to lead who will follow the NFL's path to success. Someone who will promote parity and reward "team success".
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Goat, I see fan devotion to individual players over, or even in lieu of, the team long before Stern, so not sure why you think he created it. When Jordan was with the bulls, you could go anywhere in the country, NY, LA, Phoenix, wherever, and find just about everybody and his brother wearin a bulls cap or a Jordan jersey. To them Jordan was the bulls, but they didn't care about the Chicago Bulls to begin with. They just idolized Jordan.
 
Superstars will always be idolized by people outside the teams regular fanbase... like Jordan. But in what other league do the star players receive the benefit of biased officiating. Yeah, you can argue that it's a matter of viewpoint, but if the league will unofficially sanction rule changes during the last 10 seconds of a game of a close game, what makes you think they wont willingly turn a blind eye to star treatment officiating?

I don't think it's any coincidence that when Stern took over, the NBA's success skyrocketed, especially with the rivalries of Bird and Magic and with Jordan's dominance. Now it's Christmas games of Kobe vs. Shaq, not lakers vs. heat... or Kobe vs. Lebron... NBA doesn't promote team, it promotes superstars. Stern did great 20 years ago promoting its stars to put the NBA on the map, but it's gotten out of hand now...
 
This will all be solved in the next CBA. It is not in the leagues best intrest to have multiple superstars on one team. Probably why he wants to be traded ASAP.
 
G-O-A-T said:
Now it's Christmas games of Kobe vs. Shaq, not lakers vs. heat... or Kobe vs. Lebron... NBA doesn't promote team, it promotes superstars. Stern did great 20 years ago promoting its stars to put the NBA on the map, but it's gotten out of hand now...
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Yeah, I know what you're sayin, but what else are ya gunna do (and is it really any different in the other professional leagues)? Outside of Boston, no one gives a crap about Boston, although they may care, and somehow feel attached to, Bird, Rondo, Garnett, or other some other player they find attractive for other reasons. How do you promote Boston, qua Boston, outside of Boston?

I mean, you can talk about the Boston mystique, or faraway "dynasties" I spoze, but how far will that carry you with the average modern fan? Don't get me wrong, I don't feel the same as I think the "average fan" does, but that's not the point. The point is if you're trying to attract the masses, then you must find something that appeals to the masses. You're not gunna attract young kids to a particular brand of breakfast cereal by raving about how "nutrious" it is, know what I'm sayin?
 
The point is if you're trying to attract the masses, then you must find something that appeals to the masses. You're not gunna attract young kids to a particular brand of breakfast cereal by raving about how "nutrious" it is, know what I'm sayin?
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While probably true that the best marketing strategy to the masses is to showcase individual superstars in favor of teams and cities, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is the best marketing strategy in the long term.

For instance, ... how do I say this without getting a warning... OK, lets say that the Jazz organization, for the purpose of increasing ticket sales, offered a promotion where all ticket purchasers got to "spend an evening" with the Jazz dancer of their choice.

The "masses", (well maybe not in Utah) would be buying up tickets left and right to get in on this promotion... would you agree? Great short term promotion

Now, while everyone who took advantage of their promotion probably enjoyed themselves at the time... 6 months later, there might be a few unhappy customers... and 6 months after that, I imagine a few other folks might find a few unpleasant side effects... and before long you would have a city full of diseased men angry at the Jazz for bringing this on... long term effects: bad promotion

I see the NBA equivalent working somewhat like this:

1. NBA promotes superstars to get quick business.
2. Quick business leads to unintended side effects (stars becoming bigger than the league).
3. Stars start exerting their new found power to indulge their individual desires.
4. Stars indulge so much that the rest of the league suffers.
5. Fans get tired and quit watching.
6. Bye bye NBA.

I like basketball and don't want to see this happen... and right now, I don't think this scenario is so far away from materializing.
 
Duck Rodgers said:
I actually think New Orleans has done a decent job of trying to surround him with talent. Magic and Lakers obviously are not happening and they would have to part with significant pieces anyway. New York is not a forward move from New Orleans from an on the court standpoint. Chirs is a *****.
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I disagree with that. Amare, Chandler, Gallinari and Paul would be a pretty good core. Only problem is NY gave up almost all their picks to Houston in the T-MAC trade. They'd have to give back some players. Maybe Toney Douglas, Randolph and Chandler.

I doubt NO would try to cut a deal with the Lakers. LA doesn't have much young talent to give up. And I'm not sure what Orlando could offer a rebuilding team. Would the Hornets want Jameer and either Gortat or Anderson + picks?

They could always deal him to Portland for Matthews;-)
 
G-O-A-T said:
Superstars will always be idolized by people outside the teams regular fanbase... like Jordan. But in what other league do the star players receive the benefit of biased officiating. Yeah, you can argue that it's a matter of viewpoint, but if the league will unofficially sanction rule changes during the last 10 seconds of a game of a close game, what makes you think they wont willingly turn a blind eye to star treatment officiating?

I don't think it's any coincidence that when Stern took over, the NBA's success skyrocketed, especially with the rivalries of Bird and Magic and with Jordan's dominance. Now it's Christmas games of Kobe vs. Shaq, not lakers vs. heat... or Kobe vs. Lebron... NBA doesn't promote team, it promotes superstars. Stern did great 20 years ago promoting its stars to put the NBA on the map, but it's gotten out of hand now...
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A 3-on-3 league of 18 teams would work very well, imho. That is, if you're into superstar bball.
 
It's funny to see how far Paul has fallen the last few years. 2 years into their respective careers, the NBA and it's fans had Paul annointed the next greatest PG in the league and D-Will a step below him. Nice to see that since Deron's tough rookie year, he's kept his head down, his mouth shut, and worked his *** of to become a better player. Seems like Paul has done the exact opposite during that time.
 
Hornets should take this chance to dump some bad contracts along with Paul and get some young talent back. They will have a bad year, get a top 5 pick, hopefully get another young star, then bam, they are a great young team ala Thunder.
 
Well, if NO makes the trade, and paul wants to go the knicks, magic, or lakers, I hope NO sends him to Cleveland or Minnesota instead. Toronto might be good too...
 
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