Championship Disparity

[chemdude1232]

Playing Devil's Advocate, I doubt any of us would be complaining if it were the Jazz who were perpetually hoisting championship banners up to the rafters year after year.

The baseball comparisons don't necessarily hold with regard to the NBA. Take one cursory look at the top of the heap in MLB, the Yankees; their payroll is ludicrously high. Their opening-day payroll this season was $213 million - and they are not locks to win in October by any means. You can do a similar surface-level analysis of the NBA and see similar results. That debacle that was the Knicks' payroll was at an all-time high of $130 million in 2005-2006, yet they ended up with the second-worst record in the Association.

I just don't see a direct correlation between spending and championships. Surely you have to pay a lot to get free agents, trades, etc., but it needs to be done intelligently. Simply assembling a pseudo-dream team of free agents won't get it done alone if there is no chemistry.

 

[Mambo]

NYK Portland and Dallas have all spent like crazy and have no championships to speak of. SA & DET have both spent fairly close to a lot of playoff teams and have had a lot of success. Money does not equal championships.

Both have chips

 

[gregbroncs]

Both have chips

Yep. Pay for your teams for long enough and eventually spending more than most of the league gets you a championship.

They need a hard cap. Then those teams with super stars will have a harder time keeping good players around them and it will even the playing field.

 

[vj_74]

Both have chips

Not in the last 25 yrs or so. Spending a lot doesnt guarantee anything. Spending smartly does.
The Jazz themselves are an example. They went over the LT last year and got eliminated in the second round.
But 2 yrs back.,When they had a modest payroll they went all the way to the WCF. Which brings me to the next point...luck.

Most folks dont talk about it, but luck plays a huge part. The Gashole trade to LA is a case in point. Also the big stars of winning franchises like the Spurs and Lakers, the Duncans and Kobes manage to stay healthy a lot. That involves luck too. Save for Deron,we have guys that break down a lot on our team, and at the wrong time.
The longevity of Malone/Stock too can be attributed to good luck(even by their own admission), besides of course
their fitness training and workouts and all that. It atleats helped them get to the Finals twice. But other than that, Jazz never seem to have that luck when it matters the most, especially of late.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

You have to start by drafting a superstar. Then you can get a second and/or a third superstar by free agency and plundering a team that wants to unload a star player to rebuild.

For example, here are a few championship teams' formulas for success ---

Lakers:
1. Draft Kobe Bryant (when he refuses to play for anyone but you)
2. Steal the most dominant center in the league through free agency right when he's hitting his prime with the lure of making bad movies and rap albums.
3. Heist a good complementary player (Horry) via free agency or trade
4. When Shaq starts to burn out send him to the Heat, then keep trading some of those players you get until you can steal the next top 3 center in the league from a team that wants to rebuild.

Celtics:
1. Draft Paul Pierce
2. Steal Kevin Garnett from the Timberwolves when he's had enough.
3. Steal Ray Allen from the Sonics for Jeff Green.
4. Fill in with role players who want to play with those guys.

Spurs:
1. Win the lottery and draft a HOF center.
2. Win the lottery again and draft a second HOF center.
3. Draft high-impact players in the late first and second rounds to keep a good thing going.

Rockets:
1. Win the lottery and draft a HOF center.
2. Wait for Jordan to retire.
3. Let Benoit shoot.
4. Draft pretty well and coach them pretty well.
5. Steal a superstar wing from a team whose dynasty is falling apart.

Heat:
1. Draft a superstar guard.
2. Trade the house for Shaq while he's still got something in the tank.
3. Take advantage of the Eastern Conference being weak when Ben Wallace hits a wall.
4. Hope you play the Mavericks in the Finals.

Jazz:
1. Draft a HOF point guard.
2. Draft a HOF power forward.
3. Steal an okay combo guard from a team that's falling apart.
4. Bludgeon the other teams with pick-and-rolls and physical defense until they relent.
....It almost worked.