Jimmy Butler and the NBA's Growing Problem
Rumors have spread recently that Timberwolves wing, Jimmy Butler, has requested a trade. This isn’t abnormal for NBA stars in recent years, as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, and Chris Paul have all done the same thing. It’s the ultimate display of player power. They can test out a new environment and take with them the contract that’ll enable a new team to still offer them the most lucrative contract should they decide to stay. Teams scramble to get good value in a trade for a publicly disgruntled player, but in the end all parties leave the situation better. An unhappy star probably isn’t as committed to winning as you’d like. That energy gets coaches fired and turns locker rooms upside down.
What’s more interesting about the Butler rumor is his list of desired trade destinations. Sources said they include the New York Knicks, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Los Angeles Clippers. I can see the logic, he wants to join an improving team that has the cap space to add another high-priced free agent in the summer of 2019. That free agent class is packed with elite talent that could potentially alter the league.
My issue is more with the geography of his wish list. It doesn’t look much different than the rumors of desired destinations for just about every star. This is fine, when players become free agents they earn the right to play wherever they have offers. But I do see the possibility of this becoming a real problem in the future. Every player’s list seems to include New York (Knicks and Nets), Texas (Mavericks and Rockets), California (Lakers, Clippers, Warriors), and Miami. Big acquisitions in other cities are seen as complete outliers.
This is not to say that these teams always get the best available talent, but we do know that if players had a choice they’d like to play in these places. Whether it’s the weather or the allure of more exposure, something is drawing them there. Even with the NBA’s newest CBA, and a more punitive luxury tax, players are finding their way to the same few teams. The entire point of those cap restrictions on the CBA was to prevent teams from stacking up 2-3 stars, yet that’s what each star is banking on.
Fan interest appears to be high, but how are 20+ franchises supposed to feel each year they aren’t a top-tier destination. Those teams have to draft perfectly and make home run trades knowing one mistake can sap the confidence of the fanbase. How long will the roughly 20 owners with unpopular teams continue to invest in a game they aren’t really meant to win?
