Will playing in the Eastern Conference finally be a legitimate selling point during NBA free agency this summer?
For them most part, the majority of free agents that will enter this summer’s pool in a few days will have two things on their mind — money and a chance to win.
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Some even just have the former rather than the latter on their mind. Although, if players are really interested in heading to a destination that puts them in position to logically have a chance to win — or even simply make the playoffs — year in and year out, perhaps they should simplify their options.
Eastern Conference vs Western Conference. An inferior conference, where you’d have a decent chance to make the playoffs every year, vs a much more superior conference, where you’d have to join a select team in order to have a chance at a playoffs. And, once you get there, there’s no guarantee that you won’t get bounced in the first round.
It’s pretty simple if you ask me. The only problem is that a trend of flocking towards the Eastern Conference hasn’t registered with NBA players — yet.
I, and many around the NBA, expect that to change sooner rather than later. And that could very well end up being this summer. With LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol and DeAndre Jordan all unrestricted free agents — and being the “big” names — heading into this summer, it could start with them.
Instead of re-signing with their Western Conference incumbent teams or perhaps a rival team in that same conference, Aldridge, Gasol and Jordan — or even just one of those names — could begin a trend of flocking away from the Western Conference this summer.
Moving to the Eastern Conference could be the next trend in NBA free agency. And it could begin this summer. In fact, if free agents are smart, it will.
That’s where the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics or even the Milwaukee Bucks come in. While the Knicks and Celtics will probably bank on their city and past success as being one of their key selling points to free agents this summer, these three teams should really be selling the wide open Eastern Conference to free agents.
For example, let’s use the Knicks and Lakers as two potential landing spots for LaMarcus Aldridge, who is the most likely of the three big name free agents to change jerseys this summer.
Even if the Lakers sign Aldridge — a lineup of D’Angelo Russell, Kobe Bryant, (insert name here), Julius Randle and Aldridge doesn’t make the playoffs in the Western Conference. They don’t. Are they better than the Oklahoma City Thunder, who didn’t make the playoffs last season? Nope — they’re probably replacing the Portland Trail Blazers, who will be taking a step back this year, in the playoffs. Are they better than the young Pelicans? Probably not.
In this hypothetical, the Lakers wouldn’t make the playoffs. Aldridge would be wasting away another of his prime years while missing the playoffs.
Now, let’s say he signs with the New York Knicks.
Simply, the combination of Aldridge and Carmelo Anthony — with just OK supporting pieces — might be enough to sneak the Knicks in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
If you can sell that to Aldridge, and the fact that you’ll have another 20 million in cap space in 2016, you might just get your name on his preferential destination wish list.
This is also a way the Milwaukee Bucks could potentially make their first free agent splash in quite a while.
Sooner rather than later, a key selling point to free agents is going to be flocking to the weaker Eastern Conference. I’m not sure if that’s this offseason or not, but all it takes is one big name free agent to make the move before the new free agent trend begins in the NBA.
A few years ago, it was all about teaming up with other stars. That, for the most part, appears to have caught on to a certain extent. Moving to the Eastern Conference could be the next trend in NBA free agency.
And it could begin this summer. In fact, if free agents are smart, it will.