Hear me out:
New Orleans fanbase had to deal with the AD drama. He is still not long for their franchise. But the NBA rewarded them with Zion.
Lakers were about to implode next season and have to face a LeBron trade demand. Now they have the ammo to trade for a 2nd Star to pair with LBJ.
Knicks tanked and the NBA didn't want to be seen rewarding tanking - BUT NBA needed the Knicks relevant and they had to stay in the Top 3. They did.
Kam
Can you explain to me why the NBA needs the Knicks to be relevant?
If the Knicks are a powerhouse team the next time that Disney/ABC contract is up for renewal the NBA can ask for the moon and the stars. More prime time games in New York means more $$$.
If the NBA wants to take down the NFL.... it needs the major cities LA, CHI, PHI, HOU, BOS, BRK, NYK to all be great and have legendary battles. They should be aiming to take down Monday Night Football and replace it with Monday Night Hoops.
THINK BIG HERE.
I wasn't aware that attendence or ratings were suffering in NYC.
NBA has generaly flourshised here and globally over the past 20 years while the Knicks were largely irrelevant and the NBA universe was in cities like Cleveland and San Antonio.
As long as there are several competitive teams the NBA will be fine.
What they can't do is screw with the integrity of the game, as gambling is the next huge revenue source to be tapped.
Bro
I said THINK BIG not THINK FINE
NBA doesn't want to be just fine. It wants to capture the imagination of the casual fan. The casual fan is having a hard time tuning into San Antonio v Cleveland over say.... American Idol.
Even with the Game 7 drama north of the border, most NBA heads were watching Game of Thrones.
Its also not about ratings in NYC. If the Knicks are beasts then their games in OTHER markets will be bigger. Their NATIONAL games will be bigger. I think they were only on National TV once last year. If Boston is not good you will still tune in to root for the Knicks to lose. The NBA wants eyeballs. Love it or hate it, people will watch New York and root one way or the other. Nobody cares that strongly about say the Raptors or Portland.