Examining a dying breed in the Nba

Damian Lillard dribbles up the court for the Portland Trailblazers <Photo credit: Bleacher Report>

The NBA is a league that is constantly evolving. From skill level, to cultural impact, to player contracts, there are noticeable differences within each and every NBA season. These changes, after all, are what keep the league exciting enough for people to keep talking about it.

One of the most significant changes that I’ve noticed over the league’s history is how its players approach the offseason. Only since the early 2010s have players become more inclined to leave their current team for greener pastures, especially if said team is not performing well. 

We’ve seen this through Kevin Durant’s signing with the Golden State Warriors in 2016 and LeBron James signing with the Heat in 2010, among others.

For a majority of the league’s history, players simply did this less often, and historic dynasties formed because of that (i.e. the Celtics and Lakers of the 1980s). These teams had most of their players stay the course, even if they didn’t win a championship every year.

Now, I’m not saying one method is better than the other in this situation. While I may prefer players sticking to a single team because it provides fans with a better experience in connecting with their city’s team, I completely understand why a player might request a trade or sign with another franchise. Players deserve to have a say in how much money they’re making, how their organization is treating them, etc. 

After all, the NBA is a business, and the players deserve to be treated fairly. 

What I’m most curious about, however, is the loyalty that some players have to organizations that simply don’t win when it matters most. The most common example of this is Damian Lillard, as he’s played in Portland for his entire career but has failed to reach the NBA Finals. 

This is entirely not his fault, as we’ve seen Lillard carry his team on a consistent basis for a majority of his career - he’s single-handedly won multiple playoff series for the Trailblazers. Yet, the organization has failed to put enough talent around him to succeed at the highest level.

The same could be said for Bradley Beal, who’s been with the Washington Wizards organization since he was drafted in 2012. Despite Beal continuing to evolve into one of the league’s most prolific scorers over the past few seasons, the Wizards have zero playoff success to show for it. 

To me, in an era that has been defined by the busy free agency periods and trade deadlines that keep fans glued to their Twitter feeds, I’m curious as to why these players continue to latch onto teams that never really have a shot to go far in the playoffs. 

Perhaps these teams just have really great people running the show for them. Maybe it’s because the players have grown fond of the communities that they represent. I know Lillard is very involved in the Portland community, and I’m sure he wouldn’t want to give up his ties there any time soon. 

Whatever it may be, I’m really happy for guys like Lillard and Beal. If they’re enjoying the situations that they’re in, that’s really all we can ask for as fans. They’ve continued to provide their respective cities with memorable moments on and off the court, and if I was a fan of the Blazers or Wizards, I wouldn’t want anyone else representing my team. 

I just hope that these franchises can build around their stars the right way, because they both deserve it, and so do many other players in this kind of situation.