Dear NBA Owners

I guess owning the Clippers has its perks when you're the one pulling the strings, whether they win or lose...

It's been a long time coming, but slowly and surely, the summer of 2010 will be upon us. A year ago, it seemed like all of the speculation around potential free agents was all sizzle and no steak. Now that it's 2010, and a lockout is becoming more and more imminent by the day, a lot of you are trying to save your asses. You're looking to set yourself up for the summer to get a good pickup, and also trying to make sure your teams will be solvent and your assets players will be safe from the bullshit of arbitration. That said, I can understand the frenzy. At the same time, I think it is detestable how you guys are treating your players, because it's going to affect the game soon.

Whether it's Marcus Camby finding out about his trade (2 days after the fact) from his agent while at dinner with his family, or John Salmons being left at the team's hotel on a gameday upon his trade, it's obvious: you guys have become less and less concerned with the treatment of their players and more with the bottom line. And that bottom line is coming before player morale (the Nets look like they're writing suicide notes), the team winning (Knicks; 'nuff said) and even federal law (coughGilbertcoughcoughArenascough). But seriously, when will it stop guys? When will the cap-clearing and player shuffling stop? When will you guys hold on to your players so that there's some sense of loyalty? I'm not going to lie. Players are spoiled prima donnas sometimes. Sometimes moving players need to be moved for one reason or another. Sometimes the money does override the player's interest. But here's an interesting thought: maybe taking care of your players would lead to better outcomes and less friction between the players and the ownership.


T-Mac probably would have gone right back to this, given the time to rest...

Think about it: Why didn't LeBron participate in the Dunk Contest this year? He didn't want to get injured and have the front office start yanking his money. Look at T-Mac (PRAYING he's back to form for the Knicks). Why was his departure from Houston so hard? The ownership didn't want to lose their asset player, and would rather him rot on the bench. Look at Chris Paul, who's team decided to have surgery on his knee, instead of letting it heal naturally. He could have stayed out and rehabbed the knee correctly, but is probably going to play again this season (another order from the management), and re-aggravate it. And there are historical precedents for this, like A'mare Stoudamire or J-Kidd, who's careers were slowed down by their teams opting for quick returns. You guys really do treat the players like assets. No wonder there's going to be a lockout. Players won't play for you guys unless they know their money is safe, because they know once you're done with them, they get dropped.

I suppose it is just business, and we are in a recession. but at the end of the day, is the NBA doing good business right now? Players against the owners, injuries galore, wack All-Star Games and lack of competition don't sound like a success to me. Then again, most people would rather wack basketball than none. Get it together, owners. This summer will definitely be crazy, but you guys have to do your players right, and I guarantee they'll do right by you...

Dear Houston Rockets

When you're on the bench this long, you might as well get to know the journeymen...

Trevor Ariza is cool. T-Mac was cooler. Aaron Brooks is a nice point guard. T-Mac was a better player. Whatever your team has now, T-Mac was doing it from before them. Rockets, you're team is good, but Tracy McGrady would dump on any of them in his prime. That's not to say that the man lost a step in his injury-riddled career. He very well might be a former shell of himself. However, shouldn't it be your prerogative to explore that theory? What if T-Mac can still be dunking on people, dropping buckets left and right and can be the spark you guys need? Let's face it, at times your team can be flat offensively, and you need some guaranteed scoring. If T-Mac has fully healed from his injuries and can do that again, then what are you waiting for?

You guys have McGrady riding the pine pony, still earning the same amount of money from his insane contract. Don't you owe it to yourself and to your money to see if this man is worth the $20 million you gave him last year? And then, if it turns out T-Mac isn't back to his super-self, you could assess his value, and maybe look for a trade, or just release him. That all pales in comparison to the fact that you have one of the greatest scorers EVER chilling on your bench. The man destroyed the league for 6 years, and if not for injuries to him and Yao (I might have given up on Yao, though), would have had the squad as a huge contender in the West. I'm not saying that you have to give him his old minute, because that would honestly screw up your team's chemistry. But at least give the man a shot. You and I both know a healthy T-Mac will murk Trevor Ariza, and won't be putting up 3-14 nights like some of your swingmen. And at the least, T-Mac would definitely sell some seats, if not help you guys keep your head above water in the Wild Wild West...