Cuban asks for probe into big 3, Cleveland and Toronto don't

[Patr1ck]

Cuban told a group of reporters Friday at the NBA's annual summer league in Las Vegas that he would urge Stern to look into the matter whether or not Cleveland or Toronto asks, saying: "I'm going to bring it up to the league that we really do have to re-evaluate the issue of player tampering. Who knows what will happen? But I have to suggest it to them because there has to be more definitive rules.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have no plans to push for an NBA probe into the circumstances that led to LeBron James joining Team USA colleagues Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, according to sources with knowledge of the team's thinking.

Toronto likewise declined comment, but one source with knowledge of the Raptors' thinking indicated that they will not press for an inquiry, either, preferring to let league officials decide if any sanctions are warranted with regard to recent acknowledgements from the three players that they have been talking about teaming up for some time.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5371956

What a bunch of crap. How much control over players' careers do the owners need?

[shadowgrin]

Mark Cuban is just jealous that his team is not savvy like Riley to do something big like that. The only 'savvy' move Cuban did was that Keith Van Horn trade and it's not even close in comparison to what the Heat did.

If I were to add another 'conspiracy' angle, the reason the Cavs and Raptors don't want a probe is because they too probably made some sort of tampering in hoping to sign their own FA (Bosh & LeBron).

[NovU]

I can understand players wanting attentions and all that since it's part of their job promoting themselves as a product, such as in movies, commercials and as a player. However, it's almost painful to see Mark Cuban being a more of attention whore than Lebron ever was.

As for the conspiracy claim, it's hard to blame the teams, instead of the Big 3's friendship as that played the major role in their decision. Mark Cuban just is too pussy/dumb to admit that it was the players' bonding that led to this, not a conspiracy shit. I fucking hate how Dirk has been so loyal to this dicktard(or his team) all his career long.

[Jeffx]

Mark Cuban needs a probe in a certain area.

[Patr1ck]

Mark Cuban is just jealous that his team is not savvy like Riley to do something big like that. The only 'savvy' move Cuban did was that Keith Van Horn trade and it's not even close in comparison to what the Heat did.

If I were to add another 'conspiracy' angle, the reason the Cavs and Raptors don't want a probe is because they too probably made some sort of tampering in hoping to sign their own FA (Bosh & LeBron).

Cuban wasn't referring to team tampering, but player tampering. My point was that the league should not have any say where a player or players want to play. If 5 superstars all wanted to take a cut in pay to play for the same team, then they should be able to do so.

[shadowgrin]

when it can be proven that a player was operating as a direct extension of team management.

From what I understand Cuban is implying that or a relation to it.

Coincidentally, it's the Miami Heat. Same team his Mavs lost to in the 2006 Finals.

[benji]

Cuban wasn't referring to team tampering, but player tampering. My point was that the league should not have any say where a player or players want to play. If 5 superstars all wanted to take a cut in pay to play for the same team, then they should be able to do so.

I'm pretty sure the league is going to say that. The current CBA has no provision to prevent it.

[Dan's Brain]

I fucking hate how Dirk has been so loyal to this dicktard(or his team) all his career long.

It shocks me that you would want to criticise a player for showing loyalty to his team.

Oh wait, no it doesn't.

[Sauru]

the nba should do away with free agency. when you come into the league you play for who drafts you until traded or retire. all players should make equal pay based on the order they were drafted in. last pick in round 2 but made the last 5 all star games? sorry pal you are at the league min still. now thats my kind of nba

[Andrew]

I can kind of see where Cuban's coming from, given how teams can be slapped with a fine for giving an honest answer like "Of course we'd like LeBron, who wouldn't?" and if Dwyane Wade was just meeting with other teams to essentially spy on them then some might say that's dirty pool (but also pretty crafty), so perhaps it's worth bringing up. Still, how can you prevent these agreements from being made between players with essentially barring players on opposing teams from forming friendships and further restricting a player's freedom to ply their trade elsewhere when their contract is up? I don't think the Player's Union is going to go for that in the next CBA negotiations.

[Sauru]

really though if players all start to do this stuff it will be bad for the nba as a whole.

[benji]

the nba should do away with free agency. when you come into the league you play for who drafts you until traded or retire

That's how it used to be, it's actually non-legal to do that.

[Sauru]

i dont care if its legal or not. but since it is lets make a new solution. ok the celtics get double the cap of every other team. that sounds fair to me

[benji]

Hey, they could have drafted Kobe Bryant but they took Antoine Walker.

And they could have had Tim Duncan but Kobe wanted a challenge to overcome in his own conference so Stern took care of things.

[Sauru]

i hate you

[deihatein]

I wish Cuban just shut his mouth and just work on getting the pieces needed to get Dirk that first ever championship.

[benji]

i hate you

[Andrew]

Epic.

[shadowgrin]

(I have to break out the bow down on that one. Epic, as Andrew says)

[Modifly]

I actually read all of that. Epic indeed.

[deihatein]

I might used one of those as my avatar someday

[bowdown]

Good move by Cuban considering the right for all of us to know about how it went down. There is nothing wrong with needing closure about whether the procedure of getting those 3 together was legitimate. If it was all legit then god enough, if not then it gets interesting.

By the way, the way those 3 teamed up reminds me of when you are back in school and the gym teacher is trying to assign even teams...All the really good players try to manipulate their positioning in the line so they will end up on the same team...Im sure its all legal and noone has any right to tell them what they should had done.

[Patr1ck]

There is nothing wrong with players recruiting other players. It's happened before. I remember when Baron Davis came to the Clippers, he and Elton Brand met together, but for whatever reason, Elton decided not to sign. Lebron said he changed his mind many times, so he could have easily signed with another team, "tampering" or not.

[Sauru]

i dont know what to say to benji now but that was pretty cool (kinda made me wanna kill the computer though)

[NovU]

There is nothing wrong with players recruiting other players.

Indeed.

Let's not also forget about the Lakers back in the days when Gary Payton and Karl Malone joined to form Big 4.