Potential lockout is causing controversy

A huge issue going on in the NBA right now is the possibility of a lockout. The lockout will not cancel the rest of the games, but it will shut down any buisness that goes on within the NBA. This means that the players will not be getting paid despite their legal contracts they sign with the owners.

Ironically, the same thing is going on in the NFL. Many people have not heard about the possibility of a NBA lockout because the NFL news has filled the media, but many say the NBA lockout is going to happen and that there is no way around it.

What kind of effects will this have on the league?

A main issue is the potential recruits coming out of college into the draft. Many of the players are sophmore or junior level so if this lockout happens it will likely force them to stay with their college team until the matter is resoveled. This means a lot of the top players will not be entering the NBA draft. The key is to go high in the draft because your more than likely going to be paid more. But, with the possibility of playing no games and not getting paid, many say they will just stay in college.

Another issue steming from this controversy is that of the Olympics coming up in London. Qualifying is near and countries are putting together thier teams. Many of the NBA players are foreign and have the chance to either play with their native country or the U.S. The idea of this lockout has caused some to consider just playing for the country they were born in. One main person is All-Star Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki is a very talented player who is probably going to see his last chance at Olympic basketball because of his age. He is a key asset to the U.S. team but is really considering playing for his home country, Germany, because of this lockout.

Not only will it affect the future of the NBA, player contracts and the Olympic team, but it will also affect the players wanting to still play. Jason Kidd has been playing in the NBA since 1994 and is a very well know player. Kidd has said that if this lockout happens he is highly considering retiring early. Many of the older players who are the face of the NBA do not want to have to deal with the controversy since the end of their career is near anyway. This lockout could force some of the most well-known and loved players out of the NBA.

Family was the cure

Many of you have expressed interest in a few of the blogs but have trouble following them or commenting because you may not know enough about NBA or specifics on individual teams. So, I have decided to address an issue going on with a player that has effected him on and off the court and hopefully you will be able to relate.

The Miami Heat added some very talented players to their roster this past year, but perhaps one of their most talented players, Dwyane Wade, has been there since 2003. Wade has been the face for the Miami Heat for awhile and is a very positive player to have on the team.

Despite his success on the court, Wade has been batteling a major issue off the court.

Wade has been trying to get custody of his children for quite some time now. The children's mother, Siohvaughn Wade, has had the children and has denied Wade from seeing them for the most part. He filed paperwork asking for sole custody of his two sons over a year ago and has been in and out of court since.

The case was finally decided in Dwyane Wade's favor and his two sons arrived in Miami on Friday. Wade told the AP that he was fighting because he wanted to be a father in his kids life.

Ironically, the Heat went on a five game losing streak recently and Wade was not playing as well as he usually does. This all occured during the last two weeks of the court case as well. Maybe Wade had his mind on something more important to him, his family.

The Heat have snapped the losing streak and since the ruling Wade has played exceptionally well. The day after his sons arrived Wade had one of the best all around games he has ever played againt the Memphis Grizzlies. He had 28 points, nine assists, five rebounds and five blocked shots.

Are NY Knicks now championship contenders?

A big trade this past week has sent the NY Knicks from the average team fighting to make the play-offs, to a possible championship contender. But, with roughly 20 games left in the regular season, will they have time to find the chemistry it takes to win it all.
The Knicks had already acquired power forward Amare Stoudemire the previous season. Stoudemire is a 1st Team All-NBA All-Star who has been leading the Knicks across the board this entire season.
The Knicks acquired two more big names the past week, Chauncey Billups and Carmello Anthony.
Billups is a guard who has been around the leage for awhile. He has already won a championship and knows what it takes to get there.
Perhaps the most success came when the Knicks got Carmello Anthony. Anthony has been one of the most well known players in the NBA since his rookie year and was the face for the Denver Nuggets. He is a high caliber player who can make a huge difference on any team.

So with NY having the new "Big 3" it would suggest they are one of the best teams in the league right now, but many critics say otherwise. They have said there is not enough time in the season for the team to get it together and that if a championship would ever come it wouldn't be for another couple years.
NY made a big statement last night though when they took down the Miami Heat who are one of the top teams in the league right now and a favorite to win the championship.

Cousin's young attitude to blame

Demarcus Cousins was an All-American basketball player in both high school and in college. His athletic ability was sought after by many coaches in the NCAA, but there was one thing coaches were concerned about. His attitude.

Cousins committed to Memphis University in 2009, but when coach John Calipari decided to make the transition to head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, Cousins followed.

Cousins, along with John Wall, led the Wildcat's to the Elite Eight in 2010. Cousins was known for his high energy and physical play on the court. He was also known for letting his temper and attitude get to him and receiving many technical fouls, especially in key points of the game. This was a trait that was not broken over the 2010 season and when he entered the 2010 NBA draft, coaches took this into consideration.

Demarcus Cousins now plays for the Sacramento Kings where he averages 14 points a game and almost 9 nine rebounds. Even as a rookie he is a key asset to the team, but in recent news he has let his attitude get the best of him again.

Cousins got into an altercation with fellow teammate Donte Green after Saturday night's 99-97 loss to Oklahoma City. Cousins was upset because he did not get the ball on the final play of the game.

This is not his first mistake in his rookie season. Cousins previously was dismissed from a practice for arguing with the coach and got in trouble for another verbal confrontation with a member of the training staff.

Despite his young age, Cousins is still expected to act maturely and abide by the NBA's player policy. Decisions are being made regarding his punishment and his behavior may lead to his first suspension as a player in the NBA.

Carmelo may find new home in New York

Carmelo Anthony entered the NBA in 2003 as a third pick to the Denver Nuggets. He played one year of college basketball for Syracuse where he led them to a national title and was voted MVP of the NCAA east regional. Carmelo is currently in his 8th season with the Nuggets, but if a recent deal goes through he will be calling New York his new home.

Three teams are involved in the proposed trade. If the trade goes through as is, Denver would receive Corey Brewer and a first round draft pick in the upcoming NBA draft, but is this a good deal for Denver.

Carmelo has been a huge asset to the Denver Nuggets. He has led his team to the playoffs every year since his rookie year. He also also led them to two division titles. Since his time in the NBA, Carmelo has been named to the All-Rookie team, the All-Star team 4 times and the the All-NBA team 4 times. He also has a bronze and gold medal from the olympics.

Carmelo has become the face of the Nuggets over his time there and consistently one of the highest point scorers on the team. He brought them from a 17-65 record to a major playoff contender. He has also been a contributing reason to the growth in the Denver Nugget fan basis and attendance at games.

Would letting a player of that caliber go be worth the chance the Nuggets are taking?

For example, this could be compared to the Lakers trading All-Star Kobe Bryant. They have not done so and he has benefited his teams greatly over the years. I believe Carmelo can do the same for his program as he has done over the years and is to valuable of a player to trade.

Was Lebrons decision to move to a high caliber team selfish?

Many looked down on Lebron James after he made the big decision to leave Cleveland and join the Miami Heat. Before the addition of Lebron James, the Heat had MVP Dwayne Wade and had just acquired all-star Chris Bosh. Many critics said that all Lebron wanted to do was put himself in a position to win a championship.

Lebron James had his own reasons saying the league was "watered down". He also said the league would gain quality and become more competitive if there were less teams with more quality players.

On the other hand, the NBA has recently put a lot of effort into expanding and becoming known worldwide. They have done things like holding exhibition games in Europe. This is one reason the population of foreign players has significantly risen in the last decade.

Lebron's idea is something to consider though. Possibly one of the the most memorable and loved team was the Chicago Bulls in the 90's, winning three straight NBA titles then another four straight. The bulls had many all-star players including Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and B.J. Armstrong. This also came at a time when there were roughly 28 teams in the league and attendance was booming.

There are now currently 30 teams in the NBA. Some teams struggle to fill their stadiums on a week to week basis. Lebron's reason and idea is one that has proven to work in the past and could possibly help the NBA's attendance and increase the competition players see throughout the weeks.