Consequent talks buzzing in the All-Star Game circles have mostly centered on money matters, despite surfacing of interesting game-related ideas like the pretty four-point-shot idea. This followed after the recent talk of National Basketball Players Association president and Los Angeles Clippers All-Star guard Chris Paul and Commissioner Adam Silver. The main suspect in the perceived uncompetitiveness of the All-Star Game is that players go for easy and safe play so as not to risk getting injured, else mess up all their price tags.
Adam Silver has earlier said there is going to be "some change" to the All-Star Game, but it should be done carefully. He said that Chris Paul reached out to him to say that the All-Star Game "lacks certain competitiveness." He bared this when he spoke at Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston last week.
In that speaking engagement, Adam Silver missed talking about money. He dabbled on homecourt advantage as part of the formula. Chris Paul suggested to Silver a reconvening CBA committee to discuss and possibility of captains drafting teams. Both further entertained having team captains select starters instead of fan balloting or instituting a 4-point shot for the All-Star Game.
But it appears it is really money running on the bottom or underlying. Clippers Coach Doc Rivers thinks more of the need for cash to entice players. He broached an idea, a winner-take-all scheme. But he said shortly, this would not click, fanning more talks around All-Star Game circles about what needs to be done. Rivers said that at the end of the day, no matter what the changes are it would come down to winning and losing of players, hinting money matters.
But Paul Pierce, a 10-time All-Star, was blunt to say: "Make the incentive bigger. Give out Mercedes." He said that nobody really cared on $25-$30,000 when role players are receiving $70 million while the All-Star is making $100 million. He said players would not play hard because they care about not getting hurt. For ESPN's Kevin Pelton, a financial incentive or having a charitable donation could lead to more competitive All-Star Game.
Chris Paul first said last month in big bang statement to the press, that the All-Star Game was dry and bored and it lacked competitiveness. So he clamored for some changes to make it more competitive. Following the Clippers' 112-101 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, he said that just like in Collective Bargaining Agreement talks, players have to fix it up, spice it up and keep it interesting.
Chris Paul is the latest to clamor for change to the game. Cavaliers All-Star Kyrie Irving and Warriors coach Steve Kerr had earlier wished for a more competitive All-Star Game but their wishes fell on deaf ears. So Paul, being the players' union president, took up the cudgel and reached out Adam Silver, thus giving everybody in the All-Star Game circles, the fans are expecting changes in the months ahead. Paul also took the social media to ask NBA fans all over for proposals on how to make the All-Star Game interesting.
(TYT Sports/YouTube)
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