Ranking the top NBA markets

[mannyz]

In no particular order: NY, Boston, Phila.
Laker fans are front runners, their games are a place to be seen.
NY is a BBall town. Celtics have tradition and the fans are fervent. Phila is definitely a BBall town, I grew p there and know it 1st hand. People are shooting hoops all hours of the day and night.

 

[DJ]

No, I am basing it on the entire history of free agency in the NBA.

The Lakers have been in the conversation for just about every premier FA over the last 25 years, and they have landed arguably the biggest 2, Shaq and LeBron.

There haven't been that many superstar FAs to change teams, but you really need to look at the history here.

-2018: LeBron to LA
-2017: Paul to Houston- yes it was technically a trade, but he opted in specifically so LAC could deal him to Houston
-2016: KD to the Warriors
-2014: LeBron goes back home
-2010: LeBron to Miami
-2010: Bosh to Miami
-2000: Grant HIll to Magic- sign and trade
-1996: Shaq to Lakers

That is the list of superstar, or near superstar FAs since 1995. Aside from LeBron going back home and Hull who went to Disney World, every other one chose a top 10 market and they all chose warm climates, again, except for LeBron. 3 went to Florida, 3 to California and 1 each to Texas and Arizona.

You just aren't going to see franchises like Milwaukee, Minnesota, or indiana on a list like this unless they somehow build a Warrior or Spur like culture. And that only happens once every 20 years or so.

So you claim I am basing my opinion on 1 man and the last few years, but the reality is that the history of the league hasn't changed in this regard. When players have options, they tend to pick winning teams in big markets that preferably play in warm weather climates.

@WiggyRuss

 

[DJ]

In no particular order: NY, Boston, Phila.
Laker fans are front runners, their games are a place to be seen.
NY is a BBall town. Celtics have tradition and the fans are fervent. Phila is definitely a BBall town, I grew p there and know it 1st hand. People are shooting hoops all hours of the day and night.

Said by somebody with no clue.

Just because you see celebrities at the games doesn't mean that's the true profile of a Laker fan. LOL.

#Clueless

 

[DJ]

How many superstar FAs did they sign?

SA had a remarkable run of drafting and developing players. They drafted 5 HOF caliber players in the span of just over 20 years. And they retained every single one until Kawhi.

You forgot shrewd FA signings like Boris Diaw, Danny Green, etc.

 

[CitySushi]

Warriors' Curry, Iguodala latest esports investors

Steph Curry and Andre Iguoadala are the latest to invest in the E-Sports league. There are 5 current players who are invested in the league and 3 of them have been with the Warriors while they invested. A fourth in Jonas Jerebko invested earlier on when he was elsewhere so it's just coincidental he's on the Warriors now. The 5th is Paul George.

 

[trojanfan12]

Laker fans are front runners, their games are a place to be seen.

Congrats on winning the most ill informed statement on this thread award.

 

[trojanfan12]

The Lakers have been in the conversation for just about every premier FA over the last 25 years, and they have landed arguably the biggest 2, Shaq and LeBron.

I'd also add that if you include a team re-signing it's own FA's, the Lakers have done quite well.

Getting superstar FA's is one thing, but keeping them has to be included in the conversation as well.

People like to make the claim that the Lakers haven't signed a lot of max FA's. But the fact is, that's because they were often re-signing their own max FA's.

 

[Black Adam]

Said by somebody with no clue.

Just because you see celebrities at the games doesn't mean that's the true profile of a Laker fan. LOL.

#Clueless

I been one since '70, thick AND thin...

you ain't a Lakers fan, you ain't SHIT...

 

[DJ]

I'd also add that if you include a team re-signing it's own FA's, the Lakers have done quite well.

Getting superstar FA's is one thing, but keeping them has to be included in the conversation as well.

People like to make the claim that the Lakers haven't signed a lot of max FA's. But the fact is, that's because they were often re-signing their own max FA's.

Kobe.

Yet James wasn't going to be a lifetime Cavalier.

 

[DJ]

Congrats on winning the most ill informed statement on this thread award.

Some people say the dumbest stuff.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

You are trying way too hard.

No superstar is ever going to latch on to a random 35 win team unless they have other things going for them like young talent and cap space.

There is a reason nobody has signed with the Knicks (although I probably should add Amare Stoudemire to that list). The Knicks have been horribly mismanaged.

I am not saying that stars will sign in a big market while ignoring things like organizational incompetence. What I am saying is when the big market shows signs of building a winning culture, stars are attracted there. Odds are that will never happen in Indiana, because they aren't an attractive market.

And history is on my side. Just because LeBron has changed teams 3 times doesn't mean this list is based solely in him. That is a really stupid thing to say.

Lastly, if Shaq wanted the clearer path to winning, he would have teamed with Grant Hill in Detroit. But guess what? LA is the more attractive market and they also have him a chance. Lost in your analysis is that a large part of the Laker success from that season before Shaq was due to Vlade Divac, who was one of their 3 best players, and Magic Johnson's return.

Because Vlade and Magic weren't ever going to be on the 97 Lakers with Shaq. And Kobe was a high school kid, so teaming with him wasn't part of the decision.

Magic came off the bench for all but nine games for the '96 Lakers and played in only 32 games overall, while Vlade averaged 12 and 8 on that team...Hardly what I would consider "franchise makers". Maybe you should try harder next time.

Shaq didn't sign with the Lakers to join a superteam. He signed to join a "very good" team. Players today need to be able to distinguish the difference between the two.

There was that, and the fact that he had a guy named Jordan blocking his path to the finals in the east...

 

[tlance]

Magic came off the bench for all but nine games for the '96 Lakers and played in only 32 games overall, while Vlade averaged 12 and 8 on that team...Hardly what I would consider "franchise makers". Maybe you should try harder next time.

Shaq didn't sign with the Lakers to join a superteam. He signed to join a "very good" team. Players today need to be able to distinguish the difference between the two.

There was that, and the fact that he had a guy named Jordan blocking his path to the finals in the east...

When did I say the Lakers were a superteam?

Superteams weren't even a thing in the 90s. The only reason LA even had a shot was because Orlando stupidly refused to pay him and show him Love. Orlando was better than LA at the time he left, and it wasn't close. He joined the Lakers because

A) it was LA
B) they offered more money than anyone else (pre max contract)

This wasn't that complicated. Shaq's move wasn't about wins, it was about money and market. The wins came anyway because Shaq and Kobe were great, and Jerry west filled out the roster with all the necessary pieces.

But make no mistake, if the Lakers were a 20 win team, Shaq wouldn't have gone there. and I have stated that in basically every post. Organizational competence is a prerequisite for any star signing.

 

[shopson67]

In no particular order: NY, Boston, Phila.
Laker fans are front runners, their games are a place to be seen.
NY is a BBall town. Celtics have tradition and the fans are fervent. Phila is definitely a BBall town, I grew p there and know it 1st hand. People are shooting hoops all hours of the day and night.

Check the attendance numbers. Lakers games are near sellouts even in the worst of seasons. Meanwhile, you only have to go back to 2016 to see the Sixers being 23rd in sell-out percentage in a smaller building (and they were dead-last in 2015). Knicks fans are faithful though.

 

[The Derski]

Check the attendance numbers. Lakers games are near sellouts even in the worst of seasons. Meanwhile, you only have to go back to 2016 to see the Sixers being 23rd in sell-out percentage in a smaller building (and they were dead-last in 2015). Knicks fans are faithful though.

The Eagles finally winning the SB turned every Philly fan into an entitled sack of retardation. They think they’re the best city for everything now. It will fade soon enough but right now it’s hilarious.

 

[trojanfan12]

sack of retardation.

Just so you know...I'm stealing this.

 

[mannyz]

Check the attendance numbers. Lakers games are near sellouts even in the worst of seasons. Meanwhile, you only have to go back to 2016 to see the Sixers being 23rd in sell-out percentage in a smaller building (and they were dead-last in 2015). Knicks fans are faithful though.

The metro Phila area has 3 mil people, the metro LA area has 6.4 mil people, the metro NY area has 20.3 mil people. It does not take a genius to understand which areas would be easier to sell tickets.

 

[shopson67]

The metro Phila area has 3 mil people, the metro LA area has 6.4 mil people, the metro NY area has 20.3 mil people. It does not take a genius to understand which areas would be easier to sell tickets.

Still, last is last. Philadelphia is the 5th largest market in the league behind NY, LA, Chicago, and Toronto. Two of those markets support 2 teams.