The title says it all and the spurs and past kings have been great at doing it. So many american born players look at winning,paydays, and lifestyles, its hard for the smaller markets to compete, especially the cold weather teams. The kings got webber because he was underachieving and getting into trouble in DC. He cried as he was flying over the cow pastures coming into the airport. Once there and having a taste of that great crowd, he had a chance to reclaim his career that was going downhill. The bigger part of their run,especially being a smaller market were the players there or the ones brought in. Peja,vlade,hedo were all quality players and all international guys. This isn't some big find by me, but the international players are here temporary anyways for the most part. Most aren't here in the summer and alot of them come from the colder parts anyways. I know people will point out rubio, but maybe rubio just don't want to play in minny because they aren't any good. For the most part, those players come here,hoop, make their money, and go back home. The amreican players start making lifestyle choices about their future while in college for the most part. I'm not saying thats all these teams should look for, because it really comes down to having the best players, but the small market cold teams need to take his in account when drafting players. The spurs is a great example, but they wouldn't be where they are without duncan and thats true, but how mny rings would they have won if manu and parker wanted the big stage. Sonce he's won his rings and has the hollywood wife, it sem parker is getting americanized and might be looking toward those big lights and big city to cement his legacy also. The spurs traded scola becasue they drafted splitter and they viewed him as the better prospect. These smaller markets can make it and be competitive, but they have to draft and think outside the box some in regards to talent.
Interesting idea. Toronto to a certain degree is already doing this. But you have to wonder if there's enough elite level international talent for more than one or two team to go "international". Also, any time you draft players not because they are the best player available but due to some other needs/criteria, that usually increases your risk of making the wrong pick.
Toronto has no problem getting international players because it's the most international NBA city. Foreign players are even pickier than american players, see Ricky Rubio, Fran Vasquez, Yi etc.
When they had the show on sirius a few years back and i used to talk to kenny off air, he thought it was pretty interesting. Teams like indy,milwaukee,minny to name a few seem to have trouble attracting certain players. Now if a guy is drafted there and really likes it, then thats cool. Also the environment arount the team has some bearing. I mean people talk about the pacers, but over the last 10 years, they have had more playoff success than the rockets, but now they can't compete? Their issues are alot like most teams that are going nowhere, bad trades and poor drafts. Most every market has some restrictions, but if the market is cold and small, the errors become magnified.
Small market city should be drafting international players that suits their city environment. HMMM that makes me think, since Milwaukee is a well known small market, I wonder which nationality players should they be looking to draft. Oh, I get it, Germany! Since Germany is a cold place too, and people from there likes beer! Let me check who was the last famous German player in NBA... hmm, someone named Dirk Nowitzki... drafted by.... Milwaukee and traded to Dallas....
As you kind of alluded to, this concept already exists. Its just too hard to build teams this way. Evaluating foreign talent is the hardest thing to do (according to Morey) and an effective method for translating the stats has not yet been developed (unless it has happened in the past 12 months).
Typical overreaction. For every guy who switches teams in free agency, probably 5 re-up with their old club. And for every LBJ who leaves, there's a Durant who stays. The CBA keeps players on their original club, for the most part. Building by passing up the best players for the best international players is ridiculous. Look at how Toronto is doing as a franchise, is that what you want to emulate?
??????? Memphis has not had a winning record since getting rid of Gasol. And they got another Gasol in return so I'm not sure what you are getting at
There are more playoff teams than San Antonio. regular playoff appearances Orlando-small market San Antonio-small market OKC-small market New Orleans-small market Denver-small market Toronto is a big market. regular lottery teams. New York-big market New Jersey-big market Golden State Warriors-big market LA Clippers-big market Philadelphia-big market Washington-big market Toronto-big market(bigger than Boston but smaller than Atlanta)
I think it might be safer to say that it's wise to evaluate a player on more then just talent, but how there personality will fit with the team and the city in which you play. A guy like Durant looks to be a lot more comfortable in a small market then a guy like LeBron. He's not looking for the stage, just playing basketball. Honestly, would Durant be as good if he played in LA or NY? Not so sure. I think you are right that an international player is more likely to be comfortable in a small market then your typical American player, but there are obvious exceptions. Any player from China (with any talent atleast) is going to go for the big market because China wants it to be so. VSpan needs to be the Tmac of wherever he is to be happy...as does Wafer really.
Toronto may be a big city, but it's not a big basketball city(hockey is the big sport up there) so one could argue it is not a big market for basketball players
Err and where did I say that it wasn't. Inferiority complex much? I'm talking about the general idea of building "international" teams. The big market/small market argument is secondary IMO to whether you can actually build a contending team by focusing on foreign talent.
