Biggest Issues With The NBA (and how to fix it)
The NBA is one of the biggest leagues in professional sports, but that doesn't make it immune to having issues. Nothing is perfect, but there is always room for improvement. This season in the NBA has made me realize how big these issues are, and I've been determined to try and find some reasonable solutions.
Issue One: Too much player control
NBA players have entirely too much control, making it unfair to owners. A player has the ability to sign a max contract, then request a trade the following year and it'll be granted more often than not. Players should be able to have control of their careers, but when you sign that contract, you are supposed to be committed to the team for the length of the contract, that's why you signed it.
How to Fix it: Play 3/4 of the contract
You signed the big contract, you should play most of it with the team before being able to request a trade. You don't have to sign for the team if you don't want to, so you owe it to them and the fans to play for them. Not only do you owe it to the team and fans, but staying for a while helps the team build the core. Consistency is the best way to help.
Issue Two: MVP Voting
At the time of this article, the media decides who wins MVP. Someone like Mike Greenburg is able to vote for MVP, but someone currently playing in the NBA doesn't get a vote. Whoever you feel should have won MVP this past season, I think we can all agree that the media is the least qualified to vote.
How To Fix It: Mixed percentage of votes
The people allowed to vote should be players, coaches, and GMs, and each group should count as a different percentage. Yes, there can be a lot of bias involved in it, but it won't be nearly as bad as solely letting the media vote.
Third and Final Issue: Players Can't Retaliate
Referees are allowed to make awful calls, but players can't say anything back? That doesn't make sense. If a player says anything about how bad the officiating was in a game, that's an automatic $20,000 fine. Everyone makes mistakes, but not being allowed to call it out is something I very strongly disagree with. As someone that played sports as a little kid, calling out terrible calls was a frequent occurrence.
How To Fix It: Let them call it out
It's as simple as just letting them call it out. If we fans can call players out for not doing their jobs properly, players should be able to call out the referees for not doing their jobs properly.
The NBA is fun to watch, but these are just my biggest issues with the NBA that have the ability to be fixed.
Kylee Sullenberger- The Sportsgasm Podcast - Olde City Sports Network
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