Tying Manning situation to NBA players

The biggest difference is in the NBA all contracts are guaranteed. It would be very hard for a team to just release a player without having to buy them out.

@darkman: do you know why did Colts didnt keep try to trade Manning? The owner insisted that money was not the issue.

 I figure that there was more than one big reason for letting him go.

1. Money–whether they want to admit it or not 28 million is a hard pill to swallow for a guy who may not play

2. They just aren’t going to be contending anytime soon even with Peyon. So let him go have a shot at another ring before he retires

3. Health–obvious reason

4. Andrew Luck–The #1 pick hasn’t been sitting here recently so drafting Luck and having Peyton would just cause controversey.

 I wish that contracts in the NBa were more performance based and weren’t guaranteed.  I think it would make players work harder to keep their jobs…  

It just became a circumstance with Kevin Garnett where it was not financially feasible for Minnesota to build a championship team. I think for most all of the great players, they think about their legacies and individual success to an extent, but I truly think they want to win. Now more than ever, we are seeing the cost in getting that done means that loyalty is hard to come by.

In the NFL, every year teams have to get rid of players that were franchise cornerstones in order for them to fit the rigid salary cap constrictions. While it seems absurd to cut a player who did as much for your franchise as Peyton did for the Colts, it was the most feasible option financially bar none. It also helps you start from the ground up and while it may put pressure on Andrew Luck, Peyton was given the same opportunity which led to a lot of success.

The NBA works much the same way, but I think the player has more of the say in the final outcome. Kobe and Timmy are probably going to be lifers on the Lakers and Spurs (even with Kobe being a Hornet briefly). With those three other players mentioned, it largely depends on whether they can compete with their current base.

I think Derrick Rose is definitely the most likely to stay a Bull for life. However, I am not 100% certain that Durant or Griffin will be with one team forever. Clearly they are both in decent situations at this current juncture, many even believe that the Thunder will compete for a championship as early as this season.

You can’t foresee what will happen to these teams future and what if it gets to a point where a major piece gets hurt? What if they trade Russell Westbrook and whatever they get in return does not work out? What if Chris Paul bolts after 2013 or has recurring injuries? These are not something you want to imagine, but it could be the cause of a serious re-evaluation of ones situation.

Remember, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard and yes, even LeBron James signed extensions with the teams that drafted them when they were restricted free agents. The reason? They wanted long term financial security and did not want to risk getting hurt playing one more season for the qualifying offer.

I do not think any of them had a problem with the city or there fans. If they felt like they could win with the teams that they had, I am pretty sure they would not have left. But, they were not in the same circumstance as a Kobe Bryant with a Shaq (who turned into goodies he later got to use for 2 more championships) or a David Robinson, plus the incredible draftings of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

Chicago was a better team than Cleveland was when LeBron James was drafted. Lord knows for as disappointing as Carlos Boozer has been, he is better than Larry Hughes or Mo Williams were. Kevin Durant was given the ability to have no expectations of winning for two years and it got him a pair of top 4 picks. Carmelo Anthony never missed the play-offs in Denver and had AI/Chauncey Billups past their prime.

I think that loyalty is clearly a two way street and both parties in the end are doing what is best for them. I think it is easier for owners not to be loyal, because at the end of the day they are trying to do what is best for the team and that teams fans will still love the team regardless. When a player leaves, while he may be embraced by a new fan base, that old fan base can give them one hell of a time.

It is definitely best not to make a spectacle like "the Decision", but I think that LeBron wanted to go to Miami to win, a lot. He cares more about winning more than carrying a team to wins. I think most of these guys would prefer to play with great players if given the chance. So, I understand why many find what LeBron did to be a cardinal sin, but I thought that he was indeed trying to win as much as he possibly could. Will it work? Hasn’t yet. But it could.

But, I think it comes down to winning at the end of the day. Rings. Which is why it is incredibly difficult to stay loyal to a situation in which you are unsure whether that is possible. There have been many great players who have never won championships (Malone, Stockton, Ewing, Barkley, Baylor, etc.), but I guarantee that they all wanted to win them. Not to mention, many of them tried to win them at any cost near the end.

Kevin Garnett did it at the right time for him, but he probably wishes he would have done it earlier, won more. He told LeBron James to do it while he had youth on his side. So, LeBron heeded his words and I have to say, things got pretty damn intense and interesting at the same time. In the end though, I think loyalty comes down to the situation more than the person. So, as I said, if Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin have not won and have a narrowing window by the time they are nearing unrestricted free agent status, we will see how loyal they really are.

I agree with a few things that ”What the Devil” had to say..

The Colts have to look out for the future of their franchise..Manning’s health is a big question..When the coach & GM and were let go,i knew Manning days were numbered in Indy..Plus giving 28 million to a 35 year old guy with health concerns ..But if he’s healthy Manning can play for another 4 years and still be among the top 3 QBs in the game…

Peyton i think is the greatest QB of all time..Peyton was like a programmed robot from another world..He use go against the coaches wishes and call his own plays after surveying the field..And in a matter of moments he’ll have the Colts in position to score..

This past season seeing the Colts go from a Super Bowl caliber team the previous year to having the worst record in the nfl and getting the top pick in the draft,are just 1 of the reasons why Manning is in a class by himself…I hope Tennesse or Miami can get him..But i’m hearing Jerry Jones will have his doctors check him out and try to get him in Dallas….Washington,Arizona & Chicago also might make a play for him..

Andy Bynum will remain with the Lakers if Buss Jnr ever has his way!

I’ll throw in a slightly different one for a one team career player – Manu Ginobli, he is 35 this year and has another year or so on his deal so he could well end up being a career Spurs player.

D-Wade could well spend is entire career at Miami as there must be duel loyalty there and Tony Parker again at the Spurs must be one of the longest serving one team players in the NBA after Kobe, Tim Duncan and Paul Pierce, can anyone think of anyone else who has had over a decade on their only team on a current NBA roster? 

Nick Collison: he’s 31 or 32 right now. He probably has 3 more years max in the league. His contract has a few years left as well. he’s the kind of glue guy you want in the lockerroom if you’re the Thunder.

Pierce: He’s won a championship with the Celtics already, probably won’t try to force a leave for another large contract.

The Celtics might look into trading veteran Paul Pierce who has been with them his entire career,in order to begin their rebuilding..Now is the time for them to start looking toward their future…