Three top picks in the 2014 NBA draft are now out with season-ending injuries

[thead]

I kinda like the approach with Bruno... He is just working his ass off learning and adjusting to the rigors. San Antonio also brings along new guys rather slowly. Kawhi Leonard had to win playoff MVP before Pop decided he should start running plays for him

[Axel]

Age doesn't have anything to do with injuries, they just happen it's part of the game.

I tore my meniscus 19months ago when I was 19, so if I was 25 instead of 19 your saying there would have been a less chance of injury???

Probably, but that's because more 25 yr olds spend more time on the couch than 19 yr olds.

[DogeLover1234]

wow.

$20000000.00 play at most 100 games. unreasonable?

Not saying that players should be paid more to play... Saying that they won't be able to play 100 games at 100 % like KL does and not get injured.

[Miekenstien]

Not saying that players should be paid more to play... Saying that they won't be able to play 100 games at 100 % like KL does and not get injured.

i thought you were saying that we as fans and paying customers were unreasonable to ask these players to play at 100% all the time.

i have no problem with letting high school kids into the league, once you hit 18 if you are good enough for someone to offer you millions of dollars, you should be allowed to take that. for me college's benefits are growing as a player, learning about defenses and getting proper training. none of these kids, except landry and lin, are coming out with a usable degree. they have pro sports, whatever scheme their friends can sell them on, whatever "investment" some shark can sell them on and then restaurants after the pro sports are taken away. go get your money kids.

a mandatory economics class for young players would be nice. i think i am known as a pretty big vince hater but one decicion i always supported him on was when he left the team to get his degree. i thought that was a great role model move, the idea that graduating college was more important than the game was big.

[ezz_bee]

I think the NBA should reduce the number of games. I think they are already looking at doing it with preseason games. I actually like some of the wonky ideas of cutting the season shorter and have 8-12 twelve teams get auto entry, and the rest playing a single elimination tourney for the remaining 4-8 spots. But that's just me.

[draps]

college players need to be paid, bottom line
theyre basically being extorted for a years worth of useless education
making money off of kids who have no choice but to be there

most guys cant afford to be physically ready

[DogeLover1234]

college players need to be paid, bottom line
theyre basically being extorted for a years worth of useless education
making money off of kids who have no choice but to be there

most guys cant afford to be physically ready

They don't have to go to college. If they want to be paid, go play in Europe or the D-League (guys like PJ Hairston did this and i think he got paid? may be wrong) Kids totally have a choice, look at Mudiay who went to play in China for the year. College is for amateur athletes not professionals, their are many other professional leagues.

[Dino4life]

They don't have to go to college. If they want to be paid, go play in Europe or the D-League (guys like PJ Hairston did this and i think he got paid? may be wrong) Kids totally have a choice, look at Mudiay who went to play in China for the year. College is for amateur athletes not professionals, their are many other professional leagues.

Hairston got kicked out of college.
Mudiay went to china, because his family was starving.
Those scholarships lets them sit in a classroom for a degree no one expects them to finish, and they go on starving.
The point is there are billions of dollars being made from that "amateur" league, while their driving force are taken out of proverty and get suspended if anyone not related to them gives them anything, they get suspended if someone related to the nba gives them a pen.

D-league & Europe weren't options until recently and even then its only starting to change. If another guy who didn't have Mudiay's hype went to china, no one would notice. actually there are plenty of guys in europe who are just forgotten by the nba.

[JawsGT]

The NBA needs it's own "minor" league. I hate that professional level ball players are playing in the NCAA basically for free. The whole education thing is a crock of shit. Most capable players are out after a year or two anyways, so the education they receive isn't that valuable IMO. And if education is so important, what is the harm in getting it after one's basketball career? Even if a player only plays through his rookie contract, that realistically, should be plenty of money to afford a player college education.

It's stupid, because if I had a set of skills that was highly employable and would afford me a fantastic standard of living then I would not have gone to university either. If you're good enough to be paid to play, then you should be. If not, then go to college and hopefully that can provide a guy the time and experience needed to hone his game and get a chance to get to the NBA that way. I really disagree with the age limit thing, although I do recognize that some guys probably leave college too early and it doesn't pan out to be a positive thing for their career. Which is why the league needs to expand the DLeague across the board, and allow teams to stash their developing picks there while still paying them pretty good money. Basketball seems popular enough that a minor professional league should thrive, and I really think that if a system like this was in place then the NBA itself would be better and more competitive. Teams could monitor and control development of players that much more, the players can learn their NBA teams systems and possibly be NBA ready that much quicker, and NBA teams would not have to use roster spots for young players that aren't ready. NBA teams can use call-ups to deal with injuries as opposed to disabled player exceptions and what not like in the current system. I imagine something like the NHL/AHL situation I guess.

Really, I just believe a player should have to freedom to attempt to make it to the NBA out of high school if they want. And I think more players would go that route if the NBA had a minor league or farm type system in place, and then they could actually get paid for their skills and hard work as opposed to just making an educational institution a ton of money.

[3inthekeon]

The NBA needs it's own "minor" league. I hate that professional level ball players are playing in the NCAA basically for free. The whole education thing is a crock of shit. Most capable players are out after a year or two anyways, so the education they receive isn't that valuable IMO. And if education is so important, what is the harm in getting it after one's basketball career? Even if a player only plays through his rookie contract, that realistically, should be plenty of money to afford a player college education.

It's stupid, because if I had a set of skills that was highly employable and would afford me a fantastic standard of living then I would not have gone to university either. If you're good enough to be paid to play, then you should be. If not, then go to college and hopefully that can provide a guy the time and experience needed to hone his game and get a chance to get to the NBA that way. I really disagree with the age limit thing, although I do recognize that some guys probably leave college too early and it doesn't pan out to be a positive thing for their career. Which is why the league needs to expand the DLeague across the board, and allow teams to stash their developing picks there while still paying them pretty good money. Basketball seems popular enough that a minor professional league should thrive, and I really think that if a system like this was in place then the NBA itself would be better and more competitive. Teams could monitor and control development of players that much more, the players can learn their NBA teams systems and possibly be NBA ready that much quicker, and NBA teams would not have to use roster spots for young players that aren't ready. NBA teams can use call-ups to deal with injuries as opposed to disabled player exceptions and what not like in the current system. I imagine something like the NHL/AHL situation I guess.

Really, I just believe a player should have to freedom to attempt to make it to the NBA out of high school if they want. And I think more players would go that route if the NBA had a minor league or farm type system in place, and then they could actually get paid for their skills and hard work as opposed to just making an educational institution a ton of money.

Agree. I was thinking of something similar myself recently. It was something along the lines of getting one extra year of control as long as the player spends their entire 1st year in the DLeague. Player gets paid NBA salary, teams gets to develop player as they see fit. It will cost teams money, rather than colleges developing players for free and will create a rift in the now-cozy relationship btween the NBA and NCAA though, so I don't see it actually happening

[JawsGT]

Agree. I was thinking of something similar myself recently. It was something along the lines of getting one extra year of control as long as the player spends their entire 1st year in the DLeague. Player gets paid NBA salary, teams gets to develop player as they see fit. It will cost teams money, rather than colleges developing players for free and will create a rift in the now-cozy relationship btween the NBA and NCAA though, so I don't see it actually happening

yeah, a total pipe dream. The NCAA obviously wouldn't support the idea, and the added investment of NBA teams would be substantial. Not sure if a minor league could be profitable, but I imagine it could be quite popular, especially in smaller non-NBA cities. There would also have to be big changes to the CBA I guess, so there are a myriad of factors that make this basically impossible.

[stooley]

Hairston got kicked out of college.
Mudiay went to china, because his family was starving.
Those scholarships lets them sit in a classroom for a degree no one expects them to finish, and they go on starving.
The point is there are billions of dollars being made from that "amateur" league, while their driving force are taken out of proverty and get suspended if anyone not related to them gives them anything, they get suspended if someone related to the nba gives them a pen.

D-league & Europe weren't options until recently and even then its only starting to change. If another guy who didn't have Mudiay's hype went to china, no one would notice. actually there are plenty of guys in europe who are just forgotten by the nba.

you say it like schools making a profit is a bad thing

where do you think those billions of dollars are going?

the vast majority is being reinvested in the schools, helping other students learn. the percentage they pay their coaches and trainers and spend on facilities are investments, like owning a bond.

very few schools are for profit organizations. yes, maybe john calipari gets paid too much, but he's bringing in a lot more to the school

the real travesty is that there is no minor league basketball system. forcing colleges to pay players is not the answer, that just turns the ncaa into a minor league. the ncaa is a lot bigger than the d1 teams that you watch on tv

[Dino4life]

you say it like schools making a profit is a bad thing

where do you think those billions of dollars are going?

the vast majority is being reinvested in the schools, helping other students learn. the percentage they pay their coaches and trainers and spend on facilities are investments, like owning a bond.

very few schools are for profit organizations. yes, maybe john calipari gets paid too much, but he's bringing in a lot more to the school

the real travesty is that there is no minor league basketball system. forcing colleges to pay players is not the answer, that just turns the ncaa into a minor league. the ncaa is a lot bigger than the d1 teams that you watch on tv

You obviously don't get it, the school can make all the money they want that doesn't matter.
They don't need to pay them a million dollars. Federal loans for students in US gives them 10 000 a semester for tuition & another 10 000 for expenses, The goverment recognizes tuition is only half the battle, but the NCAA which is suppose to be about school doesn't. Those scholarships don't have that pther 10 000.
Those scholarships only cover tuition. I don't know if you have been away from home for college but it gets a lot more expensive then that. I don't even think those scholarships cover books. those cost nearly 200$ each. No wonder a lot them fail their classes.
And the NBA having minor leagues, will destroy the NCAA schools, if they loose the best players, no one will watch except locals & alumnis who can go to the game instead, no one watches, the games are not televised, the games are not televised, merchandise doesn't sell to people off-campus & they don't get TV deals, they've got to redo their balance sheets & double tuition for those other kids you mention. Football & basketball drive a lot of those schools, but they entice alumnis & boosters to donate to the school.