National Basketball Association

[HOT ROD]

I'd say the top 20 are superstars. DWade isn't int the top 20.

[HOT ROD]

and even some of the top 20 I wouldn't call superstar. Marc Gasol? Rudy Gay? Bosh? Amare? come on, they aren't even first team.

[dankrutka]

and even some of the top 20 I wouldn't call superstar. Marc Gasol? Rudy Gay? Bosh? Amare? come on, they aren't even first team.

Gasol and Bosh could certainly be considered among the best 20 players in the league. Just depends on your list and what you value. Obviously not Amare and Gay. But contracts are obviously not a great measure of best players particularly considering how longevity in the league affects contracts. For example, LeBron has never been the highest paid player on a team until this season.

[Laramie]

NBA 2014-15 Player Salaries:

HoopsHype - NBA Salaries

NBA Player Salaries - National Basketball Association - ESPN

“Look at it like this,” Durant explained. “Kobe Bryant brings in a lot of money to Los Angeles, that downtown area. People go to watch the Lakers. Clippers are getting up there, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and those guys are bringing in a lot of money as well. Look at Cleveland, look at Miami when LeBron was there. These guys are worth more than what they are making because of the amount of money they bring to that area. That’s a conversation you can always have, but until it’s changed you never know what will happen to it.”

Kevin Durant is right, top NBA players are underpaid with max salaries | ProBasketballTalk

NBA is a true microcosm of society; many employees believe they are worth more than what they are paid. There are a lot of people who would be satisfied with 10% of what these professional athletes make.

[Mel]

I've never been to a Thunder game. Too expensive for my budget. Players are going to price themselves out of a job. A new game of kings I guess.

[dankrutka]

I've never been to a Thunder game. Too expensive for my budget. Players are going to price themselves out of a job. A new game of kings I guess.

Seriously? My season ticket costs $12 per game. That's amazing value for a world class product. You can get $20 tickets to games on the street before a game as long as you're not trying to see a top one.

[Laramie]

Is Louisville Ready?

Attendance for the NBA preseason game between Miami-New Orleans drew 20,074. The exclusive use by the University of Louisville for the KFC Yum Center will be a tall hurdle for the NBA.

And if expansion’s out, Lousiville goes on a list that includes Seattle first and foremost, Kansas City, San Jose, Anaheim, Vancouver, another Chicago franchise, and a few other places. They probably land somewhere between the California markets and right around, if not above, Kansas City. The big problem? Their arena. The city wants to use the KFC Yum! Center (which I will never, ever call it if they do get a team) which is owned by the University.

Louisville is totally serious about getting an NBA team | ProBasketballTalk

But will there ever be more to the NBA in Louisville than exhibitions?

What's next for the NBA in Louisville?

Yum Center? It could have been worst, KFC originally wanted the naming-rights to call the arena the KFC Bucket:

If Heisley moves his team to Louisville, Tricon would pay millions in naming rights to an arena to be called the KFC Bucket.

Two Cities Propose New Arenas for Grizzlies - Los Angeles Times

[dankrutka]

Is expansion more likely than retraction? I'm not sure...

[Laramie]

Is expansion more likely than retraction? I'm not sure...

Retraction would be very unpopular. You would reduce your market footprint. In order to have a real impact; NBA would have to retract four or five franchises; then a disposal draft or redistribution of the players on the franchises retracted.

We are very fortunate to have two superstars on the Thunder roster along with some potentially potent rising stars in Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson and Steven Adams.

There are more than enough teams in the NBA. Retraction would not be a popular move.

Free Agency 2011: The Impact a Retraction Would Have on the NBA This Year | Bleacher Report

The NBA will probably not see an expansion until 2025.

10. San Antonio Spurs
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
12. Portland Trail Blazers

The Business Of Basketball List - Forbes

[Snowman]

Is expansion more likely than retraction? I'm not sure...

Retraction is not going to happen, expansion is just really unlikely.

[Laramie]

Negotiations on an extension for small forward Kawhi Leonard have hit a standstill.

Extension talks between Leonard, Spurs at a standstill Spurs Nation - San Antonio Spurs News, Scores, Stats & Analysis ? Spurs Nation

[Laramie]

The NBA enters its 8th season in OKC, here's a glance at NBA attendance--team won-lost records in Oklahoma City from 2005-06 to 2014-15:



New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets

2005-06 18,168 - 38-44 2005-2006 NBA Regular Season Conference Standings - National Basketball Association - ESPN
2006-07 17,833 - 39-43 2006-2007 NBA Attendance - National Basketball Association - ESPN
2007-08 (DNP: Transition year, Hornets returned to New Orleans)

Additional reading, accolades for OKC: A Hornets Oklahoma City Reader



Oklahoma City Thunder

2008-09 18,693 - 23-59 2005-2006 NBA Attendance - National Basketball Association - ESPN
2009-10 18,003 - 50-32
2010-11 18,148 - 55-27
2011-12 18,203 - 47-19 Arena downsized renovation from 19,163 to 18,203
2012-13 18,203 - 60-22
2013-14 18,203 - 59-23
2014-15 Current season 2014-2015 NBA Regular Season Conference Standings - National Basketball Association - ESPN

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Broke ground: May 11, 1999 - Opened: June 8, 2002
Construction cost: $89.2 million/$95 million (renovation) 2009,Total Investment: $184.2 million
Names: Ford Center, Oklahoma City Arena, Chesapeake Energy Arena

Capacities
19,163 (2002–2006)
19,164 (2006–2008)
19,136 (2008–2009)
18,203 (2009–present)

[HOT ROD]

I still count the peake as a new arena, since the renovation was completed in 2009 and THAT really made it an NBA arena. So the arena is 5-years old.

I suspect we'd need a new arena in 2030, with perhaps another renovation before then in 2020 to keep things alive.

[Snowman]

I still count the peake as a new arena, since the renovation was completed in 2009 and THAT really made it an NBA arena. So the arena is 5-years old.

I suspect we'd need a new arena in 2030, with perhaps another renovation before then in 2020 to keep things alive.

There was some major differences between the current generation of NBA arenas and the generation before the building boom of new arenas around the 90s, at this point though there has still not been anything really new that should make renovations on most of the current facilities a more viable option. (Not that I expect it will stop teams for wanting to just get new arenas subsidized every 20-30 years)

[Laramie]

Research collected on selected cities with previous NBA arenas:

Selected City	Arena	Period Occupied	Years
Charlotte, NC	Charlotte, Coliseum	1988-2005	17 years
Cleveland, OH	Richfield, Coliseum	1974-1994	20 years
Dallas, TX	Reunion Arena	1980–2001	21 years
Houston, TX	Summit Arena	1975-2002	27 years
Orlando, FL	T. D. Waterhouse Center	1989-2010	21 years
Philadelphia, PA	Spectrum Arena	1967-1995	28 years
Portland, OR	Portland Memorial Coliseum	1970-1995	25 years
Sacramento, CA	Sleep Train Arena	1988-2016	28 years
San Antonio, TX	HemisFair Arena	1973-1993	20 years

There was some major differences between the current generation of NBA arenas and the generation before the building boom of new arenas around the 90s, at this point though there has still not been anything really new that should make renovations on most of the current facilities a more viable option. (Not that I expect it will stop teams for wanting to just get new arenas subsidized every 20-30 years)

Agree!

NBA arenas are good for 20-25 years. Chesapeake Energy Arena opened in 2002, originally occupied by the Thunder in 2008-09; you're probably looking at some kind of renovation/replacement arena after 2025. This could be included in a future MAPS referendum.

OKC has invested $193 million in the Peake ( Construction - $89.2/ $103.5 - upgraded) which excludes $10 million used to build the new practice facility.

[BrettM2]

The biggest thing that will impact us and our arena is what happens in Milwaukee. It's a similar market (not sure anyone could expect we could compete with the new arena in San Francisco) but if the Milwaukee arena blows us out of the water, you'll star to hear clamor that our is obsolete.

[Snowman]

The biggest thing that will impact us and our arena is what happens in Milwaukee. It's a similar market (not sure anyone could expect we could compete with the new arena in San Francisco) but if the Milwaukee arena blows us out of the water, you'll star to hear clamor that our is obsolete.

With there being rumors the Bucks are trying to get something started on a new arena now, that might not have as big an impact on us than if they waited another ten years, since ours is still in the newest quarter of NBA facilities. Probably what will be interesting in the next round will be what happens in the cities that are still not in financial shape to build an arena. Will suburban arenas come back into vogue or will there be some shifts to markets that have had guys trying to get teams for years.

[BrettM2]

With there being rumors the Bucks are trying to get something started on a new arena now, that might not have as big an impact on us than if they waited another ten years, since ours is still in the newest quarter of NBA facilities. Probably what will be interesting in the next round will be what happens in the cities that are still not in financial shape to build an arena. Will suburban arenas come back into vogue or will there be some shifts to markets that have had guys trying to get teams for years.

They have to start building by 2017 or the owners can back out. That would put a new arena open no later than 2020 (maybe 2018 if they start next year). You aren't wrong about the timing but if this one blows the Peake out of the water, then we'll see it coming.

Note: not saying it will. I think we have a great arena. We'll have to see if New Orleans or Salt Lake builds a new arena in the early 2020s.

[Snowman]

They have to start building by 2017 or the owners can back out. That would put a new arena open no later than 2020 (maybe 2018 if they start next year). You aren't wrong about the timing but if this one blows the Peake out of the water, then we'll see it coming.

Note: not saying it will. I think we have a great arena. We'll have to see if New Orleans or Salt Lake builds a new arena in the early 2020s.

Oh, I did not mean they were trying to start construction now, I meant it sounds like they are trying to get an agreement out of the city supporting a new building in the near future, which so far has not made any public progress.

[Laramie]

A minor upgrade to the Bradley Center will extend the life of the Bucks for a few years.. They don't want to have to endure another loss of a major league franchise ( MLB: Braves relocated to Atlanta in 1966). Wisconsin's largest city was awarded an MLB expansion franchise (Brewers) in 1970.

The recent remodel of the BMO Harris Bradley Center was just a 'band aid' fix. Milwaukee would not want to lose their beloved Bucks; it will take some bucks to keep the 'Bucks' in Milwaukee.

Silver had just completed a tour of the Bradley Center, and he found several major issues that plague the arena, despite recent renovations:

"At the end of the day compared to other modern arenas in the league, this arena is a few hundred thousand square feet too small," Silver said. "It doesn't have the sort of back-of-house space you need, doesn't have the kinds of amenities we need.

"It doesn't have the right sort of upper bowl/lower bowl (seating) configuration for the teams frankly that Milwaukee wants to compete against," he said.

The Milwaukee Bucks' Bradley Center problem - SBNation.com

Milwaukee knows that the 25-year old BMO Harris Bradley Center will have to be replaced.

Cities that are on Adam Silver's 'short list' for relocation include: Kansas City, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond, Rochester, St. Louis and Seattle; several of these cities are overextended markets. Louisville would become a nice 'breakthrough' market with the 20,000-seat KFC Yum Center for NBA relocation since they do have a new arena in place. Raleigh would become an overextended market with the NHL and the NBA in the same building.

[Laramie]

.

NBA in OKC

As we monitor the situation with the Milwaukee Bucks in need of a new venue; it won't hurt to plan ahead.

When 'The Peake' becomes obsolete, it could play a role with the new convention center complex. The old Cox Convention Center would be a nice parcel for a new arena post 2020.

Note: Oklahoma City will be safe for now until 'The Peake' reaches its prime sometime after 2020. A future MAPS referendum is a voter initiative finance vehicle which could decide a new quality arena for OKC post Chesapeake Energy Arena. This could involve some help from the current primary tenant...

[BrettM2]

Oh, I did not mean they were trying to start construction now, I meant it sounds like they are trying to get an agreement out of the city supporting a new building in the near future, which so far has not made any public progress.

Right. I believe if a deal isn't struck by 2017 the owners can legally remove themselves from the team. I'm assuming the NBA would step in and sell it to someone who will relocate to another area.

It'll be interesting to see how arenas evolve over the next 10-15 years and how that will influence the kind of building we'll be asked to build.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Barons
Oklahoma City Blue
Oklahoma City Energy FC
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Oklahoma City Thunder

Thank you for all the things you do in your Oklahoma City Community.

[Laramie]

Mark Cuban's suggests NBA realignment.

In Cuban's plan, the Mavs, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans would move to the Eastern Conference. The Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks would move to the West.

Mark Cuban of Dallas Mavericks -- Conference realignment could benefit NBA - ESPN Dallas

[dankrutka]

Mark Cuban's suggests NBA realignment.



Mark Cuban of Dallas Mavericks -- Conference realignment could benefit NBA - ESPN Dallas

I generally like the idea, but why even use the conferences for playoff seeding? What about just seeding 1-16 irregardless of conference?