Should Stern be allowed to comment on Lebrons legit choice?

[Reality]

The same loser who kept quiet during the Kwame Brown - Gasol collusion is now spouting about where "he hopes" Lebron will or won't go?  Entirely inappropriate for a commissioner imo.


Stern hopes James stays with Cavs

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer 13 hours, 47 minutes ago

CLEVELAND (AP)?NBA commissioner David Stern knows Cleveland fans are anxious about this summer and LeBron James?(notes) pending free agency. He is rooting for the same outcome as Cavaliers fans.

?Hopefully he?ll stay,? Stern said Monday before Game 2 between Cleveland and Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals. ?That?s the way the system is designed.?

Stern helped negotiate the current collective bargaining agreement, which provides teams the ability to pay more and add an extra year for their own free agents. Stern is hopeful that will allow teams such as Cleveland to retain its stars.

?That?s the way it should be,? Stern said. ?It allows teams to keep their own players.?

Stern awarded James his second straight MVP award on Monday. He is aware of the attention dedicated to this summer, but doesn?t want it to steal the spotlight away from the rest of the postseason or this summer?s draft. Free agency doesn?t begin until July 1.

?We do have this thing called the finals,? Stern said, ?and we have some great playoff games left.?

Stern called James an ?extraordinary? talent before giving the trophy shortly before tip-off to James, who won in a landslide vote announced Sunday. James is the 10th player in league history to win two straight MVP awards.

With the crowd doing its customary ?M-V-P!? chant, James thanked his teammates and then reminded the 20,000-plus fans that his goal is to win a championship this season.

During a news conference, Stern said he is amazed at how James can shoot halfcourt shots with a simple flick of his wrist.

?I don?t know how he shoots the ball so far so easily,? Stern said. ?You get the sense if you wanted to play H-O-R-S-E with him and it was a halfcourt line, he?d shoot 50 percent.?

AP Freelance Writer Jason Lloyd contributed to this report.

[westkoast]

Why shouldn't he?  It's not his decision, he has no say, to me it is no different than asking anyone else in the league.

Stern doesnt want Lebron to leave because that small market team goes from popular back to no-ones-gives-a-f over the summer.

[Lurker]

All Stern says is that hopefully LeBron will stay because (this is the important part):

Stern helped negotiate the current collective bargaining agreement, which provides teams the ability to pay more and add an extra year for their own free agents. Stern is hopeful that will allow teams such as Cleveland to retain its stars.

?That?s the way it should be,? Stern said. ?It allows teams to keep their own players.?

[Joe Vancil]

I think it's improper for a commissioner, who is essentially tied to *ALL* the teams in the league, to comment on personnel moves.

Imagine if he had said, "I hope Kobe stays with the Lakers" during the time Bryant was doing his "trade me" rant.  How many people would have been up at arms about the huge "Laker advantage"?  This is no different.

Stern should have kept his mouth shut.  Period.

[Reality]

Joe and i concur exactly.

Lurker, why wasn't Sternfish concerned about Memphis losing it's player Gasol?
Toronto losing Bosh?

[ziggy]

Why shouldn't he?  It's not his decision, he has no say, to me it is no different than asking anyone else in the league.

Stern doesnt want Lebron to leave because that small market team goes from popular back to no-ones-gives-a-f over the summer.

It is inappropriate for the LEAGUE commissioner to express an opinion about what he hopes or what he thinks will happen with any individual player.  He can have any opinion he wants, he should just keep them to himself.  It serves no purpose, and adds nothing to the process, except to create a perception that the commissioner may be influencing a process where he should not be involved. 

So I ask you WHY SHOULD HE?  Since it is not his decision, and he has no say, then he should avoid the appearance of a potential conflict.  If Phil Jackson was asked that question and he said he wished he would come to the Lakers, it would be defined as tampering.  This is the same thing.  It can be construed as tampering, and nothing of value comes from Stern offering his opinion.

[westkoast]

Why shouldn't he?  It's not his decision, he has no say, to me it is no different than asking anyone else in the league.

Stern doesnt want Lebron to leave because that small market team goes from popular back to no-ones-gives-a-f over the summer.

It is inappropriate for the LEAGUE commissioner to express an opinion about what he hopes or what he thinks will happen with any individual player.  He can have any opinion he wants, he should just keep them to himself.  It serves no purpose, and adds nothing to the process, except to create a perception that the commissioner may be influencing a process where he should not be involved. 

So I ask you WHY SHOULD HE?  Since it is not his decision, and he has no say, then he should avoid the appearance of a potential conflict.  If Phil Jackson was asked that question and he said he wished he would come to the Lakers, it would be defined as tampering.  This is the same thing.  It can be construed as tampering, and nothing of value comes from Stern offering his opinion.

Sorry Zig but Phil Jackson saying he would like a player to come to LA would not be defined as tampering.  There would actually have to be some evidence of a backroom deal for it to be labeled 'tampering'  Until that evidence popped up it would be a person expressing their opinion.  When Phil Jackson made it clear a few seasons ago he would like to have a Ron Artest playing for him it was nothing more than a coach expressing a need for a player that fills a role.  That wasn't tampering even after Ron showed up 3 years later.  Why?  Because it was still Ron's decision to go or not.   Just like it is still Lebron's decision to stay or go.  The league is not going to punish him for leaving.

Now I understand the argument that it COULD look like he is throwing his influence around.  The problem is what  is he going to throw around that Lebron wants?  Are you guys going down Reality lane in here where you think David Stern is doing a back room deal to promise Lebron a championship if he stays?  That and money are the only driving factors for Lebron right now.  Since the league already has made sure the Cavs can offer him the most money in rules put in place years ago that only leaves one thing.  I for one am not going to do down Reality Lane and act like David Stern is going to deliver a championship to Lebron, via his refs, if he stays in Cleveland.  So to me when David Stern says he hopes Lebron stays in Cleveland it's nothing more than a hope for the league as a whole to have a very popular small market team.  Since David Stern cannot guarantee him a title (and if you think he can why do you even watch basketball if its pre determined?) then it seems like nothing more than words to me.  You guys are sadly mistaken if you think David Stern's opinion ranks over a championship and money for Lebron James.

To answer your question 'Why should he' ?? Because he is entitled to have an opinion just like everyone else.

[Reality]

B-Rad,
Your fabrication is way off, as usual.

[westkoast]

B-Rad,
Your fabrication is way off, as usual.

Dumb ass,

I am not 'fabricating' anything seeing as this is my OPINION on if I think it is ok for him to speak on it or not.

As for what I said about you, you believe David Stern delivers championships for the Lakers, you've said this in MILLIONS of threads.  So please, cut the bull.  I didn't make anything up.

[Lurker]

Stern said he hopes LeBron stays in Cleveland because the CBA was designed to favor teams in retaining their stars.  And Stern was a major player in forming the current CBA.

Go back and read the part of the article I posted before.  Stern did not say "LeBron must stay in Cleveland" or "I want LBJ to stay in Cleveland".  Stern DID say" the CBA is designed to help teams retain their stars.  Thus I hope Cleveland can retain its star."

You all have spent too much time in Randy's School for Reading Miscomprehension.

[WayOutWest]

You all have spent too much time in Randy's School for Reading Miscomprehension.

Agreed, your course in "Debate Point Switch" is much more informative.   

[Reality]

Why he said "Hopefully, he'll stay" is irrelevant.  Did not misread a thing.  As Joe, ziggy and i have stated, Stern has no business commenting on where he hopes a specific player may or may not go irregardless of his additional "system" comments.  I'd say the same thing if Sterns comments were "I hope Lebron and Bosh go to the Spurs for Bonner and Popavich."

I do realize what you are pointing out Lurker, that Stern is (allegedly) honking the system.  Still has NO business doing so in applying it publicly to specific player.  Where was Public Sternfish "hoping Pao Gasol stays with Memphis, that's what the system is designed to do, help teams retain their star"?  

[Reality]

You all have spent too much time in Randy's School for Reading Miscomprehension.

Agreed, your course in "Debate Point Switch" is much more informative.   

good one Hidey.

[Lurker]

Stern did not comment on LBJ's choice.  He commented on the CBA and how it is designed to give teams the best chance at retaining stars.  And he said that he hopes it (CBA) works for Cleveland.

And as commissioner he has every right to say he hopes that the CBA works as planned and that stars stay with their teams.

Especially when asked by a sportswriter while attending playoff games in Cleveland to award the MVP trophy.

[Lurker]

You all have spent too much time in Randy's School for Reading Miscomprehension.

Agreed, your course in "Debate Point Switch" is much more informative.   

Well, I guess if the topic had a valid point to start with then I am guilty.

But in reading that article, Stern did not comment on LBJ's choice.  So I guess the whole thread is moot since it started with a nonsensical question based on lack of reading comprehension.