David Stern Looking Chipper These Days: How About the Good Ship NBA?

During Friday’s press session at the NBA’s Board of Governors’ gathering in the City That Never Sleeps, commissioner David Stern looked—and sounded—better than he has in ages.

And not only because he’d trotted out octogenarian war-horse Tom Benson to open the show.

When last seen regularly—at the conclusion of the highly-contentious labor negotiations—the Commish was looking—and sounding—like the nearly-70-year-old he is.

But he looks much healthier and seems his cool, laid-back self in manner—even joking that someone had added “Kings” to his bullet-list notes for his opening remarks.

Lawyer David’s conditioning probably requires that he chooses his words carefully in any public discourse, but the casual ease with which he has managed this habit/job requirement for all these years seems back in his step—at least outwardly.

He deftly addressed both the Maloof family—Sacramento's owners—and the city’s civic leaders, who’ve labored long and hard to salvage their franchise.

Expect California’s capital city to be NBA-less sooner rather than later (is that a grin we see emanating from the Nevada desert?).

The content of Stern’s update was predictably optimistic, from attendance and TV ratings to marketing and playoff races.

The “at-long-last” sale of the league-owned New Orleans Hornets to a local interest is certainly a move in the right direction for both New Orleans and the league.

In his heart of hearts, though, the Commissioner knows that the wellness of his league doesn’t match his own hale and ruddy aspect.

There’s every reason to believe that Tom Benson will be a commendable owner for the Hornets…but the bottom line is that a Major League Baseball franchise was just sold for FIVE TIMES as much money.  A far less prestigious baseball franchise was sold to local interests six months ago for nearly twice as much.

How is it that a franchise in arguably the most popular American sports league globally can compare so unfavorably in value with a sport that’s had its own share of strife in recent times?

Why, from the sounds of many local game casts on NBATV, are so many NBA teams marketing so many ticket packages so vigorously if attendance and fan interest is so strong?

The health of players and overall quality of play has suffered due to the ridiculously onerous playing calendar negotiated by the league and—shame mostly on these guys—the players’ association.

In the 51 games played just this week (Sunday to Friday), more games were decided by over 20 points than were decided by five points or fewer.

One coach recently left three healthy starters home in Texas while the remainder of the rotation embarked on a day trip.

Understandable? Sure.

Acceptable? Depends on who you talk to. (Are there not CEO’s who’d choose to be a bit more pro-active in such situations?)

One subject conspicuously absent from Commissioner Stern’s discussion was any mention of revenue-sharing or other potentially-contentious economic matters—like contraction.

One season under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement has pretty much hastened its way to closure.

The best athletes in the world and the league that is FAN-tastic are committed to five more seasons—at a more appropriate pace, one would hope—under the current financial and working conditions.

But let’s not kid ourselves, friends.

The serious issues that had David Stern looking like an old man five months ago still exist.

That healthy-looking chap choosing his words carefully in front of all those NBA logos Friday? He looks like a fella getting ready to retire. Someone else will either straighten things out or manage the next round of labor strife.

2017 is closer than you think.