SI's Michael Rosenbrook calls out the NBA on the farce and selective rules enforcement it is allowing with the Carmelo debacle: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/michael_rosenberg/02/18/carmelo.all.star/index.html
Great read and 100% true. Selective enforcement of the rules, both on the court (superstar calls, preferential treatment for certain teams) and off the court sums up Stern's legacy in a nutshell. From now on, I think we should all refer to him by his new nickname: David "The Selective Enforcer" Stern. BNM
Absolutely. It was absurd Cuban was fined for saying something about as obvious as "the earth is round". I really feel for players in Denver who are trying to do their best in a crappy situation.
It's not tampering with Anthony if Denver grants those teams permission to speak with him, though. If he was conducting those interviews without their permission, then obviously they and he would/should be fined. But if Denver is allowing it knowing they're trading him, then I don't see a huge issue. I just think it's dumb on Denver's part to let him talk to NY. NJ, yes, because they have the better offer. But we all know he wants to go to NY. Talking to them, they can just say hey, we'll offer this crap package, and if not, we'll sign you in the offseason guaranteed. Don't go to NJ.
The point is not that what Melo is doing is a huge deal, it's that Stern has come down hard on people for a whole lot less. The idea being that since it is New York involved, Stern will sit on his hands. Pretty much exactly what is happening now. Besides which, the quoted part of the NBA rules handbook encompasses any behavior determental to the player's current team. I am pretty sure what Melo is doing qualifies. And I am positive that were it another, lesser known player, that dude would have already been fined several hundred thousand dollars.
I think the writer and many of you are missing the whole reason why this is okay. The Nuggets have allowed it, in fact they have encouraged. See the rules only apply when the team who holds the rights does not agree. If the team says go for it, they can. This is always the case, in fact it was the case here in Portland with Bonzi Wells when the Blazers told the agent to go find a deal. I agree that the whole thing has become overblown and way to public, but if the Nuggets are good with it then nothing else really matters.
Fer Fucks Sake, I can't wait until the Thursday so we can finally stop discussing this primadonna ad-nauseum. Its gotta be feeding that ego more than ever.
Mike D'Antio was still under contract with the Suns for one more season when he talked to and eventually got the Knicks head coaching job. It was not tampering because the Suns allowed permission to Mike and the Knicks to talk. I would assume Melo is in the same situation. I have not heard officially either way, but if Denver has given permission then Stern has been evenly and fairly enforcing the rules. If however the Nuggests haven’t given permission (which seems unlikely to me) then Stern would most definitely be selectively enforcing rules. Last season Cuban got in trouble because the Cavs did not allow any contact with LeBron and thus the NBA disciplined teams for speaking about signing him as a free agent.
It's pretty obvious Denver is quite happy to let Melo's people bring them a deal. It never hurts to at least have the opportunity to turn those down.
