Honestly it will be the ads that will make the jerseys cool years later. Image a sleeved jersey from the 90s with ads for AOL, Windows 95 and New Coke on it. El Prez would go nuts for that.
I think the red alts would look cool with sleeves, but that would also mean ruining our best jerseys.
I know a lot of people like the Rip City jersey, but I always hated it. Glad they just made something bad worse, rather than muck up a Blazers jersey.
It's pretty obvious the NBA is going for a soccer jersey type presentation for the people who don't like wearing tank tops out in public. Wearing a tank top to the game? Cool. Wearing the tank top around town? Some people aren't really comfortable. I had a ton of jerseys when I was a kid growing up, but I haven't worn one in over ten years. I think they're trying to give the fans something they can wear that isn't quite so flimsy as a regular t-shirt.
The fans hate them, the players hate them. Why the hell are the still forcing this shit down throats?
I understand why the players hate them, but I don't think it's for the players. The fans hate them because the fans hate change. Mostly I think they're doing it so they can put ads on the jersey, and provide something that fans will (in their opinion) wear in public.
It's happening for one reason, and one reason only: Advertising space. Any other justification given for it by the NBA is bullshit and spin.
But I also think it's because they want to sell something that they think fans are more likely to wear all the time, rather than just to games.
I was looking for the silver lining. They could make a decent tee, but they suck as jerseys. You sound like the marketers who figure they can get us to slowly accept the idea. Problem is, the jerseys look stupid, plain and simple. Change isn't the issue here. They're trying for a distinct look more than a good look, and it's a bad approach. If you're going to have a skin-tight tee, you can't have baggy shorts and expect it to look right. And if you're going to try the soccer approach of a baggy tee, the players are going to hate wearing it. It hasn't been done before because it's dumb, not because it's different.
Adolf silver: "show me ze jersey. Ze sleeves are too short for your star, Jewden. We need more space fo ze stars ze jewden must be marked."
You will someday, or you will forever rock retro jerseys. Which let's be honest, is the cool thing to do even today. 20 years down the road I'll wear my T-Rob jersey to a game and people will be like ... If I ever go to vegas summer league I'll wear my thrill jersey!