A Changing of the Guard in the NBA

It is now early morning on July 1, 2010, just minutes after the opening of the free agency market in the NBA. For at least the last two seasons, NBA management, executives and agents alike have been looking forward to this day. What will undoubtedly be the single greatest free agency class in NBA history is about to hit the market, and fans and pundits alike are absolutely giddy over the prospects.







Lebron James. Dwayne Wade. Chris Bosh. Amare Stoudamire. Dirk Nowitzki. Paul Pierce. Carlos Boozer. These are just some of the top tier names being dangled about like carrots, waiting for their proverbial piece of the pie. There are also dozens of other mid-level players that will be available to fill crucial holes for many NBA teams. All of this will lead to a frenzy of activity in the coming weeks, leaving many NBA general managers and player personnel directors sleep deprived. What the NBA fan will see by mid-August is a complete transformation, a changing of the guard in the NBA.






Is this good for the NBA, or for team sports overall? That all depends on your outlook. If you're a Chicago Bulls fan, and the thought of two of these potential top-tier free agents signing with your beloved team reignites your passion, then you would answer in the affirmative. If you pine for the old days when teams stayed together for years (a la Russell, K.C. and Sam Jones, Havlicek, Cousy, Heinsohn of the Boston Celtics), then you're probably miserable. One thing is for certain: Those days are long gone. Today's NBA star plays for money as well as for rings. And loyalty goes only so far as the almighty Franklin.