There is actually a long line of fake franchise players - players conceited enough to think that because teams are foolish enough to over-pay for their services, somehow they are franchise players.
Peter Vecsey, everyone's favorite acrid commentator, writes:
GOIN’ NOWHERE | By PETER VECSEY | :
Bottom line: Kobe has evolved into a fake franchise player . . . same as Chris Webber and Tracy McGrady and now Garnett and Jermaine O’Neal. They’re not conceited; they’re convinced they’re bad to the bone, all commanding max money - a lot more in K.G.’s (grandfathered) case.
All of ’em repeatedly failed to carry their respective teams to the Finals sans another superstar; McGrady can’t even get out of the first round with Yao Ming, as opposed to Allen Iverson and LeBron James, who reached the Supreme Court surrounded by role players.
Right. A year ago we made a list of the All Overpaid Team (high contracts, no playoff success). Who would be on it in 2007?
Lets see, off the top of my head (salary data from hoopshype):
Kobe Bryant ($19.4 Million)
Jermaine O'Neal ($19.7 M)
Kevin Garnett ($22 M)
Allen Iverson ($20.1 M)
Stephon Marbury ($20.1 M)
Shaquille O'Neal ($20 M)
Tracy McGrady ($19 M)
Steve Francis ($16.4 M)
Antawn Jamison ($16.3 M)
Paul Pierce ($16.3 M)
Ray Allen ($16 M)
Michael Redd ($14.5 M)
Pau Gasol ($13.7M)
Joe Johnson ($13.5 M)
Mike Bibby ($13.5 M)
Zach Randolph ($13.3 M)
Lamar Odom ($13.5 M)
Rashard Lewis ($15.6 - not sure if this is his new contract. Still he was second highest paid member of a horrible team, the Seattle/Oklahoma Sonics)
plus as reserves:
Jason Kidd ($19.7 M - though Kidd might be worth max money, if only he could make a jump shot)
Dirk Nowitzki ($16.3 M)
Some of these fellas did make the 2007 playoffs true (8 of these 20, but none got further than the first round. Strangely enough, these are among the highest salaries in the league (20 out of the top 30 salaries). Wonder if having a more flexible payroll would have helped their respective teams?
The question is moot /Rev. Jesse Jackson voice, as you go to the playoffs with the team you got, not the team you wish you had /fake Donald Rumsfeld voice
Nowitzki might get a pass, Dallas is a good, balanced team, and probably would have advanced against any team besides Golden State. But on the other hand, Michael Finley got a ring with Spurs coming off the bench as the second highest paid player on the league, courtesy of Mark Cuban's largess.
Oh, and I guess Flip Saunders gets to coach, even though he made it to the conference finals. George Karl gets to be his assistant, and Pat Riley ball boy.
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Did anyone see the riots anfter the game this week? What kind of fans celebrate by destroying their own city? Los Angeles Laker are a group of scofflaws. According to The Associated Press, thirty eight people were arrested for "public intoxication, vandalism or inciting a riot." Probably doesn't help to have thugs on the team. Rob Artest seems to have escaped that dog abuse charge easily. In any case, the NBA is starting to seem kinda fixed. Lakers always appear to get more than their share. Remember Derrick Fisher and the Spurs? Wonder if it's because of Vegas.