Stars are the Problem in the NBA

In the great pecking order fight for the hierarchy of American major league sports, the same thing that lifts the NBA to second is also what's killing it. Stars in the NBA are global icons and that comes with cache and benefits but the power of the stars is the number one problem in the National Basketball Association.

We are in the first round and saw the combos of the Clippers (though Kawhi didn't play all season), Lakers and Nets win zero playoff games. Six of the top ten-ish players in the league couldn't muster one postseason win. There were injuries, vaccine choices, but it's not just those things that marred the flame outs of these three teams. It's the stars and their desire to be treated as such without accountability that surround the failures of the Lakers and Nets for sure.

Russell Westbrook took a heap of deserved criticism for his inability to be self aware, but Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving absolutely should be grouped into that. Going into game four Kyrie blamed the lack of team chemistry for their flaws, but it was his personal choice that is front and center for the lack of chemistry. Durant went on a rage tweet session proclaiming himself a god after having his worst postseason ever. That's on top of their comments in the podcast saying they don't need a coach, while lack of coaching was front in center for their failures.

Ironically, the Nets also had two other players who should be grouped in with these stars, James Harden and Ben Simmons. Harden has not played well for the 76ers and now is front and center as a 3-0 lead has gone to a game six while his play was covered up by Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. His blasé attitude comes across as someone who doesn't care despite his quitting and poor postseason play being a reoccurring issue.

Simmons issue has ballooned to something that will be a CBA negotiation point. Simmons quit on LSU, quit on Philly and already seems to have quit on the Nets under the guise of mental health issues. While mental health issues are serious and deserve to be treated as such, I do not believe Ben is being honest about them. He's hiding behind them as his desire to play and actually improve his game very much deserve criticism. His mental strength should be a topic of discussion, because he was marked for a game four return but surprised everyone in the Nets' organization but not playing as he seemed to chicken out yet again.

In the Lakers and Irving's case, fans became a topic of discussion. Don't get me wrong, there are fans that cross the line, however, the comments of 'fans don't like us and people are cheering against us' from Russ and Anthony Davis are laughable. Sports are the business of winning and if you don't win then you'll catch heat for it. Irving gave it back to a very avid fan base in Boston he spurned, and I'm not saying Celtic fans are innocent, but the Lakers' stars point is laughable.

Davis tried to blame people cheering against them as an issue he had while it was documented after the championship win he came in out of shape and has returned to his oft-injured ways as the enigma of talent that isn't an alpha that has thrown the Los Angeles plan to let LeBron James age gracefully out the window. And Russ's deserves all the criticism as someone whose season compilation of low lights is one of the worst of all time.

Kawhi does not escape this as his and Paul George's flame out in year one put their team in turmoil and got their coach fired. It's really no surprise that Leonard sat out the whole season, but let's not forget his 'injury' that he used to force his way out of San Antonio. Then he barely played in Toronto but all was forgiven because it led to a championship. However, his star attitude completely destroyed the chemistry the Clippers had that made them an attractive sight to go to. Irving did the same thing in Boston and Brooklyn.

When you juxtapose these with Giannis Antetokounmpo who lost his second star in Kris Middleton and played better and won a championship in Milwaukee you have to ask is it even worth it for those star combos? LeBron James is passive aggressive and has some of his own shortcomings, but there is no doubt that he's out there that he's playing. While I do think he gets a mark on his legacy for this, especially with his role in shaping the team, it's hard to really blame him when he dealt with AD and Russ all season and a definite dysfunctional organization.

Stars wanting to not be coached and in control of the organization also want none of the blame when it fails, and while that's the formula it will lead to no meaningful winning. It's compounded by the fact that the stars seem to distant themselves, and almost seem to be offended that there is criticism coming their way.

While the league was destined to change and evolve, some of the greatest dynasties of all sports had stars who were reigned in and let coaches coach and general managers manage. That was the case for the Spurs with Tim Duncan and Tom Brady in New England. Hell, even for LeBron that was the case in Miami and the second tenure in Cleveland. If you read the book about his return and championship win, Ty Lue challenged him and they made the 3-1 comeback. The best runs in all of sports were marked by coaches and management who were given the power to do their jobs regardless of what the stars wanted.

The NBA's problem is also being compounded as we're seeing it expand to the NFL. This off season has been marked by players throwing fits on social media in the name of contracts. That's after a season where the QB's power of roster construction was front and center after Tom Brady's Super Bowl run in Tampa. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson were the biggest in their claims for more power and we saw Wilson traded and Rodgers lose his top receiver with no comments after a season where he made an enemy of the press.

While Brady is divisive because of his winning, couldn't you expand his control over the roster as being an issue in their shortcomings this year? He wanted AB back and that destroyed the locker rom heading into the playoffs. Let's be clear, it's tough to win two seasons in a row but with Bruce Arians out maybe just maybe stars having more control isn't in the best interest of the team's success. Pressure is on Wilson and Rodgers, and Rodgers won't win, but will they own up to their shortcomings? Unlikely.