I Got it: USA Basketball

Since 2004, when are team US basketball team was embaarssed, we complain how are team is so poorly constructed and how our superstars do not want to play on the team. Well there is clear evidence that the players who playon the dream teams, come back slower or become injury prone. Injuries have effected Jason Kidd, Ray Allen, Allan Houton and the list goes on and on. And look at Lebron James this year the first three months everybody noticed he lost some quickness and lift because he played last year. The realiy is the NBA players  is playing a nine moth season, to ask themto give up their recover time is asking them ignore their main job, help their team win.

I Got it: A world wide traveling team. Their are so many players who are talented but their game does not fit the NBA game, guys like JJ Redick, Adam Morrison, Rajon Rondo, Channing Frye and the list goes on. So why should they have to struggle to get minutes in a league based on toughness and athleticism and down plays skill sets that goes like this have. So you create a traveling team of former college stars and have them playing exhibiton games against NBA teams, top college programs, NBDL teams, and travel to Europe and play against those teams.

How do you get the players? You go to the college seniors and juniors that want to enter the draft, you offer them a four year contract that is comparable to a middle of the first round pick in the draft. These players will be able to play in one Oylpmics and all the other summer international tournments, after the four years they are free to join the NBA. The team will be inconstant flux do to contract end in differet years, so it will allow the team to stay fresh. The players will have oppurtunity to ramin popular, think back just a year how famous was Reddick and Morrison was, how about Shane Battier, he was as good of a college basketball as any one has been in the last ten years. These players would get better indorsements than a guy like Mike Conely, so it would benefit the indivdualplayer.

How would it work, no real home other than a work out location, they would always be the away team. The pay would come from a T.V. contract, merchandising and cuts from the gates . People would have tried anything to see players like Reddick and Morrison so their popularity would gurantee interest in the team. The real key I think the team would have to be in bed with the NBA wether it be owned directly bby the league or if it was owned by a grooup of owners like Mark Cuban and James Dolan.

Here is what the roster might look like.

G JJ Redick

G Jameer Nelson

G Delonte West

G Chris Duhon

G Marcus Williams

F Adam Morrison

F Hakim Warrick 

F Sheldon Williams

F Sean May

F Joakim Noah

F Wayne Simien

F Channing Frye

F Ryan Gomes

By having a roster like this it would create a hierchy. A coach would not have to play the politic game and wonder if he played a guy enough minutes or if he called enough plays for another. It would be like college, the older you get the more important you become to the team. The coach would be able to create a system and add players who fit that system, instead of having to find a system that fits a linup that has Kobe, Lebron and Carmello. I have now doubt if we have a dedicated team. The team would acually have chemistry, players would cut and acual get the ball. Plays could be run at level of near perfection.