Chris Bosh advocates freedom for NBA free agents – NBA Update
Miami Heat star Chris Bosh has backed the National Basketball Players Association’s stance of ensuring liberty to the league’s free agents. Bosh said that players needed to have a control over their own destiny, and it was a cause
worth fighting for in his eyes.
Bosh became a prime example of player power last season when he joined LeBron James in seeing out his contract and then forming a power centre in Miami. With Dwyane Wade already at the South Beach, the three players combined to
form one of the most powerful basketball teams in the league overnight.
The move did not go down well with the rest of the NBA, especially owners of rival franchises. The fact that most talented players could choose to go and play together in the big market teams was seen as a dangerous trend and Bosh
accepts its one of the reasons behind the current NBA lockout.
Owners of smaller market teams fear if the players continue to exploit their power in such a way, the league could soon turn into a completion between some big market sides with the have-nots going deeper and deeper into obscurity.
Their fears are not wholly unfounded either. James and Bosh were not the only examples of player power last season. Amar’e Stoudemire, another star player, went to the New York Knicks in the summer as a free agent as well, and
Carmelo Anthony then forced his way to Madison Square Garden in midseason, taking Chauncey Billups along him in the trade package.
Bosh however believes that if the players want to play for certain teams it is only their prerogative and no one should have many complaints. He also mentioned upcoming star free agents, such as Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets
and Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, as players who would benefit from being able to make their own decisions.
"If you look at the free agents coming up in the same situations, with Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, they can control their own fate," Bosh said. "They have the power to control that and I think that's a great thing.
In any job you want freedom to negotiate.”
The owners though are driving a hard bargain in the ongoing NBA labour dispute and appear determined to take away such freedoms from the players, which they believe would harm the competitiveness of the league. Bosh is aware of
that, but hopes the players can still come out on top.
“With us doing what we did and Carmelo (Anthony) going to the Knicks, I think that has a lot to do with it. Hopefully we can keep that and guys can come and go and make the deal that's best for them and their family."
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