Friday Roundtable: The Next Former NBA Player Turned Owner

Which of these guys deserves to own an NBA franchise? Probably not Damon Stoudamire. Sorry. (Tsugufumi Matsumoto/AP)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: Shaquille O'Neal recently became an owner of the Sacramento Kings. What retired player do you want buy an ownership stake in an NBA team next?

Alex:

I'm 100 percent sure this is okay within NBA guidelines: Jason Kidd should buy a piece of the New York Knicks. Not only does Kidd have recent history with the 'Bockers, but, if for some reason David Stern and Adam Silver were to look down upon such a purchase, they're overlooking the fact that it would virtually ensure Kidd doesn't become the first NBA player-coach in decades. What we lose in the potential player-coach situation and Kidd backing up Deron Williams while logging minutes with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, we gain in one of the greatest point guards ever becoming the King of New York. Barclay's Center, where Kidd's Brooklyn Nets play, is the House that Jay-Z Built, but could Hova - now without an ownership stake in the BK franchise - really rival the owner of both New York basketball teams, one who happens to hold multiple assist and three-point records in a professional tenure that includes stints with both the Knicks and Nets? I can't decide, and I'm betting you're likely split, too, since no one has been able to agree who rap's King of New York is since the Notorious B.I.G. passed away. Hip-Hop can't agree that Jay is the top dog in its own community; how would they be able to present a united front against Kidd, whose presence would be felt in more than the two boroughs in which his NBA franchises would reside?

Exactly.

Kyle:
Guys, there's plenty of good answers out there. Shawn's is a fine example. I would very much enjoy Barkley as an owner. Kareem could become an owner and have the power to make himself the coach so he can finally get a coaching job. I can't say this one, because the question says retired player, but who wouldn't want to see LeBron James buy the Cavs once his playing days are over to have the Cleveland sports fans who ridiculed him so much in the palm of his hand. Not to mention keeping Dan Gilbert on but in a new role as one of the boys who wipes down the court during timeouts. Then LeBron could trade for and subsequently trade away Andrew Wiggins to New York, where he then buys the Knicks with Jay-Z and sells the Cavs to Chris Bosh.

But again, LeBron isn't retired yet, so that answer will have to wait. So my answer is ... Brian Scalabrine. Why not? I imagine he got the money when challenging and beating all of those civilians to 1-on-1 games in Boston. And that's exactly why he should be an owner. Everyone will doubt him. He will be the butt of jokes. He's a guy who was the butt of jokes throughout his career, yet played 11 years in the league. Scalabrine will compile a team of underdogs who no one will take seriously, Moneyball style, because how could they compete with Miami and then oh my god they are up by 14 already how is that possible? A movie will be made where Scalabrine will be played by Louie C.K. and he will be one of the most praised owners of his generation.

Shawn:

When I first began racking my brain for a suitable candidate to answer this question, I found myself continuously drawn to players who I thought would make good NBA coaches, rather than owners. There are some prominent names who could potentially be very good coaches, but I struggled to find one I thought would be a good owner. However, when it comes down to it, I was able to settle on one former player I desperately want to see become an NBA owner above all others. And it’s really not even close.

It has to be Charles Barkley. 

Think about it. Barkley has the personality to rival even the most flamboyant and impassioned owners, like a Mark Cuban. His personality is infectious and he would be a fantastic interview for journalists and broadcasters who cover his team. Having worked on the other side of the sport as an analyst and broadcaster, I feel Barkley would be very open with any person who is fortunate enough to earn the assignment of interviewing him. His personality lends itself to being very forthright anyway, so having the experience on the other side would only encourage him to be open and honest, with the frankness that only Barkley can provide.

Barkley also has the well-deserved reputation of being a big spender, so opening up the checkbook to bring in high-priced free agents won’t be a problem. His history of gambling could potentially drive fans crazy if Barkley has a hunch on an unproven player. But overall, the willingness to spend money is a plus for an organization. I think you could potentially see another “Dream Team” similar to the one in Miami, because I think Barkley is more than willing to spend what it takes to bring the best to his team. 

Finally, there is one major reason I feel Barkley would be a fantastic owner: He’s never won an NBA championship. Ever. I remember an instance on TNT where everyone on the panel had been to and won an NBA championship, except Barkley. It was brought up extensively, and you could tell it ate at Barkley. He wants that ring. He wants to hoist that trophy in the air, and this is his best chance to do it. His competitive fire would be fantastic to see on the sideline, and a real asset in the locker room. All of these elements combined culminate to why I believe Barkley should absolutely make the investment and become an NBA owner.

Could we see Brooklyn's Finest in the Finals?

Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news just prior to last Thursday's NBA Draft.  There's a push for Eastern Conference power in Brooklyn.

The Nets and Boston Celtics had bigger ideas on draft night. Agreed upon in principal; Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will join the Nets in exchange for Brooklyn's 2014, '16 and '18 first-round selections, Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks and Kris Joseph, along with the signing and trading of Keith Bogons. The current largest off-season blockbuster displays the Nets' desire to win now and accommodates the Celtics' process of rebuilding. Teams are able to make the deal official on July 10. 

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are making a final championship push. (Don Ryan)

Mikhail Prokhorov is willing to pay for what it takes to win. The starting five of Derron Williams, Joe Johnson, Pierce, Garnett and Brook Lopez will cost the Nets close to $80 million. Brooklyn's total roster payroll is projected around $180 million, including $80 million in luxury taxes. No team in NBA history has accumulated similar totals.

Deron Williams must make Brooklyn's new show work. Getty Images)

If only the NBA Network program, 'The Association," could bring a closer look at the Nets again following the team's debut season playing in Brooklyn. Garnett, Pierce and Terry are NBA Champions and bring pedigree to a team that signed Joe Johson to a superstar contract last season. Johnson is known and criticized for being soft-spoken and having a passive attitude on the court despite coming through clutch at the buzzer multiple times. Garnett doesn't tolerate anything that isn't 100 percent effort from his teammates, just ask former Celtic Glen Davis. Pierce is a leader that is not afraid of big moments and takes some scoring responsibility off of Johnson and Williams. Terry, the Jet, flew low to the ground last season and may be running low on gas. Rookie head coach Jason Kidd is responsible for handling the minutes, personalities and emotions of a roster filled with former rivals and peers. Kidd could quickly become a scapegoat if the team doesn't find immediate success. Former coach Avery Johnson was fired after a 14-14 Nets start last season. 

New Nets head coach Jason Kidd. (Craig Ruttle)

The Nets now share a reputation similar to another team playing in New York, the Yankees. Neither team regards luxury tax when spending the necessary amount it takes to win. Every game will shine under the brightest media spotlight, as there's a lot pressure to win. It's the type of situation that sparks talk of championships and dynasties after victories and talks of trade and changes after defeats.

Expecting a championship is highly optimistic and wishful thinking. The Heat, Pacers, Bulls and crosstown rival Knicks are all talented enough to compete with Brooklyn in a postseason series. Garnett and Pierce starting a final pursuit for another championship, now as members of the Nets, coached by a former opponent in Kidd, makes for a story the league has never seen. The aging roster certainly remains talented, but has to compete with younger knees and fresher legs. The ability to stay healthy and a lack of depth are reasons for concern.  

It's still the beginning chapters of the franchise and success will undoubtedly arrive at Barclay's Center, but these are the final pages for some of the game's all-time legends. Anything beyond an opening round series victory should be considered overachieving for the Brooklyn Nets this season.

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The Divergent Careers of Grant Hill and Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd and Grant Hill's shared history includes various accolades. (nicekicks.com)

Grant Hill never became what he could have been, eventually being marginalized as a veteran, though still effective, presence on the Los Angeles Clippers' bench in 2012-13. Jason Kidd went out near the top, starting more than half of the games in which he played for a resurgent New York Knicks squad this season a mere two years after winning the only NBA championship of his career with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.

The two entered the Association in 1994, each making an immediate impact to the point that Hill and Kidd shared Rookie of the Year honors. From that point on, their careers would be forever tied together. While each found success in the roles they filled for 19 years in the NBA, Hill's was profoundly more understated after injuries compounded by trying to return to action too early to allow for proper recovery. While Hill was toiling away in Orlando, trying — and, largely, failing — to be the star player the Magic expected when acquiring him from the Detroit Pistons, Kidd was powering the New Jersey Nets nearly single-handedly, leading the franchise to consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.

To a degree, those years defined Kidd and Hill. That era assured Kidd would become a hall of famer, ensuring a first-ballot entry if he hadn't already earned one. Hill's time in Orlando changed the trajectory of the latter half of his time as a professional basketball player, changing his perception as the "Next Michael Jordan" into one of a sure-fire starter who had no more upside to capitalize upon. One common theory states Hill's career should have been shorter by several years, but all the time he missed with the Magic (Hill played in just 200 games over six years) and time spent with the vaunted Phoenix Suns staff for another five seasons elongated his durability.

(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Whether or not one puts any credence in that idea is a personal decision, but one number matters over all others when looking back at an NBA career, and that is the number of rings a player won, used — perhaps somewhat unfairly — to indicate success and the intrinsic value of a player to his teammates and the franchise employing him. Hill undeniably had the potential to be a game-changer for a team, but derailed by health issues, including a potentially fatal staph infection, he was never able to make the impact he could have in Orlando, when he should have been peaking. The salt in the wound for Hill is that, five seasons after trading him, the Pistons won a championship in 2004 without a defined star player, thriving on chemistry. The closest he would come was in 2009-10 when the Suns made an unexpected run to the Western Conference Finals, falling 4-2 to a rival Los Angeles Lakers team that would capture that season's title. The Suns front office made a mess of their roster next season, landing Phoenix outside the postseason with Hill ready to walk out the door, all while Kidd was playing an integral role for the Dallas Mavericks and claiming his sole championship and the validation that so many strive for and fail to obtain.

Now, early into their retirements, Kidd is pursuing a head coaching job, making a push to fill the Brooklyn Nets' vacancy and fortify his legacy with the franchise. Hill's apt basketball mind and well-thought statements will surely not be unnoticed by television networks in need of a fresh view, although it would not be out of the question for Hill to pursue his own road to coaching. But with Kidd all but guaranteed to be enshrined as soon as possible, the new theme following Hill is not if he will get into the hall on his first ballot, but if his career deserves hall of fame acknowledgement at all.

It is the kind of drama that has followed Hill for the majority of his career. Kidd amassed his own list of commotion-causing incidents, mostly off-court, that put him in the middle of drama of a different sort. In the end, though, Kidd has that ring; Hill does not. Both had great careers, even if Kidd played nearly 16,000 more minutes and more than 300 more games than Hill. The perception held to Hill early in his career will likely affect his post-playing status among the ranks of greats, despite it changing mid-career.

Players retire. Storylines do not. Thus is the life of a professional athlete.

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Jason Kidd: An All-Time Point Guard

Where does Jason Kidd rank among the greatest point guards of all time?

His longevity was outstanding, allowing him to have 19 years of NBA experience. With his retirement, Kidd leaves the NBA as second all-time in assists, topped only by John Stockton. His longevity also allowed him to amass more total assists than Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Bob Cousy. He also grabbed more rebounds than hall of fame snub Spencer Haywood.

His greatness is not only defined by his ability to play for a long period of time, but his ability to sustain excellence throughout his entire career, starting when Kidd was drafted in 1994 by the Dallas Mavericks.

(Via. NBA.com)

He quickly showcased his talent his rookie season when he won the Rookie of the Year award alongside Grant Hill. Kidd averaged 12 points, eight assists, and five rebounds during his first season in the league.

Kidd may be most remembered for his years in New Jersey. The Nets were a perennial punching bag for opposing teams. The seven years before Jason Kidd, the Nets averaged only 29 victories per season.

Then Jason Kidd arrived.

Under his guidance, Kidd helped propel the Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances. The 2001 New Jersey Nets finished with a record of 26-56, the 2002 Nets with Jason Kidd went 52-30. The 2003 Nets finished 49-33. The Nets jumped seven spots up in offensive rating with the acquisition of Kidd.

He was a constant triple double threat, his ability to pass, rebound and score made him a nightmare for opposing defenses. While with the Nets, Kidd led the league in assists per game twice and led his team in scoring once. In 2004 he posted a 16/9/6 statline as he showed off every facet of his game.

Even under the leadership of Jason Kidd, the Nets fell short. The Shaq and Kobe-led Lakers and the Tim Duncan-led Spurs managed to overpower New Jersey.

On February 13, 2008, Jason Kidd was traded to his original team, the Dallas Mavericks. In 2011, at the age of 37, Kidd finally won a much deserved championship ring in a victory over the Miami Heat. Even at the age of 37, Kidd was a valuable part of the team. He averaged eight points, eight assists and four rebounds.
Kidd is such a great locker room leader that he is actually already being considered for coaching jobs, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. His style of play and leadership on the court makes many think he will have a smooth transition to the sideline.

Even if Kidd finds himself on the sidelines with a team soon, one thing is certain. We will always miss him being on the court.

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