Kevin Arnovitz at TrueHoop recaps the main topics of conversation in Vegas. It’s jam-packed with insight and information. Here is one of my favorite tidbits from the blog:
There’s an area behind the near basket at Cox Pavilion where European coaches, general managers, and scouts sit and talk shop during the games. The NBA presents Summer League as a showcase of their future stars, but the real business in Las Vegas is being conducted by these guys, along with the agents and bridge-builders who are trying to get jobs overseas for the less recognizable names on Summer League rosters. Although there wasn’t a visible black cloud hanging over this corner of the gym, the anxiety was palpable. They had a lot to be stressed about. Basketball clubs the world over are suffering, but none more than those in Europe. After years of escalating salaries and profits, the market has collapsed. “I’ve told all my European guys to expect, on average, salaries to go down between 30 and 40 percent,” one European agent said. “It’s definitely a buyer’s market.” This dynamic puts pressure on everyone — the players who are facing a pay cut (even if they’re coming off banner seasons), the agents who are terrified to communicate this to their clients out of fear of getting fired, and the teams who still haven’t filled out their rosters because they’re short on cash. The result is an impasse with neither players or clubs budging, and a few teams on the verge of economic collapse.
There’s plenty more. It’s definitely worth a read.
