NBA Leverage Pt. 2

On June 18th, The4Corners published an article titled "NBA Players: Again Squandering Leverage" in which there were questions posed as to the reason in which they agreed to play an abbreviated schedule as well as a compressed playoff schedule in order to continue the season for the benefit and distraction for their fans as well as to continue the cash cow in the interest of satiating the will of the league's corporate sponsors. Within that article it was insinuated that playing the games with "Black Lives Matter" on the court, the ability to make respectful gestures during the playing of the national anthem and the permission to use jerseys in order to promote sentiments that speak to social justice were merely show pieces that would start the players on a road to nowhere. In the meanwhile, the 'on the ground' matters in which the players spoke of addressing, continued to persist. Yes, there were breakout performances by individual players and teams were able to coalesce in a closed environment which displayed the innovative creativity of the NBA/ESPN/TNT production teams. No, the issues that existed outside of the bubble in Orlando and on the other side of the camera that captures the performance, have not quelled...they have merely intensified.

As the fans watched the games, the platform many of the players are so grateful to be apart of and share their unique talents and desires slowly drifted further and further away from the messages that were shared at the outset of this grand experience of sport. The popular band 1980's band Hall and Oates was introduced to a new generation of people; new pizzas, that if purchased, enabled a corporate fast food company to donate one dollar per sale to some nebulous "community" were introduced; 'We're back' became a rallying cry of corporate ads speaking for the players and the league; favored personalities and talking heads were once again able to earn their money in exchange for their 'hot takes' on sports. I can imagine that many players grumbled to themselves that this is not what was bargained as the the salary-based and CBA inspired Sword of Damocles was hung over their head as the NBA insisted on getting back to business. However, they persevered...the blood, the sweat, the potential career altering injuries. They had the leverage to do something at one point and it seemed all was lost as they chased the Larry O'Brien trophy in an isolated playoff bracket. Many of the fans forgot. Others did not care. Some players stayed engaged. Maybe not enough. Until they learned about a man named Jacob Blake.

We aren't a news rag, so if you wish to know the details concerning Mr. Blake, please conduct a little research for context. However, the incident involving Mr. Blake seemed to have rattled several players in the NBA; the Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown spoke about it, the Los Angeles Lakers' Lebron James and Clippers head coach Doc Rivers offered sentiments as did Milwaukee Bucks' veteran guard George Hill. Hill openly questioned the reasons why the players came to Orlando. Hill stated "We shouldn't have even came to this damn place, to be honest" and added "coming here just took all the focal points off what the issues are. But we're here. It is what it is. We can't do anything from right here. But I think definitely when it all settles, some things need to be done." At the snap of the finger, the leverage began to tilt back towards the players favor. The social justice themed apparel being sold in the online stores of teams such as the Miami Heat began to take on less significance. The paint on the courts which had turned nearly invisible to many fans, faded even more. The statements on the jerseys of players became just letters.

The leverage took a full 180 degree turn when Hill's Bucks abruptly decided to boycott Game 5 of its best of 7 playoff series against the Orlando Magic on 8/26/20. The Bucks decided in an instant that 'some things were beginning to get done'. All of this is happening within the backdrop of a global pandemic which has killed hundreds of thousands of people as the shadow of the killings of unarmed citizens in their homes or on the streets of the United States clings to national debate during an election year for the highest office in the American political machine. Interesting times indeed. In the June 18th article, we stated that the NBA players were in a unique position to make demands that may indirectly, positively affect the social fabric of the United States if they exerted leverage in the correct manner. The players were encouraged to "walk away from it all and tell the owners to kick rocks with the aims to achieve goals that can be accomplished for the benefit of the purposely overlooked, underemployed and easily discarded so called 'black' coaches, the lack of 'black' executive level personnel and ownership, as well as the plight of young players coming up behind you in your industry while allowing younger populations to see you exercise some semblance of agency because THAT example is what they lack exposure to." The players will achieve the same level of agency when they accept that withholding services is a form of leverage that shows people who seek justice and fairness that their aims are not achieved through slogans on t-shirts and catch phrases. The players have to be willing to lose something today so that others may prosper tomorrow. Their unique position dictates that they provide a service which is in high demand; if that specific service is withheld and the customer has no other place to find it, then the grievances of the players will have to be addressed.

College players and the players in the WNBA exerted more leverage than the NBA and NFL players during the summer months. College players with regard to health concerns related to Covid-19 have forced the National Collegiate Athletic Association to really look in the mirror in regard to the long running, exploitative and unjust system of practically free labor. Conferences have been shuttered due to the players exercising the long overdue leverage presented. The end game should be for these individuals to finally be paid; if they abandon this specific goal and agree to continue the previous system in any iteration without negotiation, they will only get what they asked for...more of the same. The players of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream are locking horns with the owner of the club over political views and taking some agency in terms of how they wish to control it. Yeah, they are still playing, but their actions are enough to show what agency looks like to those who that haven't seen it in action. Meanwhile in the NBA, Jonathan Isaac tore an anterior cruciate ligament, Gordon Hayward badly injured an ankle and the NFL players are still banging helmets in the sweltering heat of the dog days in August. Yesterday, the Detroit Lions cancelled practice; when the Bucks decided to boycott, it is a guarantee that other NBA teams will follow. The domino effect will continue. For how long and for what specific aims remains unknown.

The4Corners podcast focuses primarily on sports and if the NBA season is toast, our content will be limited a little bit, no doubt. We will still however, bang out quality material regardless. The key point, which should be driven home is this: whether you are in bubble in Orlando, behind a cash register, standing for long periods or seated at a desk, when leverage is presented, you take advantage of it because it rarely comes around twice when you are in the same position. Don't use it, and you must witness and suffer the consequence that others are more than likely taking advantage of the leverage that you've presented to them. -We Out