LeBron Suggests NBA Contraction
PHOENIX (CBS4) - Miami Heat star LeBron James said Wednesday night that the NBA could become more popular if the league contracted.
James believes the game was more popular in the 1980's because there were fewer teams and more stars on the top teams.
"How can it be bad for basketball when you have guys who want to win playing on the same team?" he said. "Hopefully, the league can figure out one way where it can go back to the '80s where you had three or four All-Stars, three or four superstars, three or four Hall of Famers on the same team. The league was great. It wasn't as watered down as it is."
James also joined Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson in criticizing the NBA for scheduling games on Christmas. LeBron said the players should be able to spend time with their families over the holidays.
James also said it would be better for the league if some of the good players on bad teams were able to play for more successful teams.
"It's not my job; I'm a player, but that is why the league was so great," James said. "Imagine if you could take Kevin Love off Minnesota and add him to another team and you shrink the (league). Looking at some of the teams that aren't that great, you take Brook Lopez or you take Devin Harris off these teams that aren't that good right now and you add him to a team that could be really good. I'm not saying let's take New Jersey and let's take Minnesota out of the league. But hey, you guys are not stupid, I'm not stupid, it would be great for the league."
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