This Is Not a Revolution

New Year’s resolution right about now: I may have slightly overstated the impact of the invasion of Europe. Well, sort of. Josh Childress remains a unique case, and the one who could have the greatest long-term effect on professional basketball. He’s versatile and good, suited to the international game, and primed for the experience of leaving the country.↵
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↵But Carl Landry? Delonte West? This is going to get really old, really fast, without leaving a Meteor-like world-historical impact. Europe is an option. It may or may not actually seem attractive, or even be more than a bluff. But it’s out there now. And the truth is, teams shouldn’t worry that much, unless they’re idiotic to begin with. I heart Delonte West, but he’s utterly replacable. It’s the Cavs’ own fault that they’re so dependant on a scraggly combo guard stuck in contract limbo.↵
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↵As much of a fan fave and franchise catalyst as Landry is, the same goes for him. Houston lucked into him, but they can easily find an equivalent. All these teams can; there are plenty of hungry, semi-capable ballers floating around the margins, so sayeth Dr. Skeets. And the Euros, homesick, unloved, and ready to reap bigger rewards on their own continent, it’s a no-brainer. Why wouldn’t Andris Biedrins or Sasha Vujacic consider leaving the NBA, if there’s better money and warmer embraces waiting elsewhere? Especially if they too have money concerns, or are being offered more.↵
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So even though most of these will never come true, and individual teams could be left in lurch, beyond Childress this is, for now, anything but a revolution. It’s mercenary, desperate, paper-chasing, and for some, a yearning to be back where they belong. The NBA will recover from these just fine—it’s just those idiot Cavs and Warriors we have to worry about. Though then again, I’m all in favor of Anthony Randolph starting from day one.↵
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↵RED ALERT THAT IS THE SOUNDS OF JUMPING SHARKS: Kidd ponders an eventual European trip, but that’s more the Nique scenario.↵