NBA players enjoyed some down time this weekend during the All Star break. 48 of those players took some time to participate in an ESPN poll, asking some questions regarding the future of the league. A few of the questions revolved around Lebron and his upcoming decision. 59% of the players polled think he will stay in Cleveland, with the Lakers being the second most popular choice with 22%. When asked where he should sign, Cleveland jumped up to 66% with the rest of the players scattered all over the league. The players want to see Lebron teamed up with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chris Paul and Dwanye Wade, each getting 12% of votes. They were also asked for the best coaching match for Lebron. Popovich received 46% of votes while Tyron Lue only received 18%. A handful of players submitted an answer along the lines of “Lebron is his own coach”. In non-Lebron news, 80% of the players believe Boogie Cousins will start next season in New Orleans. Players were also asked about OKC’s opening night lineup. 45% think that only Russ and Melo will be around next year, 24% think the big three will stay in tact and 22% believe it will Westbrook by himself again. The players were split 51% and 49% on the issue of max contracts. 51% were in favor of a max contract. One player put the argument very nicely, “LeBron, Steph and KD, all those guys bring a lot more than what they’re getting paid. … But being a lower-tier salary guy myself, if you pay those guys even more, the lower guys on the totem pole don’t really get anything”. The final question of interest was, “Which team have you heard makes the best free-agent pitch?” Boston received the highest percentage with 27%. While some of this seems silly, it’s cool to get a peek into some players’ mindsets.
