Team USA wouldn’t have won their fifth straight Olympics Gold without Stephen Curry and LeBron James. Steph took over in the 4th quarter, draining 4 threes from downtown in the final 2:43 minutes to extend the lead to 11 points after the French had cut it down to just 3, while LeBron took care of things on both sides of the court. Now, you’d ask why we are reminding you about this. That’s because the crossover between the Splash Brother coming clutch and the King winning MVP has generated a different level of excitement.
With the NBA’s ongoing legal dispute with TNT Sports after signing a new 11-year broadcasting deal with Amazon Prime Video and new partners, analyst Nick Wright brings out his inner fanboy after Team USA’s Gold triumph. He has suggested a special business idea to Adam Silver, the NBA Commissioner, that the fans, whether rivals or not, are bound to love. On his show What’s Wright? With Nick Wright, he said, “I just want to see if Steph and LeBron could old man 2-man and game their way to an NBA finals.
“Listen, I’m not above Adam Silver having an off-record closed-door meeting and being like Lakers, Warriors, or pick a 3rd. Figure it out, figure something out, it’s good for business,” he said. Wright makes a point of pushing high-stakes games between LeBron James and Stephen Curry, as it would help increase the TRP, which will eventually benefit the league’s business interests for further commercial dealings, amid the ongoing legal and financial strife.
Interestingly, the Lakers vs. Warriors audience peaked on ABC at 11:45 p.m. ET on January 2024 with 5,235,000 viewers. It was up 8% from last year. The intensity of the game won the fan’s hearts in all ways. Wright further added, “It will create more intrigue and interest rather than these 2 guys on bad teams or mediocre teams.” This response was an answer to who Nick thought, between the Lakers and Warriors, would play in games that “actually matter sooner than the other.”
LeBron and Steph are business boosters for Adam Silver and the NBA already, amid the legal dispute with Shaq’s employers
LeBron James and Stephen Curry are two of the most marketable and influential figures in the NBA, and a playoff series or any sort of contest between their respective teams would likely generate enormous interest and viewership. The ongoing legal battle for broadcasting rights between Amazon Prime Video and TNT has Adam Silver and the league’s reputation at stake.
While TNT has contractual matching rights, as an incumbent rights-holder, the dispute hinges on whether they properly exercise the same. Either party winning will have ripple effects on the league’s finances and most of the fanbase already isn’t happy that their favorite NBA panel with Shaq and Charles Barkley won’t be a thing next year.
On the other hand, while speaking about financial challenges, both the Lakers and Warriors have had a really poor offseason. For the Lakers, the concerns are centered around bringing in reliable shooters and scorers alongside the likes of AD and an aging LeBron. And apart from Bronny James and Dalton Knecht’s arrival after JJ Redick, there’s been no real addition.
Golden State Warriors face similar issues, involving a broken and aging dynasty core, a failed pursuit for many players in the offseason, and the young stats in the Bay Area adjusting to new team dynamics.
LeBron and Steph are also on their last legs and final contracts. After their legendary playing career, both have openly shared their ambitions to give back to the game, becoming a franchise owner. The only way this could occur in LeBron’s case is if the league expands to Las Vegas while Curry already spearheads an ownership group alongside Marc Lasry’s Avenue Sports Fund, together acquiring San Francisco’s team in TGL.
“I just want to be a part of an ownership group that is as excited as I would be to obviously win, be in a position where you’re connecting with the community and the fan base the way that we have here in the Bay Area,” Stephen Curry had said in 2023 when he asked about his business plans in the sport post-retirement.
In conclusion, while Nick Wright makes a point about more games and the spotlight on LeBron James and Steph Curry, reflecting on maximizing business benefits, this effort will probably be one of the final times they link up on the hardwood while keeping in mind that they’ll be retired by the next FIBA World Cup and Olympics.
Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.
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