Okay, usually one post a day is my limit. But I don’t feel like writing my final or grading (or much of anything else) before I teach at 2pm. So here are some more thoughts on Kobe Bryant.
Following Kobe’s Lead
Disclaimer… the following is meant to be humorous. I think this is obvious (at least I hope so) but sometimes telling a joke in academia can get you in trouble.
After reading about Bryant’s outburst I started to do some thinking. When I came to California State University – Bakersfield six years ago I was promised that steps would be taken to build an economics department that would contend with the best in the country. After six years, though, it’s clear that CSUB is not as driven as I am to build a contender. Several top economists have told me that they would join me in Bakersfield for less money, but the administration here refused to bring these people in. At this point, it’s clear that I have no choice but to seek a trade. So this morning I asked my agent to begin negotiations with other universities. CSUB says they will accept nothing less than two top assistant professors for my services. Of course I know from experience that what people say is not always true. In fact, I am sure a trade could be arranged if a university offered one top assistant and a professor to be named later (or a professor to be named later and a gift certificate to Quiznos).
I do wish to add that I am certainly sorry it has come to this, but I am driven to be a winner. And I cannot work with people who do not have the same drive.
More Silly Thoughts
Peter Vecsey reported in the New York Post yesterday that the Lakers might consider trading Odom and Andrew Bynum for Jermaine O’Neal. This trade does make sense. Bryant has never won a championship without a player named O’Neal, therefore this is clearly a trade that has to happen if Bryant is going to win another title. In fact, one would have to applaud the Lakers for recognizing the key to their championship run.
Of course some people might be skeptical of the claim that the name “O’Neal” was the key. After all, Jermaine has never won an NBA title. And Mike O’Neill also failed to win a title with the Milwaukee Hawks in the early 1950s.
Perhaps the key ingredient is the productivity of your O’Neal. Shaq played eight seasons in LA, where he produced 140 wins and posted a 0.348 Wins Produced per 48 minutes [WP48]. Jermaine played his college ball with the Portland TrailBlazers, where he majored in watching NBA basketball for four seasons. Upon graduation from Portland he joined the Indiana Pacers in 2000-01. In seven seasons in Indiana, he has produced 52.3 wins with a 0.150 WP48. Clearly Jermaine is no Shaq.
He also isn’t any more productive than Odom. Odom has produced 56.3 wins across the past seven seasons. And his WP48 across these years stands at 0.166. In other words, it’s hard to see how the Lakers are any better off substituting J. O’Neal for Odom. In fact, given that J. O’Neal played well below average the second half of last season (a development I need to comment on in more detail later), it’s possible such a trade would make the Lakers worse off.
To make matters even worse, Vescey claims the Lakers would have to surrender Andrew Bynum. As a sophomore last season, Bynum posted a WP48 of 0.132. This is an above average mark and suggests that Bynum might develop into a quality NBA center.
In sum, if Vescey is right, this proposed trade does not appear to benefit the Lakers in the short-run or long-run.
– DJ
Wages of Wins Journal 
Okapi
June 2, 2007
Isn’t there de facto free agency with most professorships since voluntary departure to another school is allowed at any time? With the tenure system being an impediment to mobility. I guess the trade value of an NBA player reflects being contractually obligated to work for a below (current) market wage.
whipdamage
June 2, 2007
how much money do you make per year, dberri?
are the profits from the wages of wins split 3 ways evenly?
i don’t think you should have named the book “wages of wins” since it seems to be making fun of “wages of sins is death” which is in the bible.
dberri
June 2, 2007
Okapi,
Yes, I work under a player-option contract. I could opt out each year for a better deal.
Jeremy
June 2, 2007
I’d be interested in your take on Jermaine O’Neal’s decline toward the end of the year. That team was 26-21 not long after the trade with the Warriors. O’Neal was having what appeared to be a typical season for him. Without running the numbers comparing the early successful stretch with their 9-26 finish, I’m not certain what the difference was.
At a glance though it looks like O’Neal stopped caring to actually put the ball in the basket around January, then stopped grabbing up missed shots by March. Big drop there.
Jeff Foster also declined in much the same way. He was there other win producer.
Could it be that the lockerroom spark of Stephen Jackson left Indiana and landed in Oakland? The Warriors saw a bump in the productivity of Baron Davis and Jason Richardson, whereas the Pacers saw a decline with respect to two of their biggest producers.
dberri
June 2, 2007
Jeremy,
There was a story out of Indiana that someone linked to in a comment in this forum that said O’Neal got hurt a few games after the trade. Before the injury, Indiana looked improved due to the trade. After the injury, O’Neal declined considerably and the season went to hell.
Also, Richardson was hurt early in the year and performed badly. Then he got much better.
My sense is that injuries tell the story here. If it is something about Jackson, then someone has to tell me where this effect has been the rest of his career.