The Moral Issue of Responding To PM's

[RaptorsGM]

Well, SSBA is up and running again, thanks to Dabods, known to this league as the "NetsGM". Let me first thank him for all his hard work.

This "article" idea came about after my extensive trade talks with the ClippersGM. We were both very happy over the promptness each other showed in responding to PM's in detail, and quickly at that.

How many of you send out a large quantity of PM's? How many of you hold off talks regarding deals with some of your players, because those players were involved in a proposal you sent to another team?

Then, after asking a responsive Gm to be patient for days, weeks, however long, you find that your proposal has been read. However, there was no comment from the GM whom you prosposed the deal to. No counter-offer. Nothing.

Are you to assume they didn't like the deal, and couldn't be bothered to send you a few lines telling you this, and why? For me, I'm never sure what to think when this happens.

How hard would it be to say "No thanks, Rafer Alston isn't the type of player I need"? how much effort does this take?

I ask that all of you seriously consider responding to PM's. When I receive nothing in return for my efforts in proposing you a deal, I find myself getting angry, and therefore less likely to want to deal with you in the future.

It's in the interest in SSBA and it's participants to respond to your PM's.

[SixersGM]

Totally agree with this post. I think the league needs to implement strict rules that would ensure better board/GM activity. Passiveness, along with cheating,  is one of the major causes of a league's downfall..

[HornetsGM]

I agree with this in general.
I didn't respond to a "form letter" that you sent out once. I think PMs like that should just be posted on the trade board thread...

Some GMs might get annoyed by ridiculous trade offers. I responded to an offer of an expiring, a non-lotto pick and an average center for Baron Davis. Some GMs might not have responded at all to an offer like that... If the GM is generally active and doesn't respond to your offer, maybe you should try to offer them a better package than something that is a complete ripoff. You might think that this hurts your bargaining power, but it shows them that you are willing to negotiate at a more reasonable level. I don't like to negotiate with someone who sets the bar so low at first because when I ask for more they act like I am asking for too much.
If they don't respond to a more reasonable offer, then you have a legitimate reason to complain.

I also don't see a problem with involving a player in different talks. GMs should understand that this is the nature of the game. Of course, it is to everyone's benefit to mention that the player is involved in other talks (it helps to show that there is interest in the player), but I don't find it to be "morally" irresponsible.

I think a problem is that we haven't really paid attention to who is posting their DCs and who is not. There have to be some GMs that are way overdue at this point.

[ClippersGM-old]

I completely agree with Raptors GM.

I both sent out and received bad offers. But it is not so hard and it does not take much time to let the other GM know what you think.

Hornets GM, I do not totally agree with you. Did I send out bad offers? Yes. Did I send you a bad offer? Yes. Did I receive bad offers? Yes.
For me and a bunch of other GM's it is the first time in a SSBA league so we have to learn as well. People that have been in this league longer, have posted on the boards that trades here are much different from trades in real life. And I really have seen these kinda trades in our season. So for me, and I guess others as well, we have to find out how the whole thing works. You can ask Kings GM!! He traded for Marshall, who in real life is a very good player, but here he sucks.

[RaptorsGM]

I don't expect all people to respond to form-style PM's. That is fine if they dont.

But it makes this league SO much better if people would just say "No thnaks, not the way I'm going"

The WORST is when people say "i like it, let me get back to you later". So then I wait, and wait and hold off other deals, then they never get back to me.