As the excitement of NBA free agency cools down, I cannot help but liken this short period to one of the most dramatic shows on TV: "The Bachelorette."

Just look at it this way; the free agent (bachelor or bachelorette) is courted throughout a ten-day period by multiple different teams (bachelors or bachelorette contestants) who are trying their hardest to find a player who can change the direction of their franchise or possibly just fill a void. (Hey, you define love how you want.) The teams each come up with a plan to make a best impression on a potential free agent (first night at the bachelor mansion), while also trying to find a good time to swoop away the free agent from other potential suitors. At the end of it all, the player ends up choosing one team with which he will spend a selected amount of years of his career (giving away his final rose). There are even situations where players narrow their decision to a few final teams. If that does not sound like a rose ceremony then I do not know what does.

Let’s take a look at an example. Lamarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trailblazers was a free agent this off season. He will be our bachelor. He was expected to be courted by multiple teams (bachelorettes) according to the media, who we will call the producers. The role of Chris Harrison will be played by Adrian Wojnarowski, because he just seems to know everything before everyone.

Bachelor Lamarcus decided that he had gotten all he could out of his ex-girlfriend in Portland. He needed more in his life and joined NBA free agency to look for love. The producers had rumored multiple different bachelorettes including girls from San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and even his ex-girlfriend, because what is the Bachelor without a little drama?

Each bachelorette prepared their presentations for Lamarcus, hoping to make a great first impression and possibly even steal the first impression rose. Most of their presentations centered on how the bachelorettes would not be here if Lamarcus was not the Bachelor.

San Antonio had a strong relationship history; however their old loves were dying of old age and they needed to find a new love to move forward with their life. Houston had recently lost a bunch of weight and now was one of the more beautiful bachelorettes in the NBA. Dallas had always tried to go after the best bachelors around, but were always turned down and instead always found themselves settling for less appealing mates. Los Angeles had a happy marriage which eventually faded away after many years, and now all that was left was an old car the couple bought together which was great for years, but now always needed repairs and costed Los Angeles money but would not leave (Kobe). Portland began a presentation about all the memories she and Lamarcus had shared and how she would change to make Lamarcus happy.

Lamarcus knew he was going to have to try to make time for all the bachelorettes so he could see what each had to offer. After the first round of meetings, Lamarcus began to question the intentions of Los Angeles. He did not want to go out and have fun all the time, he wanted a happy and loving marriage at home (the basketball court). He decided that he would not give a rose to Los Angeles. However, by the end of the night Lamarcus had decided who he was going to give his first impression rose to: San Antonio. He even told San Antonio that he was falling in love with them, which upset the producers that wanted as much drama in this decision as possible.

Just as soon as everyone thought that Lamarcus was going to propose to San Antonio and give them his final rose, Phoenix swooped in with their beautiful eyes and new nose (Tyson Chandler signing) to try and steal Bachelor Lamarcus’ heart. Despite many questioning Phoenix’s intentions, the producers loved the drama that the late add in Phoenix added to the show, after Phoenix had been on the Bachelorette in seasons past. Phoenix is the only bachelorette I will give a name: Nick.

While Lamarcus was extremely wooed with his physical relationship with Nick, he could not help but still feel like his destiny was to end up with San Antonio, where he knew he’d have a happy and loving marriage.

By the show’s end, Lamarcus had decided to give the final rose to San Antonio, according to Chris Harrison’s sources. Although she was a little bit older, he felt confident he would get everything he was looking for, and he knew her heart was in the right place.

That’s a lot to take in if you do not follow the NBA or "The Bachelorette," but the point is this: NBA players have ushered in an era in which they have all the power. They control front offices decisions and keep grown men hanging on their every word, trying to have an idea of what they might do and how they can be persuaded. This might make people uncomfortable, but in the NBA, where one guy can change the direction of a franchise and possibly even bring in millions of dollars to a city, it is the new status quo.