Non Contract Bonuses

Christine-In-AZ · Post #1 » by **Christine-In-AZ** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:35 am

-Can a team give (not previously agreed to) bonuses if they stay under the salary cap after the bonus is given?

-Same question for a team that is beneath the NBA salary floor?

DBoys · Post #2 » by **DBoys** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 2:08 am

ChrisInAZ wrote:-Can a team give (not previously agreed to) bonuses if they stay under the salary cap after the bonus is given?

-Same question for a team that is beneath the NBA salary floor?

Not sure what scenario you're envisioning, but I'd wager it wouldn't be something a team would wish to do.

Christine-In-AZ · Post #3 » by **Christine-In-AZ** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 7:14 am

DBoys wrote:
ChrisInAZ wrote:-Can a team give (not previously agreed to) bonuses if they stay under the salary cap after the bonus is given?

-Same question for a team that is beneath the NBA salary floor?

Not sure what scenario you're envisioning, but I'd wager it wouldn't be something a team would wish to do.

You didn't answer my question. Still hopeful someone can tell me what the CBA says about unsolicited bonuses. My envisioned scenario below...and I don't care about whether or not you think it's a good idea. I'm simply asking if it's legal.

The scenario I'm envisioning is if the Suns are forced into accepting a season with Eric Bledsoe on a one year 3.7 million dollar expiring. As I post this, the Suns want to pay him 12 million this year (and then 36 million over 3 years after this season), but Bledsoe (it strongly appears) wants to take the QO...to play out this season and become a free agent next summer. Most people seem to view this possible Bledsoe QO acceptance as a fait accompli that Bledsoe will leave Phoenix next summer, but I don't. If I was calling the shots for the Suns...I was the owner, and I was faced with having to accept the Bledsoe 3.7 million dollar, one year deal, I would not hold this QO decision against him. I'd respect his decision and would do everything I could to make this season as positive of an experience as possible. I'd grease the wheels with good will and cold hard cash!!! Eric Bledsoe is worth more than 3.7 million dollars going into the season. If his play is anywhere close to what he delivered last year, I would like to slip a 2 million dollar check into his Suns Purple & Orange Christmas stocking come late December. Color me crazy, but I'm doing it if it's legal.

IS IT LEGAL?

Suns wanted to pay Bledsoe 12 million...they'd be getting him for 3.7 million...I want to pay him 5.7 million because it's the right (cool) thing to do.

With the QO the Suns (EB Bird rights in hand) will be the only team that can give Bledsoe a 5 year max salary next summer. No guarantee whatsoever, but giving him a HUGE unexpected bonus check mid-season can only help with negotiations next summer. You're delusional if you think otherwise. Plus I believe the Suns are currently below the salary floor. Not a bad, possibly constructive way to get above that threshold, again, if legal.

DBoys · Post #4 » by **DBoys** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:37 pm

I'm not going to argue with you over the viability of the Suns bidding against themselves, but there's no guesswork as to how the Suns themselves see the issue, because in 12 days or less, we should see their answer. (If he hasn't done something by Oct 1, this would get real interesting, because the whole game changes. But no way it's not resolved by then, unless the agent is a moron.)

If the Suns want to pay Bledsoe more than the QO on a one-year deal, they can simply offer him that contract. No need to try to do some weird under-the-table "bonus." Or they could put incentives ion the deal, if they wanted. But if they believe that such a move would be meaningless, in essence bidding against themselves rather than applying max motivation for him to sign for 4 years, they'd have no good reason to offer him a bigger 1-year deal.

We'll see what they think is the right idea, when something happens.

They have an ace in the hole, and imo that gives them every reason to leave the QO as the only short-term option they offer. Next summer, no matter what one-year deal he might sign, the Suns will still have the ability to offer him a bigger deal than anyone else can offer. So if he wants the biggest deal, the Suns will have the upper hand over everyone next summer no matter what, without having to fiddle with any alternatives this season.

Because of that, I see deals like $5M or $6M or $8M as futile (and perhaps somewhat insulting) attempts to gain favor, with him ending up feeling underpaid no matter how much they offer, if it's less than what he feels he's worth. IMO they'd do better to simply save their money and tack it onto a 2015 offer, since their avenue to making him love them will be to offer a bigger 2015 deal than anyone else does.

Bigger issue is, what is he even worth? He's had one half of one season of strong production, and then broke down. His demands are absurd, expecting a max deal.

DBoys · Post #5 » by **DBoys** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:38 pm

Oh, and no you can't pay players under the table. Duh.

giberish · Post #6 » by **giberish** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 7:39 pm

While you can't give bonuses like you've proposed, as noted, if both parties were willing Bledsoe could sign with PHX for 1 year at any amount from the vet min to the 5th year max. There's obviously no reason for Bledsoe to take less than his QO, but there's no reason for Phx to offer more. If he takes a 1-year deal (QO or otherwise) he'll make his next contract based on what's best for him at the time.

The only reason to offer more than a QO in a 1-year deal is if the team specifically wants the player for one year but not more (such as David Lee with the Knicks).

Post #7 » by **Smitty731** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:34 pm

In addition, if I remember right, all bonuses must be listed as "likely" or "not likely" in any contract. How "likely" vs "not likely" is decided is based on previous factors. It can be things like making an All Star Team, finishing in the top 5 of MVP voting, etc. If that has happened or not, the bonus flips from one way to the other. This happened recently with Joakim Noah and almost caused Chicago to be a Tax team last year.

But paying guys under the table is a HUGE no no. This has gotten teams punished in the past.

DBoys · Post #8 » by **DBoys** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 3:03 am

Smitty731 wrote:In addition, if I remember right, all bonuses must be listed as "likely" or "not likely" in any contract.

Unlikely to matter, if Suns did some sort of "alternative to the QO" one-year deal with Bledsoe with bonuses. Suns have more than ample cap room with Bledsoe (all the way up to the max) to to be able to sign a deal with a salary plus a bonus. Eventually the bonus would be paid (and added to the final cap) or not (and not added).