The Buyout Era Is Tainting The Game

[arenas809]

I think there is a more fundamental issue being ignored with these out from the past taliored sign-n-trade deals and it is this: Does the CBA equally bind the league from circumventing the spirt and letter of the CBA?

If the league can act in such a way that allows certain teams to reap benefits from acts not equally available to all teams (such as signing scrubs to whatever salaries they need to make a trade work that cannot work under the spirit of the CBA), is a breach of trust and contractual obligation the league owes to teams.

I think it's one thing for a team to say for a guy like Sam Cassell, ok yes we're giving you money to not play for us and go elsewhere, but you have been a part of the organization and helped put us in the spotlight for about five minutes.

It's another thing when a owner is paying a guy like Keith Van Horn to not play at all.

The NBA tries to act like they're policing this ****, and they're saying well we want to make sure a player is really trying to pursue his career.

Get real.

Aaron McKie was working as a coach, and Van Horn was at home with the fam, not working out, not doing anything.

Now the Nets aren't even making him available for interviews, and he's supposedly working out now, but wouldn't a guy who had a legit interest in resuming his career already be doing that?

I mean there's been some points in this thread made about how these matters are within the rules, but just because it's a rule doesn't make it beyond reproach.

The ultimate question is where does it end?

If you're a fairly young player, it's obvious you shouldn't officially retire because who knows, one day your agent might call and say hey do you want a magic envelope?

[Modern_epic]

Anyone else find it funny that a commissioner of this site would want to get rid of salary matching?

[Dunkenstein]

Anyone else find it funny that a commissioner of this site would want to get rid of salary matching?

Take it easy on him. In his home state of Oklahoma, he's a well-known bull rider. He recently was kicked in the head by a bull, and sometimes makes comments that no rational person would make.

[Twinkie defense]

Right now players get to have their cake (a big guaranteed salary) and eat it too (get paid by that crappy team to play for a contender).

I don't see it happening, but if player contracts were not guaranteed (like in the NFL), I think released players would be much less willing to play for nickels and dimes in San Antonio and Boston.

[arenas809]

How does set-off work in these cases?

The teams get to save whatever amount the player agrees to leave on the table + the set-off amount?

[Dunkenstein]

How does set-off work in these cases?

The teams get to save whatever amount the player agrees to leave on the table + the set-off amount?

http://www.nbpa.org/cba_articles/article-XXVII.php

[HammJ]

-= original quote snipped =-


Take it easy on him. In his home state of Oklahoma, he's a well-known bull rider. He recently was kicked in the head by a bull, and sometimes makes comments that no rational person would make.

Dunk has sufficient reason to believe I'm suffering from a head injury. I'm the one that tried to convince him that Shaq was going to fit in well in Phoenix.

[Dunkenstein]

Dunk has sufficient reason to believe I'm suffering from a head injury. I'm the one that tried to convince him that Shaq was going to fit in well in Phoenix.

By the same token, I tried to convince the Oklahoma Kid that Houston would fall apart with the injury to Yao.

[Twinkie defense]

Looking at NBA's future in a Q&A with David Stern

Q: What do you think about it in terms of the buyouts and the players going from the have-nots to the haves?
A: By the way, the buyouts and all that are very interesting. They mean two things. No. 1, teams that are buying have imprudent contracts with guys that they likely are sorry they have contracts with or are making a contribution commensurate with, and they're happy to move them out. And, teams that have cap room have a valuable asset because they haven't spent crazily and they can accept ... those players and they can do those things.
The beauty of what we have is we have a set of rules, everyone knows what they are, they live within them. They compete ferociously on and off the court. Everything that's going on here with respect to cap analysis, trade analysis, statistical analysis ... and the like, it's really about as sophisticated and competitive as I've ever seen it. Our teams are getting much better. They are getting better at that. They are getting better at their training and their eating and their care. They are getting better at their marketing. I don't know how they are doing at treating the media.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... PVFE5T.DTL

[arenas809]

Smush Parker...

The Heat did not release details of the buyout agreement, but Parker will receive between $500,000 and $900,000 as part of his release.

Parker signed a two-year, $4.6 million contract with the Heat as a free agent last summer. The deal included a player option to return for $2.5 million next season.

[see4miles]

Interesting topic which i have discovered late it seems. nice to see the word 'pissant' being used and not in the description of a Youtube video.

But to be serious for a moment. The thing that will ease this sort of thing happening is the latest CBA shortening contracts. Your Ratliffs and Walkers were the last generation of players given ridiculously long contracts by desperate teams because they had no option.
In the next CBA which will probably make the max contract even shorter the chances of a Ring hungry vet being under contract will be even less common.
Finally the amount players will be willing to give up will get much bigger as HOPEFULLY in the CBA a player can be sent to the NBDL at ANY TIME. I think players like Sam and Damon would have given up a lot more if they had time in Idaho or Iowa rather to make a decision about their future with massive fines if they got rebellious.
Trust me the above scenario will give non-contendor teams more money and a quicker resolution and will make the fans feel better!

The only consolation is that it is all cyclical and San Antonio won't be able to attract anyone in 5 years time just like Miami can't now.

[FGump]

You theorize that we wont see any deals like Walkers again, except the fact is that Walker was signed under the NEW rules. Overpaying will continue to happen as long as you have the human element where mistakes are made and player performance goes up and down.

As far as the idea that longer-term veterans will ever be eligible to be assigned to the NBADL (at least without permission), you can forget it. Having the D-league sitting there as some sort of "punitive" option for teams to use won't ever be agreed to by the players.

[see4miles]

You're right about the Walker thing. Good spot. I remembered after I left the keyboard.

Re the DLeague thing. I am sure that Stern is pushing for it and pushing for it. it's the only way the League has any possibility of 'waking players up' and in some cases getting them away from the locker room and keeping them in shape.
I think every team in the league can see the benefit of it. And I don't think it's something that ALL players will support. can you imagine Tony Parker being scared of being sent down? What about Chris Paul? They aregoing to go on strike for about one week and then think.. "hang on, this strike only protects the jerome james and Darius Miles of this league! Why the hell am I not getting paid so they can avoid Idaho!"

I am sure Stern is willing to take that risk, maybe not this CBA but DEFINITELY the one after that. (This CBA will be even 4th year rooks can be sent down)

[FGump]

Re the DLeague thing. I am sure that Stern is pushing for it and pushing for it. it's the only way the League has any possibility of 'waking players up' and in some cases getting them away from the locker room and keeping them in shape.

Look, I absolutely ABHOR David Stern and think he's a blight on the human race. I think the NBA would be well served to finding another commissioner and that he is a walking example of the axiom that "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

But despite my dislike of Stern, I haven't heard one single whisper, at any time and in any way, that says Stern would secretly love for the NBADL to be a punitive option for teams to use against players.

Therefore, I think you're creating your own fairy tale fantasy here.

And there are other ways to wake players up. The best way to get their full attention is to not play them and make them rot on the inactive list. If anything will jolt them to reality, that is the trick.

Besides, if you turn the D-league into PUNISHMENT, you risk losing it altogether as a tool to develop better players. And the NBA has worked so hard to get the D-league ties in place with the ability to send young players there, that it would be dumb to screw that up.

[Duiz]

the buyout era is just pathetic, I disagree with how the rules are set on it, and the fact that players still get to cash on.

Look at the Brent Barry/Kurt Thomas case. Because of the buyouts, they were released and the Spurs's roster was revitalized again. Ridiculous. First of all, Seattle shouldn't be able to mass buyout everyone they want, get 12 draft picks between 08 and 09, and dispose of players like that.

[Three34]

Why not? Everyone got what they wanted, and gave up something that they didn't want in return. Why shouldn't the top teams benefit from being run better?

[Duiz]

The distribution of talent becomes really damaging to poor teams. Just look at the Seattle franchise. It has gone so off of contention or pretention that the enthusiasm was lost, and so was the franchise.

[FGump]

What's your point? You think the league has some sort of obligation to save teams from their own stupidity? It just won't happen.

And the assertion that the buyout of Barry somehow has led to the demise of basketball in Seattle is so utterly moronic that I don't even know how to respond. If anything, having an extra #1 pick (which adds hope) in lieu of an aging backup they don't want anyhow, is a positive not a negative for the fans of Seattle.

The problem is, the Seattle populace has voted over and over (with their pocketbooks) that they DON'T WANT to pay the price for an NBA franchise. That's their right. But don't blame the NBA for that, they only have themselves to blame. And Seattle has had a longgggggggg record of winning, so if a few years happen where it's their turn with them at the bottom of the heap, and that's all it takes to ruin basketball in Seattle, I'm have no sympathy whatsoever.

[JohnnyK]

The problem is, the Seattle populace has voted over and over (with their pocketbooks) that they DON'T WANT to pay the price for an NBA franchise.

This is taking this thread off-topic, but that is bull. Key Arena was rebuilt in 94 and 95, why should taxpayers fund billionaires and give them another new arena just a decade later?

[FGump]

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This is taking this thread off-topic, but that is bull. Key Arena was rebuilt in 94 and 95, why should taxpayers fund billionaires and give them another new arena just a decade later?

You're just flat wrong.

Taxpayers in cities don't have to do anything they don't want to, but the REALITY is if you want to be one of only 30 cities with an NBA franchise, you have to pay the going price.

And that's the point that Seattle-ites don't want to recognize. If you want a team, there's a price (and it's not one that Seattle determines). You pay, or you don't. If you don't pay, you have no one to blame but yourself. So when they vote no to a new arena - one that (this is a key point) other cities would provide - they are saying they don't want a team, in the same way I am saying I don't want a Ferrari when the dealer says it costs $250K and I whine about the price tag.

They could keep the team if they voted to provide the amenities that other places will offer. They voted no. That's on them. And you can't say, "We put a new coat of paint on our out-of-date model 15 years ago" and then complain you've done all you can do, because that's akin to me offering $1000 to the Ferrari dealer and saying "But I really want that Ferrari, you just aren't being fair and letting me buy it."

If you want the best, you gotta pay the price.