Joe Lacob Fined $500K By NBA For Publicly Discussing Collective Bargaining Talks

[RealGM Wiretap]

The NBA fined Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob for violating the league's policy by publicly discussing collective bargaining talks.

Lacob called the luxury tax system "very unfair" on a recent episode of the Point Forward Podcast hosted by Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner.

The NBA currently forbids owners from "unauthorized communications regarding collective bargaining."

"The truth is, we're only $40 million more than the luxury tax. Now, that's not small but it's not a massive number. We're $200 million over in total because most of that is this incredible penal luxury tax. And what I consider to be unfair and I'm going to say it on this podcast and I hope it gets back to whoever is listening. Obviously, it's self-serving for me to say this, but I think it's a very unfair system because our team is built by ... all top eight players are all drafted by this team," said Lacob on the podcast.

The Warriors paid $171 million in luxury tax this past season, and are projected to pay $181 million next season. 

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

[hyberx]

Lacob got a good point. A team shouldn't be punished for keeping players they drafted and developed.

[OxAndFox]

Lacob got a good point. A team shouldn't be punished for keeping players they drafted and developed.

Agree in theory.
But Wiggins wasn't drafted by the Warriors. If he was going by last year, nor was OPJ or GPII.

[hyberx]

Lacob got a good point. A team shouldn't be punished for keeping players they drafted and developed.

Agree in theory.
But Wiggins wasn't drafted by the Warriors. If he was going by last year, nor was OPJ or GPII.

That's right. It is fair to make the team pay luxury tax on players they acquired, no problem with that.

[hauntedcomputer]

Ah, another super rich guy whining about taxes. How refreshing.

[alienpick]

While I agree with his drafted player point.... $40 million is ONE extra MAX CONTRACT player over the cap. Basically they get one extra SUPERSTAR over the official limit. They should be penalized for that.

I think the system is fair, especially since that tax is distributed to the less fortunate teams.

[alienpick]

Ah, another super rich guy whining about taxes. How refreshing.

Your jealousy is showing through.

Who cares if some guy has more money than you? It doesn't make him better than you. If you want more money.. go out and do the work.

[Cassius]

Ah, another super rich guy whining about taxes. How refreshing.

Your jealousy is showing through.

Who cares if some guy has more money than you? It doesn't make him better than you. If you want more money.. go out and do the work.

It's called the "luxury" tax for a reason. Dude isn't complaining about everybody (or every team) operating within a reasonable set of rules, but for Lacob to complain about the repeater tax, after winning another title, is pretty ridiculous and tone-deaf. This isn't the first time he's made statements like this.

And this is coming from someone who puts him up there with Jerry Buss as one of the greatest owners ever.

[Billl]

It is unfair. Of course, it's unfair in the exact opposite direction he means. Teams shouldn't be able to spend $80 million over the cap just because their owner is super wealthy. He's complaining that his unfair advantage is expensive.

[hyberx]

It is unfair. Of course, it's unfair in the exact opposite direction he means. Teams shouldn't be able to spend $80 million over the cap just because their owner is super wealthy. He's complaining that his unfair advantage is expensive.

First of all, Lacob is not "super wealthy" by NBA owner standard. He is just willing to spend for his players. Secondly, every team could do what he did, it's within the current CBA rules, they just love money more than a good team. Lastly, why should a team be punished by drafting players wisely while the mismanaged teams get the benefit? It makes zero sense and only encourages incompetency.

[Mazter]

Lacob got a good point. A team shouldn't be punished for keeping players they drafted and developed.

They aren't being punished for keeping them, they are being punished for overpaying them. However, the main reason they are paying repeaters luxury tax is because of signing Durant, resign Durant and trade him for Russell and trade Russell for Wiggins. Without Durant there is no luxury tax in 2017 and 2018, and no repeaters tax today. Replace Wiggins with a regular 5M guy and the tax is just 21.5M-23.0M-9.1M the last 3 years. Lacob is not only out of line here, in my opinion he is also misleading the public.

[og15]

Lacob got a good point. A team shouldn't be punished for keeping players they drafted and developed.

Would the Warriors be in repeater tax if they didn't add another max slot by adding Durant, trading him for Russell and then trading Russell for Wiggins? Is it their drafted players that are actually causing the luxury tax situation?

[hyberx]

Lacob got a good point. A team shouldn't be punished for keeping players they drafted and developed.

They aren't being punished for keeping them, they are being punished for overpaying them. However, the main reason they are paying repeaters luxury tax is because of signing Durant, resign Durant and trade him for Russell and trade Russell for Wiggins. Without Durant there is no luxury tax in 2017 and 2018, and no repeaters tax today. Replace Wiggins with a regular 5M guy and the tax is just 21.5M-23.0M-9.1M the last 3 years. Lacob is not only out of line here, in my opinion he is also misleading the public.

Overpaying? Says who? To keep a player in almost every case you have to pay more than the other team, that's called the "winner's curse". Which rotation player is overpaid on the Ws' roster now?

That example makes zero sense given it's all within the current CBA. Is there anything that prevented the other owners from doing so other than being cheap? In fact, taking away the penalty on keeping your own draft players would encourage the teams to pay and keep their own players, in turn, benefit the players even more.

[Mazter]

Overpaying? Says who? To keep a player in almost every case you have to pay more than the other team, that's called the "winner's curse". Which rotation player is overpaid on the Ws' roster now?

That example makes zero sense given it's all within the current CBA. Is there anything that prevented the other owners from doing so other than being cheap? In fact, taking away the penalty on keeping your own draft players would encourage the teams to pay and keep their own players, in turn, benefit the players even more.

I don't have any problem whatsoever with the way the Warriors are run. From their executives to their front office to their staff, all are sublime. Like you said, its all within the current CBA....

Well guess what, so is luxury tax, yet now he is complaining about it. Do you hear the Clippers, Nets or Bucks complaining?
The unfairness according to him is because he can't retain homegrown players without paying tax.
Yet there is no season that his homegrown players salaries surpassed the Tax Treshold.

Code: Select all

          Drafted   Tax           Draftees
Year      players   Treshold      Salaries
2014      6          76.8          19.4
2015      7          84.7          48.8
2016      6         113.3          47.1
2017      6         119.3          72.3
2018      7         123.7          79.6
2019      7         132.6          99.3
2020      10        132.6         120.8   
2021      9         136.6         134.5
2022      9         150.3         148.6   


He paid 460M in luxury tax (and still counting this season) over the past 6 years purely based on the Durant - Russell - Wiggins deal, and they are so not homegrown.
So the only reason Lacob is doing this is to, against those same CBA agreements, influence the public opinion. In this case based on flawed information. Given your reaction, seems like its working.

[alienpick]

Ah, another super rich guy whining about taxes. How refreshing.

Your jealousy is showing through.

Who cares if some guy has more money than you? It doesn't make him better than you. If you want more money.. go out and do the work.

It's called the "luxury" tax for a reason. Dude isn't complaining about everybody (or every team) operating within a reasonable set of rules, but for Lacob to complain about the repeater tax, after winning another title, is pretty ridiculous and tone-deaf. This isn't the first time he's made statements like this.

And this is coming from someone who puts him up there with Jerry Buss as one of the greatest owners ever.

Agreed, but that's not what the OP posted.

[Cassius]

Your jealousy is showing through.

Who cares if some guy has more money than you? It doesn't make him better than you. If you want more money.. go out and do the work.

It's called the "luxury" tax for a reason. Dude isn't complaining about everybody (or every team) operating within a reasonable set of rules, but for Lacob to complain about the repeater tax, after winning another title, is pretty ridiculous and tone-deaf. This isn't the first time he's made statements like this.

And this is coming from someone who puts him up there with Jerry Buss as one of the greatest owners ever.

Agreed, but that's not what the OP posted.

Who are you referring to? The thread OP or the poster mocking Lacob?