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Prominent agent Mark Bartelstein was asked to assess how he views the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement that has become more restrictive for teams to sign and acquire players if they are above the first or second apron.

"My initial take from where I sit is I hate it," said Bartelstein on the Hoop Collective Podcast. "Because it's restrictive and takes away... In the world I live in, I want flexibility for my clients. I want player movement. I want to be able to engage with all 30 teams. We were able to do that under the old CBA because you could engage all 30 teams, but they were restricted in what they can do. Now, they are far more restricted. Some teams you cannot even engage with other than maybe a minimum deal. Even the Knicks couldn't even do that to begin the season.

"From that standpoint, I'm not a big fan. I understand the logic behind it. I understand what Adam [Silver] is trying to accomplish. He wants parity. He wants to create as much equal competition to win a championship as possible. I personally disagree a little bit with him on what is best for the league because I think where you create the most interest in the NBA is not during the season, it's in the offseason. That's where you create the most interest. That's where fans buy season tickets. That's where sponsors jump in because they see 'Wow, this team made this move, that team made that move. They're improved.' People jump on board and get excited.

"If you're taking a bunch of teams whose ownership wants to be competitive and wants to spend money and wants to give their fans a chance to win, and you're not allowing them to do that. Or you're making it so restrictive and the penalties are so punitive, I don't think that's great for the game. 

"Adam's counter to that is he thinks 'If I can create 30 teams with an equal chance to win a championship, we're going to have a much more compelling season. Many more fan bases being engaged throughout the year.'

"We'll see. We're just getting started. Time will tell. From that standpoint as a player, business is about leverage. Leverage comes from choices. If your choices are diminished, then as a player, you have less leverage. That's part of the problem right now with the new CBA."

Bartelstein represents Bradley Beal, Kyle Lowry, Michael Porter Jr., Keegan Murray and many others.

Via Tim MacMahon/ESPN

the new CBA is great. it creates more championship turnover; teams can't dominate as long as they used to so we have more parity. it also prevents teams from overloading up on top talent

They need to implement this type of CBA in baseball.

The NBA is becoming more like the NFL in terms of competitive balance from year to year.

It’s terrible and way too punitive

The inability to take back more salary in a trade should be a second apron restriction, not a first, because it makes it Newley impossible for teams over the first apron to make deals with each other.

I am surprised the players association agreed to the new CBA. Not sure what Andre Iguodala was thinking. When you give that much to the owners in negotiations there is no going back.

You have quality players signing for the minimum or below their value because the teams that are interested can't use the MLE anymore. Some teams can't even sign minimum players. While cap space teams often rather use it to take on a bad contract with draft compensation from teams looking to save money.

Maybe it ends up being good for some teams, but I think it will be pretty bad for players as a whole.

beefman wrote:the new CBA is great. it creates more championship turnover; teams can't dominate as long as they used to so we have more parity. it also prevents teams from overloading up on top talent

The question is whether this is actually what fans truly like vs what they say or think they like, and we will find out.

Fans do tend to like things like rivalries and as much as they complain, do seem to like super teams, whether rooting for or against them, and dynasties, so we'll see if fans like things like a "homegrown" team like OKC having to get broken up.

A greedy bum repping a bunch of overpriced losers is whining about losing a few million bucks.

Awwwwwww poor wee guy.

There are 30 owners in the NBA and 2 or 3 benefited from the previous CBA. The other 27 teams want to compete for chips and build their team sponsor base.

It isn’t good for a league to have the same handful of teams willing to spend up to a half billion dollars to buy championships.

It is about time.

Oncloud9 wrote:There are 30 owners in the NBA and 2 or 3 benefited from the previous CBA. The other 27 teams want to compete for chips and build their team sponsor base.

It isn’t good for a league to have the same handful of teams willing to spend up to a half billion dollars to buy championships.

It is about time.

This is what it's about but it does look like we're heading to a place where more veterans are out of the league as teams save my money filling their roster with rookies and league entry contracts. I hope it goes to a place where we don't throw out all these max contracts anymore and spread the wealth but most likely it'll be support players that suffer.

For the fan though the competitive balance is great, loving how many great teams there are right now.

I personally disagree a little bit with him on what is best for the league because I think where you create the most interest in the NBA is not during the season, it's in the offseason. That's where you create the most interest. That's where fans buy season tickets. That's where sponsors jump in because they see 'Wow, this team made this move, that team made that move. They're improved.' People jump on board and get excited.

So you think the most important part of the basketball product, is a part of it that isn't actually basketball. Good riddance.

jaemulla wrote:The NBA is becoming more like the NFL in terms of competitive balance from year to year.

In concept only because the Chiefs can do no wrong. I see them going undefeated and of course winning yet another Super Bowl.

eureca20 wrote:I am surprised the players association agreed to the new CBA. Not sure what Andre Iguodala was thinking. When you give that much to the owners in negotiations there is no going back.

You have quality players signing for the minimum or below their value because the teams that are interested can't use the MLE anymore. Some teams can't even sign minimum players. While cap space teams often rather use it to take on a bad contract with draft compensation from teams looking to save money.

Maybe it ends up being good for some teams, but I think it will be pretty bad for players as a whole.

Supposedly the new CBA helps role players make more money. I agree with Silver on this new CBA. I know dynasties get ratings, but you're trying to maximize everything and bring more dollars and eyeballs by keeping more markets engaged and involved throughout the season, instead of 2-3 super teams.

24istheLAW wrote:

I personally disagree a little bit with him on what is best for the league because I think where you create the most interest in the NBA is not during the season, it's in the offseason. That's where you create the most interest. That's where fans buy season tickets. That's where sponsors jump in because they see 'Wow, this team made this move, that team made that move. They're improved.' People jump on board and get excited.

So you think the most important part of the basketball product, is a part of it that isn't actually basketball. Good riddance.

Don't get mad at him, the media created this. ESPN, TNT, First Take, etc. Hot takes and year round drama. We didn't create this.

Clemenza wrote:

24istheLAW wrote:

I personally disagree a little bit with him on what is best for the league because I think where you create the most interest in the NBA is not during the season, it's in the offseason. That's where you create the most interest. That's where fans buy season tickets. That's where sponsors jump in because they see 'Wow, this team made this move, that team made that move. They're improved.' People jump on board and get excited.

So you think the most important part of the basketball product, is a part of it that isn't actually basketball. Good riddance.

Don't get mad at him, the media created this. ESPN, TNT, First Take, etc. Hot takes and year round drama. We didn't create this.

the fans consume it and signal to do more. The nba dropped a well researched, effort filled video on why the 2017 warriors are unstoppable.... a video of talking heads debating if the warriors are a contender or not with way less work has more views