GMs will be thanking Nico Harrison in a few years

[Lepramaniac]

The supermax is good for small teams because it gives them a chance to keep star players in small markets. However, the problem is that players are signing the supermax AND asking for a trade to a big market a few years later. So, while the idea is noble, the current implementation is flagged. In my opinion, players who sign a supermax contract should be banned from requesting a trade. Or if they do, the supermax should revert to a lower contract.

[Wingy]

Pretty solid OP, but I’ll diverge in the thanking Nico part. Well done to spark conversation for sure with that…but let’s not go that far.

Also, KD, Lebron and Kyrie are absolutely not worth the supermax, but that’s a minor note in the grand scheme.

Overall Bigger Picture Issue
Root issue is that the supermax rule was intended to help the home team, but with cap and tax and apron restrictions - it’s actually a negative.

I’ve always said, the easy fix is to allow owners to pay the extra “super” part outside the cap/tax/apron rules.

Granular Issue
Luka situation
Sure, I can see the case for a trade, but if you’re going win now- you go for an older, injury prone dude?

Just plain bad ownership

[JJ_PR]

Lakers GM will be thanking Nico Harrison in a few years

FTFY.

[JonFromVA]

The flaw in the supermax is it should have gone further to incentivize player+team loyalty like by having it only count as a max contract for cap purposes for as long as the player is on the team that drafted him.

the real flaw is that single 3rd all NBA shouldn't be enough to qualify.
I would sum the previous three seasons.
5% for each MVP
3% for each All NBA 1st
2% for each All NBA 2nd
1% for each All NBA 3rd
to be added to the standard 30%, capping at 35%.
Locking a guy who might be the a borderline All Star to 35% for 5 years, starting 1 year from now, is waaaay too much.

I wouldn't call that the real flaw because a team doesn't technically have to offer the supermax just because they have the option to.

The goal of the supermax was 2 part: to reward the best players in the league and to help small market teams who need help in order to retain their homegrown stars or else they become little more than a minor league for the rich teams.

On one hand, we don't want to see team's held hostage to players who are eligible for the supermax and don't deserve it, and on the other hand, what we think is valuable may be out of line with what a specific team considers valuable. So some fine tuning may be needed like you suggested, but we don't necessarily want it to be too restrictive.

And then finally, risk is a problem in the NBA period. We can do something about that with amnesty clauses and stretch provisions, but that doesn't come free and we don't want to let bad GM's off the hook too easily for their bad decisions or they'll just keep making them.

[kartexpert]

Did everyone else in this thread miss the gist of the OP, or am I tripping?

[Forbes]

I’m 100% not thanking Nico for Anything.

[life_saver]

Gobert is not on supermax

[The Laker Kid]

Nico stole AD from us.

[OxAndFox]

GMs are thanking Nico because no matter what horrible trade they are making, no one will call them the worst GM ever

It's now called a Nico.

Well at least he didn't Nico the trade.

[Ayt]

How often does a LeBron emerge in the NBA? It's meant for obviously a LeBron level player, or a Giannis level, Curry level, Jokic level, etc.

The issue is guys who are NOT LeBron tier players, but actually more like Gilbert Arenas or Tim Hardaway tier player are signing these deals now and that's ruining what it's meant to do, which is preserve the GENERATIONAL talents, not just the "all time great" guys.

Andre Drummond has an All NBA team selection, a 2nd team selection at that. He could have been eligible if the Supermax was available.

A Luka level player should have been obvious as well...

Luka feels more like Carmelo on steroids if you ask me

You should start following a different sport.

[Ayt]

Imo Nico Harrison set a precedent to other GMs, which is that you have to be tighter with the supermax, you have to be tighter with your stars. The NBA has been a cash cow for teams and players, but ultimately the main goal of teams is to win championships, not sell jerseys. The Supermax needs to be reserved, it needs to be treated with more respect, it shouldn't be a desperation play by bad management. Good management recognizes it.

AD will make just as much on his extension as Luka would have made on the supermax.

[California Gold]

No matter what the Lakers franchise is going to be happy with this trade. At worst for the next 5-6 years they can sell tickets with ease having a player that will put asses in seats. AD was not going to be that long term at his age.

For what is the biggest market/stage in the league, they have been saved by Nico.

[doogie_hauser]

It was Mavs ownership that decided to not give Luka the Max extension and trade him, not Nico

Also look at how screwed Philly are for the future after their deals for Embiid and Paul George.

Those two Philly Plonkers and recently Jimmy Butler is going to make teams think long and hard before handing out Max extensions or super duper F/A deals in future

[hauntedcomputer]

But why bring back an injured aging star? On the open market, Luka woulda went for a huge rebuilding package

Only dummies or people who truly value money over winning (probably most owners) would rebuild the season after a finals appearance. It didn't really work out for the Mavs last time they tried that, either.

As dumb as the trade was, trading for four picks and gambling against the odds that you get someone as good as Luka is even dumber. Unless you really just don't want to pay any luxury taxes. (AD if extended will be near Luka's supermax cost anyway).

I like the idea of the super part not counting against the salary cap. And the criteria is too weak, should be only for top-three MVP finishers or first team All-NBA.

[The Servant]

If you're comparing Bradley Beal and Gobert to Luka this thread is already done.

[Godymas]

If you're comparing Bradley Beal and Gobert to Luka this thread is already done.

but that’s what the supermax implies! it’s not me that compared them, it’s the highly compensated NBA front offices that determined they command the same value

[shi-woo]

Trash post. You forget 2 things:

1.) Supermax's were not well received by most fans who understood the CBA, and the many forced scenario's it would cause. Situations like the Luka and Wall situations are what most people were scared of happening, and many people HATED the idea of linking pay/cap to voted on awards like All-NBA.

2.) The supermax in general was created to STOP players like Luka from leaving DAL for LA. Literally, that's not even hyperbole here That's what makes this trade so bad, because it essentially **** on the current CBA and the way the league encentivized TEAMS (not players) to keep their best players or the process of trading said player if they were going to walk.

The way Fox did it essentially. The player has added incentive to play really hard for that money, and if they don't get it or you don't offer the extension, you have a year on the contract to make the trade.

In this situation neither Luka demanded a trade, nor was he ever on the trading block.

I'm not going to lie, I'm not a fan of player empowerment in the sense that it's watered down the sport, and I typically side with the owners, so I do think OP is correct. When it's time for a new CBA there can be no more BS, this current one was an abject failure, and we are probably headed for a lock out unless players make some major concessions,.

Nico might have been fighting back against this, and you are right, he's a legend among his peers, but he did this way too early, with the wrong player, and traded him to the wrong team. You want to see teams do this with 2ndary stars like DeRozen or Garland when you get cold feet about handing over the 5 year bag. Not someone like Luka who is the face of the league. This only hurt the NBA and other GM's.

It didn't give more power to the GM's, they could always trade a player whenever, all it did was give more power back to the players who are starting to monopolize it. If Kyrie left at the end of this year and signed with the Heat, who is going to get mad at him?

All Nico did was make it easier for guys like KD and LeBron to do their Decisions, for AD and Paul to request their trades to LA right before they sign the big pay day, and to do what Kawhii did.

In a perfect world GM's learn restraint and contracts and negotiations become more fair, but we know that isn't going to be the case. Players are still going to chase the bag, and there are always going to be fools willing to give it to them.

Nico just made it harder for everyone.

[Raps in 4]

Luka didn't deserve the supermax. He was carried to the Finals last year, just like he was carried to the WCF two years earlier. He's one of the fakest "superstars" I've ever seen. Nico pulled off a master class in asset management by trading him.

[gottamakeit]

The flaw in the supermax is it should have gone further to incentivize player+team loyalty like by having it only count as a max contract for cap purposes for as long as the player is on the team that drafted him.

I like it, the NBA should adopt some Hollywood accounting practices.
I think the real big challenge of team building happens where you're running into the luxury tax, the team is penalized financially and is left with less roster flexibility.
Thoughts on a supermax exemption for tax purposes?

[Invictus88]

TLDR'd the thread.

All of the other GM's can now make the dumbest moves possible at their position and still be able to point Luka trade and be like: "Well, at least it's not as bad as that.". That's how lots of posters' logic works here at RealGM right?