Do you think the Hornets could get contracted?

ropjhk · Post #1 » by **ropjhk** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:15 pm

From listening to Bill Simmons interview with Stern (at 24:00 min)

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/player?rd= ... autoplay=1

When asked about the New Orleans Hornets, David Stern admitted that it's a possibility but not likelyhood that the team could be contracted during labor negotiations.

Essentially, Simmons put out his conspiracy theory that the League owning the Hornets makes it easy for them to threaten contraction if the players don't yield to demands. Stern than admitted that some of the owners have had those thoughts as well. Stern then said that in order to do that, the other league owners would have to vote a majority to contract the team, and that if they did contract the team, the owners would not get their money back from the takeover of the team (the owners each own 1/29th of the Hornets). He also stated that the NBA's first priority is to improve the finances of the Hornets and make them attractive to a buyer willing to keep the team in New Orleans. They've had offers to buy the team, but those suitors wanted to move the team so they've been rejected so far.

Liberty · Post #2 » by **Liberty** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:37 pm

Laughable statements from Stern, as if the NBA have cared about how disgusting moving a team to another city is before.

Blame Rasho · Post #3 » by **Blame Rasho** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:32 pm

Well they might be the Montreal Expos of the NBA, so if there is a good market for them... ahem... Seattle... I think they would look into it. Contraction is not likely....

BooRadley · Post #4 » by **BooRadley** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 5:27 pm

Larry Ellison said he put an offer in to buy them and move them to San Jose but it was rejected. Sounds like he's black balled from the NBA.

Post #5 » by **Nolan** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 5:52 pm

Contracted? Probably not. But I think there's a good chance they get relocated.

john2jer · Post #6 » by **john2jer** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:13 pm

Contract the Hornets and the Bobcats so Jordan can unretire at 50. Run a dispersal draft based on the combined records over the last three years.

Smirk · Post #7 » by **Smirk** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:53 pm

Neither contraction or relocation is happening. Contraction is a negotiating ploy.

The Hornets have a local owner lined up that will not buy until the new CBA is in place.

laker33 · Post #8 » by **laker33** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:00 pm

I don't think the hornets will be some team needs to be.

droponov · Post #9 » by **droponov** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:05 pm

They invested $300 million just see it vanish in the air? C'mon, how can anyone believe in such a thing? I don't even.

PolakFury · Post #10 » by **PolakFury** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:07 pm

No way in hell

funkatron101 · Post #11 » by **funkatron101** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:24 pm

The Hornets met their attendance goal. They are safe for now I think.

Don Draper · Post #12 » by **Don Draper** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:49 pm

Liberty wrote:Laughable statements from Stern, as if the NBA have cared about how disgusting moving a team to another city is before.

So Stern should just allow a team that isn't profitable to stick around just to appease a fan base that can't even can't even support their team? I'm glad you aren't commissioner.

Quality · Post #13 » by **Quality** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 8:11 pm

I'm trying to figure out why they'd have to be kept in NOLA.

ropjhk · Post #14 » by **ropjhk** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 3:54 pm

droponov wrote:They invested $300 million just see it vanish in the air? C'mon, how can anyone believe in such a thing? I don't even.

If a team were to get contracted, wouldn't the first step be to buy out the current owner? When the league expands, the sale of the expansion fee gets distributed to the current owners. When a team contracts, the owner of that team needs to be compensated. Buying out the owner would be that compensation.

To your point though, Stern did point out that the owners each have about 10 million invested into the Hornets. They would only contract if a majority felt that doing so would save them at least that much through the new CBA. If negotiations sour badly and the union and league are far apart (like 10 million per team in player salaries short), there will be more pressure to consider contraction like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Contraction would hurt the Union more than the owners because it would mean a loss of at least 15 job positions.

Finally, should the NBA right the ship through CBA negotiations after contracting the Hornets, they could potentially re-expand, allowing the owners to recoup their losses, and maybe even make a profit. Those parties interested in relocating the Hornets can now just purchase an expansion team in the city of their choice and not have to worry about any legal battles involved in moving a franchise.

It's all very unlikely, but not totally out of the realm of possibility.

Styles · Post #15 » by **Styles** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 3:59 pm

It's really unlikely.

Stern seems like he really wants them to stay in NOLA. There were plenty of outsiders Shinn could've sold to, but Stern prevented that. I think once the new CBA is in place Chouest could definintely be the next owner.

Styles · Post #16 » by **Styles** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:00 pm

Quality wrote:I'm trying to figure out why they'd have to be kept in NOLA.

I'm trying to figure out why they'd have to be moved.

bathwater · Post #17 » by **bathwater** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:52 pm

I think it would if there wasn't investors willing to take over the team.

hoops4life · Post #18 » by **hoops4life** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:58 pm

Unfortunately it is not very likely.