Flexibility = MYTH...

[Rip2137]

Is there a team that has ever won anything by running on the cheap?

The Chicago Bulls, for one. They're famous for that, especially when they had Jordan.

How many do I need to name?

You mean the Chicago Bulls who star player Michael Jordan took a paycut so that his team can sign good players? Until his last 2 years playing when he commanded 33 amd 34 Million respectively? Not only do you need to give another name... you should apologize for trying to mislead the youngins on this one. Jordan was smart and knew that he made a lot of money from endorsements. There would have been no Jordan, Scotty, and Grant if Jordan wasn't humble enough to take a paycut. That's not something you find much of in today's NBA.

What? This didn't happen? He didn't take a paycut! He signed a long contract before people started getting paid stupid money in the NBA. Then the Bulls used the "well, we can't pay you more than Michael, can we?" to lowball everyone else. That's one hell of a rewrite of history. Jordan's deal was considered a INCREDIBLE deal when he signed it in the 80's.

Edit: I didn't click the next page to see this was address already...with quotes and EVERYTHING!!

But to your premise, people don't just randomly spend money. Teams hit the jackpot in the draft or through free agency or trades and THEN spend money to add on. Dallas spent because they had Dirk. Orlando spent because they had Howard...Cleveland spent because they had Lebron...that's how it works. Spending didn't get them their players, they players got them spending.

[diesel50]

Your entire premise is bunk.

The Knicks perennially spend big money and suck.
Brooklyn is going to pay over $100M in luxury tax alone next season, and they're no better than us.
The Spurs have contended for the past decade and rarely pay luxury tax.

Furthermore, you seem to be confusing cause and effect. Spending more money does not make your team better. It is the process of making your team better than (sometimes) costs money.

Not so. The Spurs don't go into the luxury tax and I'm not saying that we should. However, if the Spurs are lacking in any area, they go out and get it. Period. They are not going to waste Tim Duncan's years by putting out a Cheap Team that can't contend because it has holes.

NY has never had a plan to contend. It's plan is to make sure it fills the arena. Period.

The story is not finished with the Nets. They've spent a lot but with a new coach, they get a bit of a bye on what has happened thus far.

Unlike the spurs though, we have had major holes on our team for years and we have done NOTHING to correct it. Nothing. That's the opposite of Spur like operation, that's more like Clipper like operation 20 years ago.

[parson]

You mean the Chicago Bulls who star player Michael Jordan took a paycut so that his team can sign good players? Until his last 2 years playing when he commanded 33 amd 34 Million respectively? Not only do you need to give another name... you should apologize for trying to mislead the youngins on this one. Jordan was smart and knew that he made a lot of money from endorsements. There would have been no Jordan, Scotty, and Grant if Jordan wasn't humble enough to take a paycut. That's not something you find much of in today's NBA.

What you've said is not fair. I understand we're all fans here, even homer fans (me!), some of us, so we get our "facts" confused with our opinions a lot. You accuse me of being a homer and I'll admit it, but I don't think I was misleading anyone on anything. Reinsdorf is infamous for running the Bulls on the cheap so that he could spend more money on the White Sox. Look it up.

By the way, the guy is a jerk. He hated Jordan (jealous) and even condemned Jordan's praise on the morning after Jordan was inducted into the Basketball HOF. He said we should praise teachers, etc, instead. Of course, Reinsdorf never missed an opportunity to praise HIMSELF, nor did he ever stop those praising him. Time and Newsweek mags called him a cheapskate and blamed him for breaking up the Bulls when they had more championships in them (sorry, they're articles which you'll have to pay to read online - you'll have to look them up in the library), because he was jealous of Jordan.

[SBM]

Danny Ferry nor the Hawks have a concrete plan people are fooling themselves and trying to create arguments for Ferry's poor management so far