Spirit of '99: 2011 Lockout Discussion

[Patr1ck]

If the 3 heat players were willing to sign for less, do you think other players will take less so they can play for a team that would otherwise be over the hard cap?

[_Steve_]

If the 3 heat players were willing to sign for less, do you think other players will take less so they can play for a team that would otherwise be over the hard cap?

It depends on. If I'm in my eraly/ mid 30ies and have the chance to sign a last big contract I'd maybe do the same as Joe Johnson did: sell myself to the highest bidder... But as I've already said, it depends on (team, player, owner and their particular financial situation).

[Andrew]

It's possible, but it was kind of a unique situation in Miami where all three players wanted to play together and orchestrated their free agency so they'd have an opportunity to do so in a couple of years' time. It's likely we'll see it happen again at some point and with a hard cap in place it'll probably be a necessity for such an arrangement to be a reality, but at the same time I don't think every player is going to be willing to sacrifice money at the height of their earning power. I wouldn't expect it to be commonplace.

[Mavs4Life]

Hoping Chandler & JJ will accept less, especially Chandler.

[rise]

They need Stevenson back as well. He was in a way a "LeBron-stopper", although the transition from third to the fourth quarter did the majority of the stopping.

[Andrew]

Staffs of NBA, union to meet Wednesday

Representatives for NBA owners and players will meet twice this week, perhaps only days before training camps would have to be postponed without a new labor deal.

Staffs from both sides will meet Wednesday without leadership from either side, a person with knowledge of the plans said Tuesday. Commissioner David Stern, Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, union executive director Billy Hunter, president Derek Fisher of the Lakers and other top negotiators would rejoin the talks for another meeting Thursday.

Without a breakthrough then, the NBA would likely be out of time before being forced to make changes to the calendar.

Fingers crossed, though it seems kind of bleak at this point.

[Mavs4Life]

We pray for basketball, seriously.

[_Steve_]

Paying additional $ 20-25 mio from a $ 40 mio basis is something different to paying additional $ 20-25 mio from a much higher basis. This sounds so simple that I don't know if I should've even posted this.
IIRC players demands are already down to 53 % BRI, so the numbers of the additional payments would actually go down, if next season's the BRI is somehow comparable to what it was last season.

[The X]

Paying additional $ 20-25 mio from a $ 40 mio basis is something different to paying additional $ 20-25 mio from a much higher basis. This sounds so simple that I don't know if I should've even posted this.
IIRC players demands are already down to 53 % BRI, so the numbers of the additional payments would actually go down, if next season's the BRI is somehow comparable to what it was last season.

The spambot only mentioned about half of what I said. I had to delete it for not stealing my whole post:

It's the current model that is the problem. I don't think you can blame teams for overspending on crappy players. Even if all teams did what the Kings do & spend $40 million each, it still doesn't make a difference. Even if a team is perfect with payroll decisions, it doesn't matter. At the moment the players are guaranteed 57% of BRI. If every team spends $40 million & the league makes the same BRI as they're currently making, then each team will have to pay at least an additional $20-25 million to the players each season.

The owners either will try to decrease the % that players get or alternatively could set a hard cap & remove the whole BRI from the equation. I like the idea of setting hard caps & teams can spend up to that. How they spend it is up to them. If they can't afford to spend it all then don't. At least then you won't have teams or players having to pay additional wages/pay back wages.

On the flipside I can understand why the players don't want it to change because they're guaranteed a huge chunk of a pie that will continue to grow.

[benji]

The players want 65% if there's a hard cap.

The owners want 40% either way.

There will only be a deal if the union breaks and wants to get paid.

[shadowgrin]

Hoping Chandler & JJ will accept less, especially Chandler.

Dude, have you seen Barea's woman? If that's an indication JJ doesn't accept less.

[_Steve_]

Hoping Chandler & JJ will accept less, especially Chandler.

Dude, have you seen Barea's woman? If that's an indication JJ doesn't accept less.

Same counts for Lamar Odom.

[_Steve_]

Kenyon Martin is the third Nuggets player to play in China. Seems like their roster is completely shaken up.

[Mavs4Life]

Hoping Chandler & JJ will accept less, especially Chandler.

Dude, have you seen Barea's woman? If that's an indication JJ doesn't accept less.

OH YES I HAVE , & but if Barea stays, Kidd retires in a year or two, Barea gets the starting spot.

[The X]

Barea is not a starting PG

[Andrew]

Another unproductive meeting, which will likely see the cancellation of training camps and delay the start of the preseason. There's another meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

If both are lost or delated but the regular season more or less starts on time with a full 82 game schedule, I don't think they'll be missed. The early weeks of the season can basically serve as the preseason anyway.

[deihatein]

Hoping Chandler & JJ will accept less, especially Chandler.

Dude, have you seen Barea's woman? If that's an indication JJ doesn't accept less.

OH YES I HAVE , & but if Barea stays, Kidd retires in a year or two, Barea gets the starting spot.

I would rather have a one-legged Roddy B. starting than Barea.

[Andrew]

I'd say Barea is capable of being a starting point guard in time, but he needs more experience under his belt. With better decision making and a less erratic style of play, he'd be better suited to the job. Right now he still has a tendency to play a little out of control and make poor decisions with his passing.

[Lamrock]

It's been nice to see his steady improvement over the years, but while he could start, I reckon he'd be on the same tier of starting point guards as Derek Fisher and Mario Chalmers (yes, both start for contenders, but unlike LA and Miami, Dallas doesn't have a superstar 2 guard). IMO Barea doesn't have the consistency, defense or playmaking ability to be a starting point guard for a team that takes that position seriously.

[Patr1ck]

I think he is more like Nate Robinson with a little bit of Steve Nash. He is erratic like Andrew said, but with good control sometimes being able to turn it into something.

[Lamrock]

The Mavs would be wise to let Barea walk imo. He's a fan favorite and helped them win it all, but while Rudy Fernandez may have a different play style (and if Roddy isn't damaged goods, he can be a faster, worse shooting Barea), he could probably take the role and do just as well, if not better.

[Mavs4Life]

He's a fan favorite

A big reason. Yes Barea is a little wild, but IMO, i'd rather have him starting than Roddy (at this point in time)

[Andrew]

And there's time for him to reign it in and grow as a player, get rid of his bad habits and develop good ones.

Meanwhile, the first two weeks of training camp and the preseason have officially been cancelled.

[Houndy]

Not surprised by this, I was expecting this sadly.

[_Steve_]

Meanwhile, the first two weeks of training camp and the preseason have officially been cancelled.

This isn't as bad as it sounds in the first place. Same happened in the NFL and it - more or less - meant only less injuries during that period.
Nevertheless, time is running away as we nearly have October.