Could my faith in the NBA be shaken further? My FA quandary!

by WhiteBoy-4-3 on Jun 30, 2010 12:15 PM EDT

I need some help to figure this out!

I am watching the Free Agent landscape begin to change very soon...The Crab Dribbler will be playing somewhere else (mostly likely) for the next few years. This in itself isn't a problem, other than my natural prejudice against LeTravel, except for this fact: Could there be a pact between several FAs to all sign on the same team! Could Bron Bron, D-Wade, Chris Bosh all head to Miami and start a ridiculous dynasty unseen since the 80s? Could the same happen in Chicago? In NY? etc... This is all old news just bear with me and follow along.

Here's my BEEF.......Jump

If the FAs all go to one market is that any different than Roy Williams and Coach K loading up every year to beat up on the little guys (insert my Virginia Cavaliers) in College BBall every year? I love College BBall, but that always bothered me! Is that something that should even be allowed, is it even be something that should or could be tempered? I am not sure. But it certainly leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

Here's my question: Do I have a legitimate concern with franchises loading up on players (even like Boston or the Lakers with lopsided trades with former players who were GMs then, Kevin McCale,Jerry West, a little different but same idea.) or am I just a bitter and salty Bullets fan who is jealous of others success??????

I can't put my finger on it but it just seems like there is something fundamentally wrong with FAs getting together and saying lets all go to South Beach and win the next 6 championships! Again if they all came to the Wizards would I be ok with it then?

This represents the view of the user who wrote the FanPost, and not the entire Bullets Forever community. We're a place of many opinions, not just one.

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This whole F.A. bonaza is sooooo overhyped

Every one of these F.A.’s is an alpha male. Do you really think Wade is going to take a back seat to LBJ coming to a team that he has already won a world title with. DOUBT IT!

It’s all talk and nothing else. Bron Bron either stays with Cleveland or goes to Chicago. He is trying to win immediately and the Nets and the Knicks don’t have the team for that.

Wade stays in Miami and they pull a second tier FA to make him happy.

Chris Bosch is pretty much the only wild card since we know more than likely he is not staying in Toronto.

I wish I could find a bookie that would offer odds on Wade and Bron Bron ending up on the same team.

by ccrun1800 on Jun 30, 2010 12:37 PM EDT reply actions

I liken it to Baseball....

Where, every year, certain teams (cough, the Yankees, cough), spend roughly the same as he GNP of a small country to grab all the best players in Free Agency….. while the rest of the League acts as their minor league system – pumping out more and more polished players for the big clubs to pay big bucks to…

I certainly hope that the NBA doesn’t get to that point…. Where the Lakers, Celtics and Bulls dominate the League, win most of the the Championships and get all the best players….

Oh wait………

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Jun 30, 2010 1:04 PM EDT reply actions

That's definitely what I feeling also...

I’m not what you call a “distribute the wealth” kinda guy (where the Clippers get top free agents because they suck) but I’m not a Capitalism run amuk person either!(Can you hear me Dan Snyder)
In other words you shouldn’t hamstring someone if they happen to run their franchise/business better than yours but you shouldn’t give handouts because you are incompetent…How did I get I get into a politcal discussion here? Anyway, there should be a happy medium.

"I get buckets, son!" Big Oily

by WhiteBoy-4-3 on Jun 30, 2010 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Hard cap is the solution...

Where every team is allowed to spend only to the maximum salary cap – no exceptions… no exclusions…

Gives each team an equal opportunity to get players – and each team has the opportunity to spend the same as the big boys.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Jun 30, 2010 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions

How do you get there?

Set the Hard Cap at the same level as the current Luxury Tax….

This year it would be $68 Million – Any teams over the hard cap (Lakers, Orlando, etc…) would be grandfathered in…. but not allowed to sign free agents (other than minimum contract guys to fill out their roster) until they get under the hard cap…

So the Lakers, who currently have salary of $83.7 Million for 7 players under contract – would not be able to sign any players except those under minimum contracts… (Veteran Minimum, or Rookie Minimum)… They would be unable to sign any Free Agents, or re-sign any of their own Free Agents until they get below the hard cap.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Jun 30, 2010 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

In addition to a hard cap

It would seem reasonable to me for the NBA to equalize the state income tax (percentage) burden that all NBA players face regardless of what state their team is located in. Arbitrary number, but for instance you could set a standard of 10% state income tax. Players in states with income tax rates below 10% would pay the remaining (10-x) percent of their income into a pool, and money from that pool (and potentially luxury tax funds) would be redistributed to players in states with income tax rates of higher than 10% in order that after receipt of payments their income tax burden is only 10%.
This comes to mind because of frequent discussion about the potential for FA’s to be wooed to Miami or Orlando because Florida has no state income tax.

by morethesamewiz on Jun 30, 2010 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions

That's a slippery slope

would you make cost of living adjustments too?

by Palace of Good Play's Golden Toilet on Jun 30, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions

West didn't make the Gasol trade

Wallace did. The Logo was already retired.

by imperialme on Jun 30, 2010 1:28 PM EDT reply actions

Hate it when I'm wrong...

Wasn’t West a consultant for the Grizz at that time though?

"I get buckets, son!" Big Oily

by WhiteBoy-4-3 on Jun 30, 2010 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I believe he was

by MR on Jun 30, 2010 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably, yeah.

by imperialme on Jun 30, 2010 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Larry Coon, he of Salary Cap FAQ fame , is saying Miami can’t get 3 max players:

“There’s not much left to trim from their roster. To keep Wade and go after both James and Bosh, they’d need to convince at least one of the free agents to take less. Even moving Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers for nothing wouldn’t create enough cap room to sign all three star free agents at the full maximum.”

But I think that’s wrong… All three are 7-year veterans… Max Contract first year salary for a 7-year vet (if the Salary Cap is $56.1 Million) is $16.6 Million.

If Miami re-signs Wade at $16.6 Million – does a sign-and-trade with Toronto, sending Chalmers and Beasley and getting back Bosh at $16.6 Million….
Even with 10 cap holds @ 473,604 each – that still leaves roughly $18 Million to sign LeBron to a max contract starting at $16.6 Million….

Am I missing something here?

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Jun 30, 2010 1:56 PM EDT reply actions

Ask him on Twitter

@LarryCoon. He’s usually really good with replies.

SB Nation DC | Bullets Forever | Twitter.

by Mike Prada on Jun 30, 2010 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah thanks

He’s on Hoopsworld right now on a live chat…

I’ll do that.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Jun 30, 2010 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions

His reply

Larry Coon:
Anything above $2,130,841 means they can’t sign three. If they move both Beasley & Chalmers for nothing, then they’ll have just Jones’ guarantee left. That would be enough.

So Miami CAN do 3 max Free Agents…. and they are most likely the ONLY team that can.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Jun 30, 2010 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I actually could see

LBJ or Wade taking a bit less.

by MR on Jun 30, 2010 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions

This would be the concern

Nobody can afford to sign all three, but if these guys got together and decided the marketing deals they would get would exceed the salary hit, they could easily all sign on one team. If you can form a James/Wade/Bosh/Rose team, you’d have a dynasty and every game would be nationally televised. They’d probably make back the paltry few million they’re each giving up ten-fold. All it would take is for each of those guys to agree to take 2/3 of a max salary.

by steadyhand on Jun 30, 2010 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions

I wonder if at that point collusion starts to come into it.

by MR on Jun 30, 2010 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions

The only issue with this arrangement is...

each of these free agents want to be the MAN!! They want a sidekick like Scotty Pippen or Pau Gasol….not share the spotlight and have someone say they couldn’t win it on their own!

"I get buckets, son!" Big Oily

by WhiteBoy-4-3 on Jun 30, 2010 3:15 PM EDT reply actions