Franchise Tag- A Star Players Nightmare is coming

You think we see sulking stars now…just you wait, Henry Higgins.

Maybe I just empathize with players too much but I would hate to be trapped against my will in someplace like Minny or Cleveland. Or stuck to work for some crappy FO. I think it’s cool that players can eventually pick to live/work somewhere else if they chose. But thats just me.

The CBA has huge disagreements because many teams can’t afford to give their current salaries to players without losing money not to mention the dollar for dollar luxury tax. Doing this would exacerbate the problem.

I can see a franchise tag added to a player of players in a basketball league. The WNBA CBA does that already, what they call “coring” a player, and it has been effective in keeping top talent at home and preventing them from being free agents. Core players then get a one year contract for the max salary. The NBA probably shouldn’t guarantee a max salary (whatever that’s determined to be), but I do think that the franchise tag does help teams remain competitive which could help them stay profitable and ultimately, in business.

Another issue on the CBA that should be addressed is guaranteed money and making clear conditions when contracts can be terminated due to gross misconduct, like criminal activity, PED use, etc.. Gilbert Arenas unfortunately is the poster child for this due to gungate. I personally think the Wizards would have terminated him if the CBA gave much clearer language for them to do so successfully. With another player who got his contract voided and then reinstated after assaulting his coach, there was basically no way the Wizards were getting out of that contract, unless perhaps if Arenas were sentenced to prison for a long time. Don’t wanna re-open old wounds, but that is another CBA topic that should be addressed though it isn’t as big as the franchise tag, draft eligibility, and the amount of max salaries.

or more accurately, I side with the fans….

I don’t want the NBA to end up like MLB – where there are only a handful of teams in the East that can win the pennant – and two of them are New York and Boston. If you are the fan of one of the other teams, all you have to look forward to is some nice days sitting in the sun at the ball park.

If you want to destroy the NBA – the simplest way to do it is to allow unfettered free agency for the NBA’s star players – then allow the teams with the most money to grab up all the best players (like in MLB) . Just watch as fans in Cleveland, Washington, Minnesota, New Orleans, Charlotte and Toronto and the other small-to-medium market teams flock to watching hockey or soap operas or anything else that doesn’t already have a pre-determined ending.

Teams like New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, etc…. will simply snap up every available big name Free Agent. The mid-market and small-market teams will become a pseudo development league – with teams like the Wizards drafting high draft picks ; developing the players – and then watching them leave just when they’re coming into their prime for the gold and limelight in New York or Los Angeles.

The New York Yankees have proven, time and again, that you CAN buy a championship. You just have to out-bid Boston. And if anyone thinks that the Orioles, Tigers or A’s have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the American League pennant in the next 15 years – you’re sorely mistaken.

So – excuse me if I don’t shed a tear for the likes of LeBron, Kobe and Dwyane – Those players, that over the course of their careers will make over $100 MILLION DOLLARS - I’m sorry that they’ll just have to SETTLE for a top 5 salary and suffer through playing in Minnesota or Charlotte or Memphis – rather than collude with other Super Star players to create a Super team in New York or Chicago (or Miami, “Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink – know what I mean ….. …. say no more” )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ona-RhLfRfc

I , for one, do not want to have to become a Laker or Knicks fan…..

It definitely stands for some provisions, compared to the NFL franchise tag. But it would help this new NBA and the evolving mindset of today’s “star player.” Limit it to one year. Make the player’s salary a max. contract— or even above it, a “franchise tag” salary(maybe add some scale for a mid-level player who might get tagged, but you can’t have teams tagging their 6th man who is trying to go off and play a bigger role somewhere).

The current system is killing the NBA. I remember last year I got into a debate over at FTS(Cavs SB site, about whether or not the NBA was dying. Those fans could not grasp the idea that the small teams are becoming more insignificant, almost like farm systems for the Lakers, Knicks, etc… I am sure that now they have a taste of the real NBA, they have a completely different view, and they are the perfect example. Next will be Denver fans, the NO, later Clippers fans, and even maybe us WIz fans. This system is not going to lead to a growing NBA. If it takes a lockout, fine. I want some change.

Although John Wall plays for the Washington Wizards I believe his contract is with the NBA through the players association.
I believe all 4 major sports Players Association do not really care where a player is playing, but only that the player is getting paid.
MLB did not care where Alex Rodriguez was playing about 7 years ago. He wanted to take less money from to go to the Yankees but the Players Association told he he could not. He had to stay a Texas Ranger. They eventually worked out a trade where A-Rod did not take a pay cut to play for the Yankees.
I believe this is what the Owners are going to emphasize at the New CBA.
“It does not matter where a player is making $20million dollars. It only matters that the player is making $20million.” (my quote)