Solution to FA clustering - don't cap max contracts

[soap07]

You didn't understand my post and you need to research the actual numbers.

Lebron will get paid over 14 million this year. If he resigned with Clev for a max contract, the most he could have received was over 17 million this year. He left 3 million a year on the table, not 10 or 15. So, um, well nah.

If you understood the post, you would see the point that another team could have enticed Lebron with a 30 million A-Rod like contract. Sure, Lebron is willing to leave 3 million on the table. But would he be willing to pass on an extra 15 million per year?

Perhaps it wouldn't have played out that way. Perhaps those guys would each leave behind 10 million PER YEAR (I'm not sure you are getting that part). But you should understand the argument before you respond to it.

So you want a situation like baseball where the Knicks get every player in free agency? This would avoid FA clustering how?

[vinnie]

Why does FA clustering need a solution? The Miami Heat, whether they win a championship or not, are going to put a great brand of basketball on the floor. Their games with Orlando, Boston, LA, etc. will be competitive. Their games will also be must see TV. Why is what Miami did a problem?

If free agent clustering continues unabated, in 4-5 years you will start seeing franchises go out of business and there will only be 3-4 teams worth watching in the entire league. That spells eventual doom for the NBA.

[dpaps]

Why does FA clustering need a solution? The Miami Heat, whether they win a championship or not, are going to put a great brand of basketball on the floor. Their games with Orlando, Boston, LA, etc. will be competitive. Their games will also be must see TV. Why is what Miami did a problem?

If free agent clustering continues unabated, in 4-5 years you will start seeing franchises go out of business and there will only be 3-4 teams worth watching in the entire league. That spells eventual doom for the NBA.

No way. I would bet this is a huge over statement of the effect this would have. For one, the biggest FA out there next year is Melo, and he is rumored to be close to resigning with Denver. Yao is gonna resign with Houston. Gay, Joe Johnson, Pierce, Dirk, Ray, they all resigned.

The Knicks tried this plan, it got them Amare and Raymond Felton. Serves them right.
The Bulls got Boozer and Korver.
The Nets got Morrow, Farmar, and Outlaw.

I don't think too many teams are going to try this strategy again. And there just usually isn't a ton of star power as unrestricted FAs.

[dpaps]

You didn't understand my post and you need to research the actual numbers.

Lebron will get paid over 14 million this year. If he resigned with Clev for a max contract, the most he could have received was over 17 million this year. He left 3 million a year on the table, not 10 or 15. So, um, well nah.

If you understood the post, you would see the point that another team could have enticed Lebron with a 30 million A-Rod like contract. Sure, Lebron is willing to leave 3 million on the table. But would he be willing to pass on an extra 15 million per year?

Perhaps it wouldn't have played out that way. Perhaps those guys would each leave behind 10 million PER YEAR (I'm not sure you are getting that part). But you should understand the argument before you respond to it.

So you want a situation like baseball where the Knicks get every player in free agency? This would avoid FA clustering how?

I think he was suggesting no max salary but still a salary cap?

[guava_wrench]

You didn't understand my post and you need to research the actual numbers.

Lebron will get paid over 14 million this year. If he resigned with Clev for a max contract, the most he could have received was over 17 million this year. He left 3 million a year on the table, not 10 or 15. So, um, well nah.

If you understood the post, you would see the point that another team could have enticed Lebron with a 30 million A-Rod like contract. Sure, Lebron is willing to leave 3 million on the table. But would he be willing to pass on an extra 15 million per year?

Perhaps it wouldn't have played out that way. Perhaps those guys would each leave behind 10 million PER YEAR (I'm not sure you are getting that part). But you should understand the argument before you respond to it.

So you want a situation like baseball where the Knicks get every player in free agency? This would avoid FA clustering how?

How could the Knicks do that with a salary cap? If they pay $30m to pay Lebron, there won't be much left for Bosh or whoever else.

Personally, I am actually OK with what Wade, Lebron, and Bosh did. If players want to do that, so be it. But I am also for players like Lebron having the opportunity at least to get what they are worth if a team is willing to pay.

If that means that only big market teams get the top players, so be it. It isn't their fault that the NBA expanded into small markets. The truth is, there are fewer fans in those markets anyway. Why should we expect small market teams to have the same chance to win it all than the bigger markets?

Should Charlotte, a city that barely supported a team in the past, have an equal chance of winning it all compared to cities that actually support their teams?

[dooyork]

To alleviate somewhat the problem of free agent clustering, I would suggest that sports fans educate themselves about the way taxes work in their state, and what effect that may have on the desirability of their state for businesses -- and highly-paid athletes -- looking to relocate; and then, armed with that education, vote accordingly.

[openairmovie]

way i see it is that the NFL has no issues with players taking up too much salary so as they cant afford to fill the roster,  fact is if a guy is asking too much they just dont sign him, and other teams dont sign him for ARod money that he is asking. So once nobody signs him his number either comes down to realistic levels  or he enjoys the winter off unemployed. If the NFL can make it happen then the NBA can too...this salary cap and max deal and vet minimum and MLE then bi annual exception  is way too much for the casual fan to understand and get wrapped up into. make it simple for fans to understand and you will have a bigger audience year round

[guava_wrench]

way i see it is that the NFL has no issues with players taking up too much salary so as they cant afford to fill the roster,  fact is if a guy is asking too much they just dont sign him, and other teams dont sign him for ARod money that he is asking. So once nobody signs him his number either comes down to realistic levels  or he enjoys the winter off unemployed. If the NFL can make it happen then the NBA can too...this salary cap and max deal and vet minimum and MLE then bi annual exception  is way too much for the casual fan to understand and get wrapped up into. make it simple for fans to understand and you will have a bigger audience year round

Not sure we can apply the system used in a league with teams of 50+ highly specialized players, each of whom take part in only half the plays, to a league with teams of only 15 players where the top players play more than 80% of the minutes.

Add with the quick physical decline of NFL players compared to NBA, there are way too many variables that are fundamentally different.