Details Emerge From Memo To Teams, Players, Agents

[greenpride32]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/216774/Details_Emerge_From_Memo_To_Teams_Players_Agents

I'm trying really hard to determine exactly what the players got out of this.  Seems like they lost on all points they were fighting for; so they pretty much just cost themselves 20% of their salaries.  There's even article on that website reporting a player texting "we bleeping caved".  Perhaps they finally realized the owners were not going to give in, and courts were not going to favor them, same as the NFL.

The contract length will be five years for Bird rights players and four years for non-Bird.

There will be no reduction in the Rookie Scale or the minimum salary.

Max salaries will only have one level and it will be equal to 30% of the salary cap, while sign-and-trades will be allowed.

The new exception will be $2.5 million for teams below the cap to go over the cap. Those teams can't use the mid-level or bi-annual exceptions.

For the mid-level exception, teams under the luxury tax can pay $5 million annually for up to four years, while teams over the tax have a $3 million offer for up to four years.

There also will be a 10% annual escrow system.

Oh well, all that matters to me is there will be a season.

[Gainesville Celtic]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/216774/Details_Emerge_From_Memo_To_Teams_Players_Agents

I'm trying really hard to determine exactly what the players got out of this.  Seems like they lost on all points they were fighting for; so they pretty much just cost themselves 20% of their salaries.  There's even article on that website reporting a player texting "we bleeping caved".  Perhaps they finally realized the owners were not going to give in, and courts were not going to favor them, same as the NFL.

The contract length will be five years for Bird rights players and four years for non-Bird.

There will be no reduction in the Rookie Scale or the minimum salary.

Max salaries will only have one level and it will be equal to 30% of the salary cap, while sign-and-trades will be allowed.

The new exception will be $2.5 million for teams below the cap to go over the cap. Those teams can't use the mid-level or bi-annual exceptions.

For the mid-level exception, teams under the luxury tax can pay $5 million annually for up to four years, while teams over the tax have a $3 million offer for up to four years.

There also will be a 10% annual escrow system.

Oh well, all that matters to me is there will be a season.

As I understand it the simple existence of the MLE for Lux Tax teams was a big deal (along with beating back 12% cut to rookie and vet min salaries).

The MLE allows greater movement, or the threat thereof, and therefore means more players can get better contracts (even if they don't get the MLE).

Still I think the players didn't do great in this deal and I think they really coudl have turned public opinion against the owners (the same robber barons who wrecked the economy) but they didn't... oh well.