2011 Lockout In The Works

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Looking at all the empty seats at games it's hard not to think that a lot of NBA teams are losing real money right now and they aren't going to want to continue to do that.http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A...o&type=lgns

NBA aims to crush union in labor battle By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports 3 hours, 10 minutes ago Here’s how an NBA front-office executive described the document the commissioner’s office delivered to the union to start labor negotiations: “It’s just a photocopy of Stern’s middle finger.”He was kind of kidding.The owners delivered an opening proposal to the Players Association this week, CBSSports.com first reported, and months of private assurances turned out to be true: The owners want to fundamentally change the salary structure of the NBA. They don’t want to negotiate a fresh collective bargaining agreement, as much as they want to crush the union once and for all.The owners want to take a far greater percentage of the basketball-related income. They want to pay millions less for maximum deals and shorten contracts. Most of all, they want a hard salary cap and assurances that protect themselves against a diminished economy and, well, themselves. Everything is hurtling toward a 2011 lockout, a negotiation that’ll likely feel far more like a standoff..

[JoeyJoJo 18]

If they cancel even part of a season when Lebron is entering his prime and there are so many other young stars, I don't even know what to say. This, however, is just ludicrous:

The idea of raising superstar salaries and paying the middle- and lower-class players less won’t wash in a one-man, one-vote union. “If they cut the highest 25 or 30 salaries by, say, 35 percent, you’re not going to have to change that much more for [the owners] to get what they want financially,” another player agent said. “LeBron can scream and shout all he wants, but this is a one-man, one-vote union. Once guys figure out that 400 or so players will benefit by the top few taking a major cut, what do you think they’re going to do?”

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that if the superstar salaries are cut, that isn't going to mean anything for the middle and lower class players. I don't want to see a hard salary cap. I wouldn't mind contraction.I don't think I'd mind some sort of system where you can sign guys to long-term contracts, but there's some sort of cap on how many years and how much dollars can be guaranteed.

[Poppy_Hillis 11]

If there's a lockout I hope Lebron decides to play football for a year and breaks every receiving record for a season. Ain't nobody stopping this

[FCP Bob 1,312]

I don't think contraction is in the works at all. Leagues will do everything they can to avoid that.My guess is that at least half of the teams are losing real money this year and a lot of the owners have lost a lot of money in their other businesses as well.I can't see there not being a lockout. The owners are going to be out for blood and the players aren't going to be able to agree to what they want although I think the owners are in a lot better position to outlast the players.I know if I were a player I wouldn't be planning on getting any checks for the first half of 2011.Interesting blog about the fact that the NBA has less revenue sharing between teams than other leagues do.http://jonesonthenba.com/2009/03/nbas-real...em-lack-of.htmlForbes magazine article of financial results for teams in the 2008/09 season.http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/32/basket...ons_Income.htmlList of all NBA Players Salarieshttp://hoopshype.com/salaries.htmI don't think teams mind paying the LeBrons and Kobes the big money it's when the Michael Redds get the kind of money that they do on long term deals that you know the system is screwed up.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I don't think teams mind paying the LeBrons and Kobes the big money it's when the Michael Redds get the kind of money that they do on long term deals that you know the system is screwed up.

But this is why a hard salary cap would screw over everyone but the superstars. They're going to get their money no matter what, so that just means less money to be allocated to everyone else.Bad players getting big contracts doesn't mean the system is screwed up, it means the GM's/owners didn't value the player correctly. I don't know what system can prevent that.I do agree that contraction isn't going to happen and that there are probably a lot of teams losing money.I just really don't want a hard salary cap. All that will do is make it much less likely that we get to see truly great teams; instead we'll get a bunch of mediocre teams. You shouldn't be punished for drafting well.Also, Lebron would be unstoppable near the goal line, just throw it up, but you can't do that everywhere on the field because he would take a beating.

[SuitedAces21 2,722]

lets just hope the first proposal is a "ask for what we know we wont get" ploy. becuase if thats what they really want, there gone be a long lockout.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

lets just hope the first proposal is a "ask for what we know we wont get" ploy. becuase if thats what they really want, there gone be a long lockout.

I think the owners want real change and aren't going to give up without it. At the very least I think the percentage of revenue that the players get is going to be lowered and even if they don't go to a hard cap things like the mid-level exemption that makes it easier for teams to go over the cap will be changed or eliminated.

[El Guapo 8]

The mid level exeption needs to change. Basically ever mediocre player is basing their salaries on that. Kings signed Mid level players the last few years and have been robbed each time. from 3-6 years at 5+ Million per year.

[fleung22 1]

Lockout for 2010-2011 season would be such a downer on what will be the most exciting offseason ever. Imagine we see shifting all all these mega stars to different teams and the buildup of excitement only to result in nothing come game day.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

Lockout for 2010-2011 season would be such a downer on what will be the most exciting offseason ever. Imagine we see shifting all all these mega stars to different teams and the buildup of excitement only to result in nothing come game day.

The lockout would be for the 2011-2012 season. Mentioned on PTI: Kevin Durant can sign an extension this offseason. He would be eligible for a max deal of 5 years, $80 million. But, if the rumblings are true, a new collective bargaining agreement would probably have provisions for smaller max contracts. So, if you're the zombie Sonics, do you lock him up as soon as you can, or do you wait to see if you can save money?

[CaneBrain 95]

The lockout would be for the 2011-2012 season. Mentioned on PTI: Kevin Durant can sign an extension this offseason. He would be eligible for a max deal of 5 years, $80 million. But, if the rumblings are true, a new collective bargaining agreement would probably have provisions for smaller max contracts. So, if you're the zombie Sonics, do you lock him up as soon as you can, or do you wait to see if you can save money?

Offer him 3 years, 48 million. Then you can re-sign him in 3 years for cheaper if the CBA is different but you still are showing him the love.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I don't think I'd mind some sort of system where you can sign guys to long-term contracts, but there's some sort of cap on how many years and how much dollars can be guaranteed.

David Stern approves of this system.He also said something that I hadn't thought of before. The players as a whole are guaranteed a certain percentage of whatever the league makes. So total salary among all players is guaranteed even if you take away individual guaranteed contracts. It's not going to be a situation where teams can just stop paying players like some teams do in major league baseball. It's just that the money will be going to those who deserve it most. Hard to argue with that.But I still wouldn't want to see a complete elimination of guaranteed contracts. I think the player's union has to protect that to a certain extent.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

Good article by Simmons on the inevitable lockout.

[CaneBrain 95]

Good article by Simmons on the inevitable lockout.

such a great article. He can be a homer or a results oriented dummy (see the 4th and 2 column) but often enough he comes up with something really great to say (and usually it is something that is wildly under-discussed by the mainstream sports media). The NBA has a....plethora of young, talented stars right now (and bonus! basically none of them are thugs! gonna be really hard for people to pull out that old racist tag on this NBA.) and the league should be making strides not going backward.

[fleung22 1]

Good article by Simmons on the inevitable lockout.

nice...that WAS a good article.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

He can be a homer or a results oriented dummy (see the 4th and 2 column) but often enough he comes up with something really great to say.

Yeah, he made a name for himself by being the voice of the fan and that's when he's at his best. Once he starts getting into game analysis, he sort of loses his way.