One of the biggest sticking points in the current labor negotiations is the issue of a hard salary cap. Owners want, players don’t.
(If you’re asking, “Wait, what’s a hard cap?” basically it’s a system where there’s no give over whatever max salary number the league sets. Currently, the league has a “soft” cap meaning teams can go over in certain situations. A hard cap doesn’t allow that.)
Most see a hard cap as a help to small markets. And for the most part, I agree. The playing field financially is leveled as big markets can’t pile up $20 or even $30 million over the cap (hello Mavericks) while smaller markets fear the wrath of the luxury tax.
A hard cap would help out in most ways because New York, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles wouldn’t be able to flex their checkbooks and absorb bad contracts at quite the rate they do now. No denying that.
But at CBSSports.com today, I couldn’t help but wonder how a hard cap might actually hurt small market teams, especially one like the Thunder. Read more…
Happy Freedom everyone. Enjoy your toasty Fourth of July wherever you may be. Here’s a video of KD and Russ representing the red, white and blue well.
Serge Ibaka might consider playing in Spain: “While vacationing in Spain, Ibaka recently told a radio station that he would be open to returning to Spain, where he played for two seasons prior to officially joining the Thunder. “If there is a lockout, and there are not many complications to play in the CBA, I would like to return here to play,” Ibaka is quoted as saying.” Read more…
OK, that may be a little harsh but still…in this week’s episode the guys from TGR review Presti’s recent moves, make their predictions about this year’s stock of rookies, and outline the real loser’s in the lockout.
Key Questions:
Does re-signing Nazr stunt Aldrich’s development?
Do any of the moves made by teams in the Northwest Division mean more competition for the Thunder?
Five years from now, who will be the consensus five best players from the 2011 draft?
Will the lockout result in a loss of games or even an entire season? If so, what will the fallout look like?
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The NBA’s owners voted to lock out the players on Thursday, meaning that officially, the league is operating under a lockout.
We’re all hearing that term being tossed around a lot. I overheard two guys talking about it at a restaurant yesterday in fact.
“You hear there’s a lockout? I can’t believe this!”
“Me either. So ridiculous. What exactly does that mean?”
“Something about a Collective Bargaining Agreement. And money.”
Pretty much, yeah. But there’s more to it than that. What is a lockout? What happens to the players? Why does the league do it? What’s decertification?
So I put together a little Lockout FAQ. Hopefully most of your questions are answered here. And in normal language, not lawyer talk that the two guys at the restaraunt would never understand. Read more…
The NBA may be locked out, but life goes on. No games have been lost yet. We’re just not enjoying free agency right now, which isn’t that big of a deal. Don’t panic until September. Business as usual… for now.
KD played one-on-one with Reggie Jackson yesterday: “We played one-one and he was guarding me. He kind of spaced me a little bit but still was up into me as a defender. That’s rare,” said Durant, whose jump shot is hardly ever tightly contested coming from his lanky 6-9 frame. “His arms are very long and he’s very athletic. He covers ground quick. Most guys coming into this league go 100 miles an hour, especially guards. But he has a great pace to his game and I think he’s going to help us out.” Read more…
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