What would a lockout mean for us?

[bayanmn]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...f=twitter_feed

According to this article, the executive director of the NBA players' association is 99% sure we're going to have a lockout next year.

My question is: What does this mean for the Raptors? What would this mean for our draft picks, TPE and expiring contracts? Would they lose value? Can somebody smarter than me enlighten me as to how these things would be effected by a work stoppage?

[Ruuuuu]

I'd also like to know about this...

I think the draft would become weaker because some guys would be like "if there's no league, might as well stay another year in college". Would the top guys do this too?

[bayanmn]

Right, and what happens after that. Are there two drafts? If so, is there another lottery, or do we have the same pick? If we land the #5 pick, for example, do we get the number 5 pick for two consecutive drafts?

[Balls of Steel]

Just our luck huh? This reminds me of back in 2006 and we had the first pick overall. You know what, something tells me that if this team gels, BC may just go for it and use the TPE on someone to put us over the hump. Making the playoffs even if it means an early exit is still better especially if the lockout is impending anyway.

[Bendit]

This does not answer your questions but I would be shocked if there was a lockout. The caveat being a hard cap and even then in my view. There is too much to lose on both sides as well as my perception that the current set of millionaires dont have a collective stomach to forgo millions in their yearly stipends for the sake of future serfs. To lose for example $10 million makes recovering that loss in the ensuing years possible only for the very young (in basketball terms). There is going to be a sawoff of some kind and all comments such as this is just posturing prior to negotiations...with entry guys taking the big hit and a lowering of the cap to reduce overall salary exp. resulting in a lower max. contract in yrs and amt.

[heinz57]

as i recall from the last lockout, the draft still happens.. we got vince that year

[Ruuuuu]

Just our luck huh? This reminds me of back in 2006 and we had the first pick overall. You know what, something tells me that if this team gels, BC may just go for it and use the TPE on someone to put us over the hump. Making the playoffs even if it means an early exit is still better especially if the lockout is impending anyway.

yeah I know, beyond just regular bad luck at the draft (scouting, players being busts, etc) two previous league rule changes have screwed the Raps at the draft:

Iverson draft - new rule change prevented Raps from getting 1st pick
Bargs draft - Raps had 1st but new rule change made it a weak year with the obvious 1st overall talent delayed until the next year (Durant/Oden)


Before I could see BC spending the TPE and going for broke, but then from his interviews over the last couple days he said he is rebuilding....

Is there even any big-ticket player out there that could be added to the Raps in any realistic scenario?

The one that comes to my mind is Steve Nash. Him + the young blood wings + Bargs and the offensive glass crashers LOL...would actually be a pretty fun team to watch. Capable of pulling an upset too.

[Ruuuuu]

x

[Balls of Steel]

Regardless of the outcome, I think that the Raps need to continue to get better and not hope for being in the bottom 5. It can go either way. Besides, there's so much talk of financial flexibility for the future but if the team is a black hole of hopelessness, what kind of players are we likely to attract (especially with the new CBA)? If we miss out on the top 5 for some reason, then we attract the best free agents that will fit the mold of the new Raps. They're gonna want to sign here even if there's less money to throw around.

[Tim W.]

This draft will take place because the lockout would happen on July 1st, when the current CBA expires. If the lockout lasts until next season, it would be unprecedented and the league would have to figure out what to do. It could be that they simply don't do a draft if the lockout continues since any new drafted players won't have an NBA to play in anyway. I doubt it, though. I can't imagine what they would decide. Has it happened in any other sport where they missed an entire season? What did they do for the draft?

As for the TPE, I imagine that would expire if there was a lockout. The expiring contracts would simply expire, which they would have done on July 1st anyway.

[bayanmn]

This draft will take place because the lockout would happen on July 1st, when the current CBA expires. If the lockout lasts until next season, it would be unprecedented and the league would have to figure out what to do. It could be that they simply don't do a draft if the lockout continues since any new drafted players won't have an NBA to play in anyway. I doubt it, though. I can't imagine what they would decide. Has it happened in any other sport where they missed an entire season? What did they do for the draft?

As for the TPE, I imagine that would expire if there was a lockout. The expiring contracts would simply expire, which they would have done on July 1st anyway.

Thanks for the answers, Tim

[bayanmn]

According to Wikipedia, this is what the NHL did after their lockout a few years back.

As a lockout cancelled the 2004–05 NHL season, the draft order was determined by lottery on July 22, 2005. Teams were assigned 1 to 3 balls based on their playoff appearances and first overall draft picks from the past three years. According to the draft order, the selection worked its way up to 30 as usual; then instead of repeating the order as in past years, the draft "snaked" back down to the team with the first pick. Therefore the team with the first pick overall would not pick again until the 60th pick. The team with the 30th pick would also get the 31st pick. The draft was only seven rounds in length, compared to nine rounds in years past. The labor dispute caused the shortened draft.

[Tim W.]

This draft will take place because the lockout would happen on July 1st, when the current CBA expires.

I meant to say BEFORE July 1st.

[blackjitsu]

I think the key is learning from the Leafs mistakes. When the lockout hit the NHL the Maple Leafs quickly swooped in signing as many "quality vets" as they could before the lockout became official. This made them inflexible when the new agreement came. They were right up against the ceiling and had players that were a year older and with the new rules had a lot less value. The key is to get as low below the cap as possible before a lockout and then buy low after it. The Draft WILL suck, however, young free agents may become desperate for a decent contract especially if a hard cap comes.

[RaptorDan]

Even if the strike/lockout happens there will still be quality players to be had. BC laid out his plan and it sounds like a solid strategy. I think as Blackjitsu (btw did you ever see the movie black dynamite? hilarious) points out, Raps have a young team and financial flexibility. It will be the teams with aging stars that will be hardest hit.