Everything 2018 Off Season

[Apollo]

There's no way to stop a player like Demarcus Cousins from taking a $5M contract though ... no matter how you write up the CBA, there's just no way to stop something like that.

They could if they come up with a "superstar player cap". There would be a criteria to earn the label and maintain the label. It could mean they can be paid even more but also that a team can't add any more of them via FA if they've reached a limit.

[Blacklash2k4]

They could if they come up with a "superstar player cap". There would be a criteria to earn the label and maintain the label. It could mean they can be paid even more but also that a team can't add any more of them via FA if they've reached a limit.

Like I said, the Players will never agree to that though. Whenever you put a limit on where players can and cannot sign, the union will never agree to it.

[Apollo]

He has a point. There is no way to stop this. The Players Union would never agree to this because you're basically taking away choice in free agency from the players. This is just a matter of the fact that the NBA has come to the consensus that no one can beat the Warriors! As much we all hate the Warriors, the way the built in their championship legacy has been pretty spectacular management (outside maybe signing Durant).

The union thrives if the league thrives. They want to protect their cash cow. Also the players want a shot at winning. They can't be happy about the current state of affairs.

[Apollo]

Like I said, the Players will never agree to that though. Whenever you put a limit on where players can and cannot sign, the union will never agree to it.

The tune changes if revenues dip and the cap goes down. This is a phenomenal time to be a pro baller. They want to protect that prosperity if they're smart.

[Blacklash2k4]

The union thrives if the league thrives. They want to protect their cash cow. Also the players want a shot at winning. They can't be happy about the current state of affairs.

Let's be honest though. This is purely an outlier situation! If Cousins had a normal season where he wasn't injured, he never would have joined the Warriors! He would have a max contract right now. But it's the fact that no team wants to gamble on Cousins and give him a full max deals that he wanted to give himself one more year to give him a chance at a max deal. Having the word NBA champion on your resume doesn't hurt either. This is an outlier situation. This rarely happens!

[Apollo]

Let's be honest though. This is purely an outlier situation! If Cousins had a normal season where he wasn't injured, he never would have joined the Warriors! He would have a max contract right now. But it's the fact that no team wants to gamble on Cousins and give him a full max deals that he wanted to give himself one more year to give him a chance at a max deal. Having the word NBA champion on your resume doesn't hurt either. This is an outlier situation. This rarely happens!

You don't know that. He may set a trend. If he pulls this off people will take note.

[Blacklash2k4]

You don't know that. He may set a trend. If he pulls this off people will take note.

It's not. It might be a trend for all-stars who are severely injured on contract years, but even then, that is an insanely specific occurrence. This will not be a trend. When a superstar player can end up earning max money, they will more often than not take the max money. They won't take a paycut of multi-million deals just for a ring. If anything, the NBA should get rid of 1-2 year deals all together. Or if a 2 year deal, no player option.

[Ebonhawke]

The union thrives if the league thrives. They want to protect their cash cow. Also the players want a shot at winning. They can't be happy about the current state of affairs.

Nope, as I noted above - I'm sure there are a number of players who are upset with this decision, because it will likely cause a premature end to their NBA careers. If I'm a bottom-4/bubble playoff team, I would have no inclination to pay for a free agent that likely doesn't move the needle much for the team (say Avery Bradley) - I'd rather be on the hunt for finding the next undrafted player, like Van Vleet, Ingles etc, that could make a significant impact to my team in the future, at a controllable cost, and give those minutes to those prospects, rather than a known commodity.

[Ebonhawke]

You don't know that. He may set a trend. If he pulls this off people will take note.

As noted above, it's still $5.3M for a single season, well above what most NBA fans will earn in their professional lifetimes. As revenues keep increasing, and the number of ways that revenue is distributed remains the same, taking a significant pay cut has less of an impact, than the chance to win a championship

Especially for a number of players who grew up without a lot of financial resources, there may come a point, where the difference between $10M and $20M really doesn't have any practical value to them.

[Blacklash2k4]

Anyone else wonder whether this was planned from the beginning? Durant did leave exactly $5.3 million which is just enough to sign Demarcus Cousins. Thoughts?

[Joey]

Anyone else wonder whether this was planned from the beginning? Durant did leave exactly $5.3 million which is just enough to sign Demarcus Cousins. Thoughts?

If he left $5.2-5.4M I'm sure Boogie would have taken it as well. Lol At that level I don't imagine $100k means much.

[Blacklash2k4]

If he left $5.2-5.4M I'm sure Boogie would have taken it as well. Lol At that level I don't imagine $100k means much.

Well i mean he left enough for the Warrior to sign cousins.

[Joey]

You don't know that. He may set a trend. If he pulls this off people will take note.

If he pulls what off though? Winning a ring? There's not much of an if there.. not like Paul George didn't know he could sign with the Warriors for $5M as well and win a ring.

[Joey]

Well i mean he left enough for the Warrior to sign cousins.

But we don't know what "enough" was to Boogie, especially at that low of a rate.

[Demographic Shift]

There's no way to stop a player like Demarcus Cousins from taking a $5M contract though ... no matter how you write up the CBA, there's just no way to stop something like that.

Five words on line 1 of the next CBA stops the GTHL phenomenon and brings the league back to parity...if it’s parity the league wants.

Hard cap no bird rights.

Thee will be a bitter strike that no one wins..but if it’s parity they want..that’s how you do it.