Lots of talk today about the NBA going with a "franchise player" tag like the NFL's.

Hmm.

Lots of talk today about the NBA going with a "franchise player" tag like the NFL's.

Hmm.

Was about to suggest as much.

The Pistons will apparently be exempt, though.

I'll let someone else deliver the punchline.

Maybe they can add a "Sacred Cow" Tag for us.

Can someone please explain how the "franchise player" tag works in the NFL - not a big NFL fan. Will watch if I'm bored and it's on but that's very rare

Every team can name one of their UFAs a year their "Franchise Player". That player loses his free agency and is paid a salary equivalent to the average of the top 5 (I think 5) players at their position for one year. The next year the player is an UFA again and the team can once again put the tag on if they want.

^ 5

^ off the top.

So essentially your best UFA gets screwed out of a long term contract?

Let's say we did that to Tayshaun - he gets the average of the top 5 SF's for 1 season, then becomes UFA again?

And then you tag him again, which gives him the average of the top 5 SF's for another season, before you do it again and again...

For how long? As long as you wish?

Does the player have any say at all?

Cheesehead Sports Nut (Chicago, IL)
It seems like the NBA is in real financial trouble. I understand why teams hand out big contracts to superstars like LeBron James and Amar'e Stoudemire because those guys sell tickets. On the other hand, mid-level guys don't really real sell tickets. Keeping that in mind, why did so many teams use their mid-level exception to sign marginal starters like Drew Gooden and Hakim Warrick to long-term deals? Gooden and Warrick do not sell tickets and are locked in long-term to expensive contracts. The rumors are that the NBA is pushing for a hard cap, which would make the mid-level exception deals mentioned above look pretty bad. How do you reconcile the financial trouble that NBA teams claim that they are in with the mid-level exception contracts handed out in the off-season?

Ric Bucher (1:45 PM)
The NBA is not in financial trouble. The mid-level exceptions are going to go away. And the reason the mid-levels have been bad is because teams have used them to their max to sign guys other teams didn't want. It's not the vehicle, it's the way it has been driven. The owners now want a system that assures no matter how fast they take a corner or cross the double yellow line, they can't crash the car. And they'll probably get it.

If the MLE goes away does that mean hard cap or soft cap without exceptions?

too many average players got overpayed with the MLE...i dont think there will be a hard cap, you still can go over the salary cap to resign your own players

So because owners spend their own money on shitty players like I spend money on smokes the league is going to lockout the players and force these players to take less cash?

WTF?

How about someone force the owners to stop giving shit fucking players big long term contracts?

The whole world is fucking backwards

That's what lock out is P. The owners forcing rules upon themselves that keep them from being stupid.

Yes, that's true... but a lock out hurts the league's image and players don't get paid a cent...

If I'm not mistaken the NBA has to approve all contracts... so when the contract of Drew Gooden was sent to the league office for approval courtesy of the Bucks why didn't someone in the league office pick up the phone, ring Sen Kohl and say "Are you fucking stupid?"

Same with any other shitty contract... David Stern is so worried about image players are expected to be robots... yet owners can throw money around like a monkey throws shit and nothing is done?

The players need to be tougher this time than last time... otherwise they're gonna get screwed...

And yes I am well aware that players make millions to play a kid's game... but do you think many owners are losing money? And of those that are losing money how many years of great profit did they have before the Global bullshit?

Kobe might be very rich... but Dr. Buss is richer...

That's a great idea.


No Detroit, you have too many "just good" players. You need a superstar. You can't sign Chauncey Billups.


Sorry Orlando, I know you are trying to appease your franchise star by throwing money at a SF to be his #2 but Hollinger says Lewis' PER isn't high enough for those dollars.

Yes, Fool - I was deadly serious about that part of the post....

Interesting question just posed to Larry Coon on twitter. If the lockout kills the whole season, how will the draft order be determined?

Coon says that there would have to be another lottery that includes every team, because you can't reward the same teams again for a single bad season.

That would be great TV.

Interesting question just posed to Larry Coon on twitter. If the lockout kills the whole season, how will the draft order be determined?

Coon says that there would have to be another lottery that includes every team, because you can't reward the same teams again for a single bad season.

that would be bad (I assume all have equal chance at picks). Imagine the conspiracy whining when NYY/CHI/LAL/BOS get top picks.

The NHL used this method for that case:


The loss of the 2004–05 season meant that there were no results on which to base the order of the 2005 entry draft. The league settled on a lottery system in which all teams had a weighted chance at the first pick, expected to be Sidney Crosby. The lottery was tilted so teams with fewer playoff appearances over the last three seasons and fewer number one overall picks over the last four seasons had a better chance of landing higher picks. The complete order was determined by the lottery, and the 2005 draft was conducted in a "snake" style, meaning in even rounds, the draft order was reversed. This system was an attempt to compromise between those who felt all teams should have had an equal chance at the first pick and those who felt only the weaker teams should have been in the running.

I like the idea of tilting it over a period like that so the richest don't get richer.

Snake draft! Yes!

Lockout tonight?

What's interesting to me is all of these players talking about playing overseas for a year. If they start signing and going, even if they try to do a 50-60 game NBA season, there could be a bunch of name-brand players stuck overseas.

Talk about a *tainted championship.

I assume most players would have an opt out clause if the NBA were to resume play.

Check out nba.com

No pics of active players, lol.

With the NBA deciding to implement a lockout after failing to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the Players Association, teams are now forbidden from having any contact with players. That’s why Paul planned to spend Thursday afternoon playing golf with Greenup. Paul has planned for Greenup to be in his wedding in September, but if the lockout hasn’t been lifted, Greenup will need special permission from the league to even attend.
“The past three or four days we’ve been together all day every day because starting tomorrow I can’t talk to one of my closest friends,” Paul said.

Life promises to be awkward for Paul and most other players during the NBA’s first work stoppage since the 1998-99 lockout. The league gave team officials a long list of people connected to players that they can’t communicate with, including agents, family members, personal staff, workout guys and shoe representatives. Several sources said the league office is intent on cracking down on any violations, proposing hefty fines to teams and individuals and possibly even firings. If team officials have a chance encounter with players, they are ordered to record details of the meeting and report it.

NBA.com and team websites can’t program pictures or video of players. Employees in team ticket offices can’t mention players’ names when trying to sell season-ticket packages. One assistant coach has asked for permission for a player to be in his wedding.

“It’s crazy,” Paul said.

League and team officials can’t call, text, email or tweet players. Facebook is out, too. The league might even check phone records of team employees to ensure no contact is taking place. Spouses of team employees also have been instructed not to speak with players’ wives or girlfriends, one source said. Nor can teams help players purchase tickets to events in their arenas – like concerts – during the work stoppage.

“I told one of my coworkers that you know this is serious when we are getting briefed about it with all the vice presidents of the team in the room,” one team official said.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=ArMvKMvFCXD.rrJgT0S7lpC8vLYF?slug=mc-spears_nba_players_lockout_impact_063011

Wonder if any of our guys will head overseas? Maybe Yonas?

Gilbert Arenas: well ive been thur a lock out..i was lockout 50 games last year sooo this is not gonna be anything new o me

Greeny ripped on a lot of player tweets this morning on M&M. Kaman wrote: looks like the unemployment rate just went up.

I loled.

Do the NBA players get to file for unemployment while this is happening??

Lots of reports today of players looking to head overseas. This might move quickly, because it sounds like there are a limited amount of Euro spots available, which is why Krstic went so quickly a few weeks ago. There's always China, too.

Just saw a great question/point made on twitter. Did Stern's desire/push to expand the game internationally make the lockout less effective as a bargaining strategy?

Just saw a great question/point made on twitter. Did Stern's desire/push to expand the game internationally make the lockout less effective as a bargaining strategy?

It could cut both ways. If Stern wanted the show to go on, he has a large body of professional "scabs" to tap from.

True, true. If those scabs can get out of those contracts, that is.

http://espn.go.com/blog/TrueHoop/post/_/id/30819/11-thoughts-about-the-end-of-the-cba

You guys ever find it funny that its always the guys with the millions in contracts and edorsements are the ones who say they are willing to sit out the next season?

The lockout saved Mike Beasley from a suspension for mary jane possession.

Just saw a great question/point made on twitter. Did Stern's desire/push to expand the game internationally make the lockout less effective as a bargaining strategy?
I think the top level salaries are just so much higher here though, it would be difficult for this to work for the players long-term. Sure, foreign teams are willing to make a splash with a couple players for big money, or even several players for a year or two, but they just don't have the infrastructure and TV money to make that work on a long-term basis.

It could be made to happen in theory, sure, but you're talking 4-5 years and a massive investment to make it so, and I doubt anyone's really going to risk all that money just to see the lockout end in 8 months and the plan become worthless.

You guys ever find it funny that its always the guys with the millions in contracts and edorsements are the ones who say they are willing to sit out the next season?
That's what was just so stupid of the NFLPA putting Brady and Manning as the face of their lawsuit. Not going to win yourself much sympathy.

I think the top level salaries are just so much higher here though, it would be difficult for this to work for the players long-term. Sure, foreign teams are willing to make a splash with a couple players for big money, or even several players for a year or two, but they just don't have the infrastructure and TV money to make that work on a long-term basis.

It could be made to happen in theory, sure, but you're talking 4-5 years and a massive investment to make it so, and I doubt anyone's really going to risk all that money just to see the lockout end in 8 months and the plan become worthless.

I agree about the limited long-term viability of big name players staying overseas for 4+ years, but how badly does it hurt the NBA if it even has to go a year or two without a handful of major stars, I think it hurts a lot.

I agree about the limited long-term viability of big name players staying overseas for 4+ years, but how badly does it hurt the NBA if it even has to go a year or two without a handful of major stars, I think it hurts a lot.
Do you think they'd stay over there though? if the Union votes and passes a new CBA, would Lebron really stay in Italy or wherever? I could see Kobe doing it I guess so you're probably right.

I actually think it hurts Stern quite a bit even if only a few stars stay over and miss an abbreviated 50 game NBA season this year.

#blackeye

I actually think it hurts Stern quite a bit even if only a few stars stay over and miss an abbreviated 50 game NBA season this year.

#blackeye
True dat. Another point to consider is that most of these leagues have a cap on the number of foreigners they allow per team in order to keep some rich owner from just buying up a bunch of NBA castoffs and dominating (I think it's usually 2-3 per team). It will be interesting to see if some league decides to bend the rules in order to capitalize on the huge pool of available players, and if so, if the NBA will in turn stop being so stringent in following fiba buyout policy recommendations. If the NBA starts ignoring the rights of euro-league contracts, situations like Rubio's could disappear.

I've had 3 or 5 Shandies within the hour, so I'm a bit fuzzy, but if I understand what I am reading correctly, if the players decide to de-certify the union, the existing guaranteed contracts instantly become unguaranteed.

Could this be as awesome for us as I am imagining?

I've had 3 or 5 Shandies within the hour, so I'm a bit fuzzy, but if I understand what I am reading correctly, if the players decide to de-certify the union, the existing guaranteed contracts instantly become unguaranteed.

Could this be as awesome for us as I am imagining?

Eh, re-guaranteeing those contracts would pretty much be a minimum requirement for the players on any new contract though. No way.

Buzzkill.

There is some pretty good apocalyptic stuff floating around though where the union decertifies and the league blows up everything frpm xisting guaranteed contracts to the vets min, etc

Does Big Ben become a lawyer in the offseason?

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110718/SPORTS0102/107180354/Pistons--Ben-Wallace-has-a-future-in--not-on--court

No disrespect, but who would hire Ben Wallace as an attorney?

Sounds like a gimmick or bad TV, "Ben Wallace - Defense Attorney".

The NBA brothas will hire him.

Stern snuck the 2010/11 financials out at 5 pm on a Friday.

BRI actually INCREASED by 4.8%

LOL.

Who gives a shit? Not me.

u cared enuff 2 post lol!!!1

It's ALL about the NFL for me.

It's ALL about the NFL for me.

And anger!

Ok, I'll stop now.

Ok, I'll stop now.

Please...cuz that shit is stupid.

I thought it was funny, but I can see how it could be irritating.

Not irritating at all.

stupid.

Well, I love you, even when you're angry.

Only 3 teams have luxury tax bills, Lakers, Magic & Mavs. All owe about $20m each.

Whooooooooooooooooooo gives a shit? Said in Happy Gilmore voice.

Ok, I'll stop now.

I wonder if all those luxury teams made money.

No NBA til at least Feb. 1st 2012, who wants to bet?

Players union bends under Stern's rule (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-wojnarowski_nba_labor_talks_080111)

This guy's so good. (AW)

<--- Still not giving a shit.

me eeder.

Let the lawsuits begin.

Some NBA pros got Tayshowned by the Dominican Republic:

http://www.kentucky.com/2011/08/16/1847258/uk-pros-dominican-republic-box.html

Some NBA pros got Tayshowned by the Dominican Republic:

http://www.kentucky.com/2011/08/16/1847258/uk-pros-dominican-republic-box.html

Look at the minute distribution. The Pros are practicing the same philosophy as the Pistons were.

Lockout means lockup for Javaris Crittenton:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6899974/former-nba-player-javaris-crittenton-charged-murder

Run Javaris Run

Kevin Love going for that college pussy:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6896273/minnesota-timberwolves-kevin-love-loses-pro-beach-volleyball-debut

I always thought the NBA was close to the top of my fav sports, but I couldn't care less about these clowns. Lotsa peeps feelin the same way, afaict.

No offense to you hardcore NBA fans.

yep, giving zero shits.

Ron Artest on Dancing With The Stars... along with a bunch of other fucks I don't care about.

Here's some fuzzy #'s: Since 2004, 15 teams have paid the luxury tax at least once. Every champion is included. Not included? #Pistons

@vgoodwill

What is this NBA you speak of?

Ron Artest (by any other name) has been eliminated from Dancing With The Stars.

(Ah, but will Metta be in the audience cheering everyone else on?)

20 Things We Wouldn't Miss About the NBA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/nba/09/23/things.not.missed.nba/index.html?sct=nba_t11_a2)

Let's compose our own list - things we wouldn't miss about the Pistons.

-ZBeau posting in the OGT

Things that won't be missed due to the lockout:
About 1,000 Rodney Stuckey Jump Shots.

The coach interviews after every quarter are retarted.

Things that won't be missed due to the lockout:
About 1,000 Rodney Stuckey Jump Shots.

Stuckey won't make 'em and we won't miss 'em. Nice.

Things that won't be missed due to the lockout:
About 1,000 Rodney Stuckey Jump Shots.

ZING

@WojYahooNBA: Y! Sources: NBA owners finally budge with union on long-standing demands for a hard salary cap. http://tinyurl.com/3bynkxd

50:50 BRI split and maybe 2 luxury taxes, punishing teams for very high payrolls, this would have been my proposal from the start...i still believe the owners want more and more drastic changes

Is it just me or does it seem like most everyone wanted the NFL lockout to end? Players, owners, fans, TV peeps. It seems like there is less concern, less enthusiasm to end this thing?

NHL would be smart to sign some tv deal with ESPN or something to fill the void during the week for sports. Obviously they won't be able to compete with the NFL but heres a chance for them dumb fucks to get their sport back in the conversation at least. But I doubt they'll do anything about it.

Is it just me or does it seem like most everyone wanted the NFL lockout to end? Players, owners, fans, TV peeps. It seems like there is less concern, less enthusiasm to end this thing?
I do agree but I think the horrible state of our team the last few years might cloud our judgement. If we were Mavs fans I bet we'd be raring to go.

This is what's on NBATV right now... A movie from 1985 starring Michael J Fox described as 'The new start of a high school basketball team has red eyes, fangs and lots of hair.

You go NBA!

Love Teen Wolf

I'D LIKE...............A KEG>>>>>>>>>>>>>OF >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BEER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>PLEASE!

I do agree but I think the horrible state of our team the last few years might cloud our judgement. If we were Mavs fans I bet we'd be raring to go.

I was thinking that might be a part of it.

Yup, I'm a Mavs fan and I want this shit to end.

I do agree but I think the horrible state of our team the last few years might cloud our judgement. If we were Mavs fans I bet we'd be raring to go.

The horrible state of the Lions for many decades didn't stop the lockout whining from my football friends. I still can't fathom how the Lions inspire such loyalty while the Pistons never have.

^ interesting.

The horrible state of the Lions for many decades didn't stop the lockout whining from my football friends. I still can't fathom how the Lions inspire such loyalty while the Pistons never have.
Well, the Lions were clearly on the upswing. This season is what you wait for, what you suffer all those years for.

If the lockout were after the 0-16 year, I don't think there would have been nearly the concern.

The horrible state of the Lions for many decades didn't stop the lockout whining from my football friends. I still can't fathom how the Lions inspire such loyalty while the Pistons never have.

I wouldn't say the Pistons don't inspire any loyalty. All the fans that they have are loyal right now. Even if they took another step backwards and became the worse team in the league next year I don't think they'd lose many of them. They're already hard to watch. They don't make many highlights. There is no Kevin Love type dude getting personal achievements. There's no young star that's looking like they'll be dominant. There's no chip on their shoulder like Cleveland has. It's just unexciting basketball that typically ends in loss. If you want to watch that, you're hardcore.

There is NO other team in the NBA that I'll ever root for like I do my Pistons, but for some reason the NBA in general has lost something for me.

I don't think I've missed 2 games in a row of Pistons for a long long time. Unless I was on vacay or something. And that isn't easy when you live in California. Its costly and the times the games are on is weird.

NFL > NBA, plain and simple - I'm with Tahoe.

I'm hearing that :we: 're "close".

Like 2% in BRI close.

National Basketball Association cancels first two weeks of the regular season due to a labor dispute with players. The NBA and the players union have not been able to reach a collective bargaining agreement. In a statement, the NBA said the cancellation includes all games originally scheduled to be played through November 14.

Unions...smh.

I'm going to miss the NBA terribly when there's nothing but college basketball and hockey.

I don't want to get a life.

Pro Wrestling doesn't have a union, a lockout or an off season

I'm just saying :)

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/257144-pro-wrestling-needs-a-union

WWE wrasslers could probably use an offseason.

WWE wrasslers could probably use an offseason.

I thought that was called "cycle off".

LOL!!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/257144-pro-wrestling-needs-a-union

It'd be the end of wressling as we know it.

Melo's talking about it:

http://www.gq.com/sports/profiles/201110/carmelo-anthony-style-fashion-interview

Funniest part to me is:


then LA. I was fortunate enough to play against them when they had Shaq, Kobe, Rick Fox, Gary Payton, Karl Malone

Only the ladies think Rick Fox is HOF-worthy.

Going to federal mediation.

Stern sez Christmas games in peril.

riDAwDlVln0

Stern sez Christmas games in peril.

Dear Dave,

The NFL has an entire weekend of games Christmas weekend. No one gives a shit about the NBA.

Yours Truly,
Everybody

What were the CHRISTmas games, anyway?

I assume Tebow will be playing?

I would bet it would be the Heat v Celts. And/or Kobe Bryant and the Lakers v Tim Duncan and the Spurs.

NFL has a game on Thursday and then play the majority of the games on Sat the 24th, 1 game on Christmas Day and then a Monday night game.

Not sick of this.

I think Bulls/Lakers and Heat/Knicks were two of them. Have to have the Celdicks on there too though... Celdicks/Magic??

Remeber when the NBA mattered?

http://l.yimg.com/a/p/sp/editorial_image/0a/0ab1301423facd72e562294f721ddc48/somebody_has_an_nbathemed_washroom_floor_because_i ts_completely_appropriate.jpg

i feel the same way. as for whenever they do strike a deal, apparently the 'salary cap amnesty' has already been agreed to. essentially we can dump one bad contract and not have it hit the cap. who does everyone think we would/should dump?

Apparently teams will have two years to decide who to amnesty... still hoping for BG... Stuckey can do better for less.
The direction s/b reducing long term deals.

There was a thread on this... I think Chuck got the most votes.

Goobye Rip. Not that I agree with it.

I'd dump BG as his contract is longer than Rip's and more expensive than Nova's....

^ Agree. I posted what I thought would happen not what I wanted.

Maybe since we have a new coach they won't think Rip is evil. With a new coach, we'll see if it was JoeD or the coach who though Rip was holding this team back.

Here's hoping "we" take the long view and dump BG.

Nova is a "stretch 4" (aka afraid of the painted area) and apparently those have value....

BG is an undersized SG making $10+ mil per. Not much trade value there.

Rip will be gone soon enough - better to let him walk away on his own than dump him with an amnesty clause. We could even try to trade him to a contender for a decent package of youth and expirings and/or a pick... either way he stays for the shortened season

I don't think there is another contender for the "amnesty clause"

Plus BG has a player option in 13/14 of 13m.

Huge mistake from the begining.

Even if BG was as good as he was in Chicago, he wasn't worth his contract.

So we are all in agreement? BG

Meeting adjourned.

edit...also damn, I wish there'd be some more basketball to discuss. I'm starting to give a shit.

I actually can't believe I care enough during the lockout to check here everyday!

Imagine how much we'd fucking care if our team was good!

These fucking assholes are arguing over 2.5% of revenues, if I'm not mistaken. Whatever the fuck the god damn number is, just put that amount (2.5 fucking percent) in a god damn escrow fucking account and START THE SEASON you bunch of jerk off mother fuckin cock suckin asshole faggets. Continue to argue and when you finally agree, pay out whatever goes to the players and the other to the owners for fuck sake. Punish those of us who pay your out of control salaries? You bunch of faggets.

There's my solution to start the season. :)

Greedy stupid assholes, i cant believe they cant get a compromise done! They are fighting over 100 mil a year, when you are talking about 4 billion total revenue, ridiculous.

Yeah them pussy ass bitch mofos...... uh, what are we talking about again?...
Oh yeah, those greedy butt grindin', ass lickin, pole sittin bastards better end this shit soon.
I vote we rename the thread "Lockout therapy"... mother fuckers!

NEW YORK—Though lockout talks between owners and the players union remain stalled, league officials said late Monday they were still optimistic a deal could be reached in time to salvage a 10-game NBA season. "If we continue to push ourselves through 13-hour days as we have been, we’re probably only six or seven months away from breaking the impasse," NBA commissioner David Stern told reporters. "We know the fans want to see this season happen, so we’re doing everything in our power to give them a whole week of games in early April before their team hits the offseason." If a deal does come in time to hold the short season, Stern promised fans, the NBA playoffs will still seem about 30 weeks long.

LOL

Fuck the lockout, fuck everyone involved in all this bullshit. All i fucking hear from them is how the other side is at fault and not bargaining in good faith. newsflash assholes, NOONE GIVES A FLYING FUCK WHOSE FAULT IT IS!!!! Suck it the fuck up the lot of you.
Hunter and Stern should be shot for the way this has been handled.

i needed that. if only i could shout in their faces rather than type it in caps, would be much better therapy.
god dam these guys are cunts

So Stern, the 29 owners and the Player's Union reps probably just flushed $1 billion down the drain?

Why?

Because of a "repeat luxury tax" clause?

Because of a smaller MLE for teams over the tax threshold?

Based on everything I've read and seen on the lockout the whole thing has been one long squash match with the NBA/Owners playing Goldberg and kicking the living shit out out of the players (played by Barry Horowitz)

From 57% to 50%? WOW!

But it still wasn't enough?

Once the players agreed to drop that much dough the league should have caved in on the "system" issues the Union brought up.

The NBA does realise that there are other major sporting competitions around the world, right?

I don't NEED the NBA in my life. I CHOOSE to support a team in it and watch it. I can EASILY choose otherwise

Nice post Pharaoh... it would seem that both sides are now realizing this is gonna hurt like hell... that's when a deal gets done.

Fuckers have been talking for 2 and a half years about the new CBA.

I realise that losing games/paychecks creates a whole different sense of urgency but should it get to that?

Both sides needed someone to tell them the truth: The NBA is a big fucking business and there is plenty of coin to go around. Do the right fucking thing and let's keep this gravy train rolling....

I honestly think the ownership group is split into 3....

1 = you have those who can afford to spend whatever they want (and will). These guys don't give a fuck about the rest of the league - they want an open market where players can go to the highest bidder regardless of Bird Rights and shit like that... Hello Miami!!!!

2 = you have the remaining teams - mostly small market owners that want to have a legit chance at winning sometime in their lifetime. This can only be done if the league stops the big market teams from pulling a Miami...

3 = owners who don't give a fuck about winning anything and just want to spend as little money as possible while making a profit

The players? The players want the same system they've had for the last few years... and they believe that because they are the product that they should get at least 52% of the money.. cause those extra 2% means something.

Newsflash for the majority of players = ain't no one coming to see your dumbarse. The elite players are the product. The rest of you are just lucky to have a job. Drew Gooden this means you. Amir Johnson this means you. No one bought a ticket to see you. NO ONE! Shut the fuck up, take your big arse contract and sit the fuck down.

IMO: 90% of players are lucky to get the money they get already. Owners are right in wanting to end this bullshit... but they're also the ones signing off on these insane amounts.

So who suffers? Players got their huge contracts while owners "lost millions" (though teams are still worth $300+ mil) but are not exactly begging for dough...

Fans suffer. Vendors suffer. People that rely on NBA teams playing games suffer....

As long as other fucking people suffer players, owners and agents won't give a shit. Cause it ain't happening to them. These idiots crashed their own gravy train. IF people bail on the league next season then maybe, just maybe these fuckers will take notice.

But I doubt it

Any hope for the 2011 NBA season may soon disappear in a confusing morass of mutual greed, antitrust litigation, and David Stern's uselessness. Onion Sports breaks down the key points and what they mean for the fans:

* Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh are now legally obligated to find something else not to be the champion of
* All jammas will be without slammas for the foreseeable future
* Despite having no obligation to do so, Knicks owner James Dolan will continue sending Eddy Curry checks out of habit
* Until the players union reassembles, children shooting hoops in their driveway are legally prohibited from pretending to be any current NBA player
* Although talks continue, both owners and players are expected to reject Kobe Bryant’s offer to be paid $2 billion to play an entire season by himself
* As All-Star Weekend is now canceled, there can be no resolution of whether the league's rookies or sophomores are better by means of a single game in which everyone is trying to make cool dunks
* That old Peja Stojakovic jersey at the Champs Sports in the mall is now 50 percent off
* The NHL will continue to go unwatched and unloved
* Despite disagreement on almost every issue, owners and players alike will continue to mutter “Shut up” whenever David Stern starts talking
* Over the next few weeks, players and ownership hope to resolve issues over money while at the same time destroying the sport of basketball forever

* Despite having no obligation to do so, Knicks owner James Dolan will continue sending Eddy Curry checks out of habit
* Until the players union reassembles, children shooting hoops in their driveway are legally prohibited from pretending to be any current NBA player
* Although talks continue, both owners and players are expected to reject Kobe Bryant’s offer to be paid $2 billion to play an entire season by himself
*The NHL will continue to go unwatched and unloved

Those ones made me chuckle.

We have a deal!... per NBA.COM the games will start on Christmas... 66 games this year... free agent frenzy starts in a couple weeks.

http://www.nba.com/home/index.html

It's tentative. We'll see if one side or the other finds a way to screw this up.

Love the amnesty clause.... let's see who we dump.

Will also be interesting to see what happens with our roster now that ownership is settled.

gotta drop CV or BG, IMO... Rip has one year left? let him suffer one last time so we can start a little fresh

Yes. Coin flip to me.

This will be the first sign of Gores commitment... will he pay BG's entire contract just to save on the cap?
I doubt that going into the Lux Tax means success going forward.

Does he have to pay the entire contract?

Or just this season?

If I was Gores I'd be dumping BG regardless, trying to move Nova by hook or by crook and clearing the decks for the next GM.

Monroe, Jerebko, Daye and Knight are the future for the moment. It doesn't matter if we like it or not this team needs to be blown the fuck up

The sooner we do this the better off we'll be as a team, as a franchise and as an organisation.

We didn't "rebuild while staying a contender"... we did the "rebuild and be mediocre"

If you ain't first your last!!!

If they use the amnesty on a player he goes up for bidding... the winning team pays the amount of the bid... the original team pays what's left of the contract.

BOSTON—Irked that a reporter had once again referred to him as "Big Baby" while asking him a question about the NBA lockout, Boston Celtics center Glen "Pencil Dick" Davis lashed out at fans and the media Monday for continuing to call him by his renounced nickname. "I understand people like calling me 'Big Baby' and all that, but it really bothers me, and it's demeaning," Pencil Dick said. "I just don't think 'Big Baby' defines me at all, not anymore. If anything, you should call me Big [Pencil Dick] or Mr. [Pencil Dick]. Even [Pencil Dick] would be fine." None of Davis' teammates could be reached for comment, including Kevin "The Big Fuckface" Garnett.

Anyone hear what DirecTV's NBA package is going to cost with the shortened season?

$169 full year... or $42 p/month for 4 months

^ Thanks. I'm there. I was seriously going to cancel it but I do miss hoops.