Comments on: Union head Hunter: “We don’t want to be totally exploited”

By: passerby23

passerby23 — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:43:00 +0000

Frivolous spending of money by young players having a bearing on their future retirement isn’t really a concern of most fans. If someone won a $10 million lottery at 22 and blew it all and then complained that the lottery should’ve been $20 million because they “can’t retire”, would anyone have pity on them? Is the Union asking for LOWER salaries so young players don’t squander their earnings away?

As I mentioned, the longer this goes, the worse it’s going to be on the players anyway. They’re going to have to cave.

By: Kurt Helin

Kurt Helin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:27:37 +0000

Some NBA players do invest and make smart decisions with their money, some do not. Look at it this way folks: If you had millions in your bank at 22, would you have made a bunch of smart decisions for the long term?

By: somekat

somekat — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:53:09 +0000

500k is the minimum for a rookie, goes up as you have more experience

poor little orphan boys!

By: pellypell

pellypell — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:52:19 +0000

“…but most of our players when they end playing basketball, they’re going to be living for another 40 years or so. And I don’t know how long that money’s going to last, even if they’ve made every prudent investment they can possibly make, at what level they’re going to be able to live.”

If I guy can’t live on the 10 million or 100 million he made throughout his career, a few percentage points more isn’t going to make a damn difference.

By: leearmon

leearmon — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:51:55 +0000

Larger markets do not guarantee a championship. I don’t know where this idea has come from, but it has no truth behind it at all. Yes the Lakers have won 5 championships since 2000, the team who is right behind them, San Antonio! The Knicks, Nets and Clippers, who I remind you, play in markets #1 & #2 respectively have been dormant franchises for the majority of the last 15 years. Ask yourself who would you rather be a fan of, the 76ers (top 10 market) or the Thunder? (market #48) Its really comical actually. Bottom line, if you have a strong front office, no matter where your team is located, you will have a great chance of winning. Also, the majority of moves made in the NBA do not come in free agency. Look at the biggest stars in the league, with the exception of Lebron (who most now call a choker, so who would want him anyway? – sarcasm) Kobe – draft day trade. Dirk-drafed. Rose-drafted. Duncan-drafted. Howard-drafted. Nash-left larger market for small market. Pierce-drafted, .Durant-drafted etc. Most players who switch teams in free agency are either 2nd tier players, or guys who score a lot of points for one or two years, and owners over spend making a horrible decision setting their franchises back at least 5 years. Im looking at you Gilbert Arenas.

By: passerby23

passerby23 — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:37:18 +0000

Do NBA players ever think about investing some of their 6 or 7-figure salaries as opposed to spending it all and then complaining that they have another 40 years to live? How about planning for a part-time job once they’re done playing? Do you really think it would be difficult for an ex-NBA player to find a freakin’ job!?

More importantly, the longer this rides out, the worse off the players are going to be. Already the fans’ impatience lies mostly with the players. Cut a deal now and save yourself the inevitable hardship that will come to the players the longer this drags out.

By: kinggw

kinggw — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:31:24 +0000

Every team has a chance to win it all, the size of the market is irrelevant. Is San Antonio a large market? Sacramento, Minnesota, Milwaukee and Indiana all had their chances over the past 10-15 years. The key to fielding a championship level team has more to do with how the team is managed not the locale. The market size is just the latest excuse from a bunch of owners who want security from taking financial risks. If you give players like Elton Brand, Eddy Curry and Rashard Lewis big money its no ones fault but your own. The players arent angels but the owners are to blame for the stalemate.

By the way Miami is far from a large market and any team could have did what the Heat did, they just have to have the same patience and forethought. Riley was smart enough to know that several big free agents would be available in the summer of 2010. He made sure the Heat would have no major obligations and the resources to sign two or three big names. What was so hard about that? Dont blame the market size blame your GM.

By: loza6984

loza6984 — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:55:56 +0000

Agree on the “competitive” team/product. However, unless salaries/business model is fixed the NBA won’t prosper and might not survive. That’s what this lockout is about. The vast majority of fans can’t afford to go to a game (much less an 82-game season plus playoffs).

By: therealhtj

therealhtj — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:38:13 +0000

System issues won’t fix the ability of ANY team to win a championship. Unless you draft or can attract as a free agent a transcendent superstar, your odds of getting a ring are about 1 in 50.

What the system being turned on it’s head will fix is the ability of ALL teams to put forth a competitive product, year-in, year-out. Without albatross guaranteed contracts clogging up a teams cap space, the chance to at least be competitive is much more within reach. As a fan of the entire NBA, I’m all for it. Unfortunately, the entire dispute is far more about BRI split ($$$$) then system issues and putting forth a better product.

I also can’t help but laugh every time I hear some irate poster talk about cutting ticket prices, cuz that’s really gonna happen.

And Lord Hunter needs to look up exploitation in the dictionary.

By: goforthanddie

goforthanddie — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:36:05 +0000

“We don’t want to be totally exploited.”

Isn’t the minimum contract possible good for 6 figures? Hard to cry exploitation pal.

By: loza6984

loza6984 — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:52:41 +0000

The players don’t understand that all teams have to have a chance to win it all. The big markets have an unfair advantage…small market owners have dug in. The model has to change and re-baselined. The rate of salary growth can’t be sustained. How many teams could have done what Miami did (Lebron, Wade, and Bosh). Just a handful of teams could pay them what they got. Those days are over!!!!