Have Spurs started arms race that will kill some NBA teams???

[nkdlunch]

forbes.com

NBA Owners Go Crazy Spending
NBA owners are spending like its boom times. Recently Anderson Varejao inked a 6-year deal for $50 million with Cleveland. The Pistons signed Ben Gordon for $55 million and Charlie Villanueva for $40 million, both over 5 years. Mark Cuban will shower $34 million on Marcin Gortat and his 4 points per game scoring average the next 5 years for the Mavs. :lol

What do the players above have in common? Zero All-Star game appearances among them. Didn’t any of these teams read the memo this week from Commissioner David Stern warning teams that the salary cap will fall by $1 million next season (only the second decrease during the cap era) and could plummet $8 million, to $50 million, the following season due to lower league-wide revenues? :wow

The 2010-11 season promises to be a financial mess as the luxury tax (where teams must pay a dollar-for-dollar tax when payrolls cross a threshold) is projected to be $61 million. Every team but the hapless Memphis Grizzlies spent more than that last season. NBA contracts are almost always guaranteed, so a contract like Gortat’s will cost Mavericks owner Cuban $13.6 million a year as his team is sure to be a luxury tax payer. If Stern’s warnings on the cap and luxury tax come true these teams will have to fork over a lot of dough. -- Kurt Badenhausen





I know why Spurs are spending. Because these might be Duncan's last 2 or 3 years to get rings. BUT, why the hell are the other teams following suit??? Are they that stupid?

Mavs will be in a world of hurt in a couple of years LOL Cuban.

Once again, the Spurs will be the main cause of the death of some franchises. :lol

[hater]

don't know about the other teams but Mavs definitely trying to compete with Spurs. Of course, Cuban is the owner. DUmbass is still throwing money at a team that will not get past round 2 :lol

[ambchang]

Because it is quite obvious the league's top tier and 2nd tier teams are not that far apart in talent. By spending money, teams feel that they have a great chance in capturing a championship.

Also, from a purely talent perspective, there are many teams out there who are willing to trade a 50 cents on a dollar because of shrinking revenues. Teams that figured that they have no chance to compete for a championship or make a deep run during the playoffs (Bucks, Nets, etc ...) are willing to trade their better players to save cap space, hunker down during the bad economy, and start rebuilding when revenue streams become more stable. Those who felt they can make a run at the championship sees this as a rare opportunity that they could take in massive contracts, and have the championship run offset the extra costs.

[Cry Havoc]

This kind of thing has been happening in baseball for years. Nothing new about it, it's just that some teams are rebuilding for the 2010 offseason when tons of free agents will be available.

[honestfool84]

hopefully this doesn't kill the SPURS themselves...

[Supergirl]

Much like the rest of the country, in the NBA the divide between the rich and the poor gets wider and wider. None of the teams spending big are marginal teams moving into the competitors, they're all competitors trading up in hopes of being even better. Teams like Milwaukee and Memphis get poorer and poorer and more far away from a championship.

[rayray2k8]

The Pistons got themselves some decent players. The Mavs.. I dont' know what the hell they're doing..

[dbestpro]

This post leads to an interesting question. If every team is over the tax cap then every team has to pay in. If the tax goes to the teams that are below the cap then who gets what money? Would that mean that teams salary that are in the lower 50% would recieve the monies regardless of being over the cap?

[Da Spurs]

That won't happen. There will be a lot of teams that can get under the luxury tax threshold next year since they've been freeing up a lot of space for the free agent scenario. If the revenues plummet, then can just not sign the expensive players.

[2Cleva]

Actually, the Lakers and Celtics started this. It just took the rest of the league a while to catch up.

[honestfool84]

Actually, the Lakers and Celtics started this. It just took the rest of the league a while to catch up.

i might be wrong..
but im pretty sure the spurs made the first big-off season move.

[dbestpro]

The question remains. What happens if every team is over the tax line?

[ambchang]

Actually, the Lakers and Celtics started this. It just took the rest of the league a while to catch up.


The rest of the league has not caught up, and will not for at least another decade or so.

It is extremely difficult to infiltrate the management ranks of a terrible team with a clueless owner and some talented players to commit collusion.

[2Cleva]

i might be wrong.. but im pretty sure the spurs made the first big-off season move.

Yes. To make up for what LA and Boston did 2 years ago.

Because of the cost risk compared to 2010 - teams weren't as willing to roll the dice last year. Now - its now or never.


The rest of the league has not caught up, and will not for at least another decade or so.

It is extremely difficult to infiltrate the management ranks of a terrible team with a clueless owner and some talented players to commit collusion.

You really should let that go. Mel Gibson wasn't even that good in the movie.

[wildbill2u]

look for the Spurs to go "all in" for the next few years as long as Timmy wants to play and the big three are in sync. But after that, especially if we actually win another championship and TD retires, watch the ownership group sell out for a nice profit and Pop bail out.

[fyatuk]

This post leads to an interesting question. If every team is over the tax cap then every team has to pay in. If the tax goes to the teams that are below the cap then who gets what money? Would that mean that teams salary that are in the lower 50% would recieve the monies regardless of being over the cap?

Just imagine being the only team below the tax limit...

[iggypop123]

maybe in labor negotiations they offer the exemption again where finely was released no penalty and the lakers with brian grant

[phxspurfan]

DUmbass is still throwing money at a team that will not get past round 2 :lol

Not a Mav fan but see 2006.

[phxspurfan]

look for the Spurs to go "all in" for the next few years as long as Timmy wants to play and the big three are in sync. But after that, especially if we actually win another championship and TD retires, watch the ownership group sell out for a nice profit and Pop bail out.

All good things ____ ____ __ __ ___.

[exstatic]

look for the Spurs to go "all in" for the next few years as long as Timmy wants to play and the big three are in sync. But after that, especially if we actually win another championship and TD retires, watch the ownership group sell out for a nice profit and Pop bail out.

Pop WILL bail, he's already said so, but why on earth would ownership sell? You make BIG dollars as a shitty team in this league. See: Grizz, Clips. Blow up the roster, rebuild, and rake in the dollars being at the cap, or a bit below.