duncan228
11-07-2009, 10:21 PM
Salary cap busters belie NBA's economic woes (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Salary_cap_busters_belie_NBAs_economic_woes.html)
Mike Monroe
According to a recent Commerce Department report, the U.S. economy grew in the third quarter at a rate of 3.5 percent, the first good economic news in two years.
NBA teams may deserve some credit for easing the recession.
According to NBA team salary cap figures obtained this past week by the Express-News, nearly half the league's 30 teams are on track to be over the 2009-10 luxury tax threshold of $69.92 million.
The Spurs have the highest player payroll in franchise history, with a salary cap figure of $80.01 million, but it ranks as just the eighth-highest salary cap figure.
You have to add $763,033 to get the true Spurs' player payroll. That's because the Spurs have to pay 14-year veteran Theo Ratliff and seven-year veteran Keith Bogans, both on minimum contracts, only $825,497. The league picks up the remainder of Bogans' $1.1 million deal and Ratliff's $1.3 million.
The defending champion Lakers have the highest cap figure: $91.35 million.
Seven teams are at least $10 million over the luxury tax threshold. Of those, only the New York Knicks failed to make the playoffs last season.
Only five teams have money available under the salary cap figure of $57.7 million. The Thunder have the lowest payroll: $48.39 million.
Kobe Bryant, whose salary jumped to slightly more than $23 million in July, is the league's highest-paid player.
Spurs captain Tim Duncan ranks fourth among players, at $22.10 million.
Sixty-two players make at least $10million. Only three teams — Oklahoma City, Portland and Sacramento — do not have a player making at least $10 million.
Mike Monroe
According to a recent Commerce Department report, the U.S. economy grew in the third quarter at a rate of 3.5 percent, the first good economic news in two years.
NBA teams may deserve some credit for easing the recession.
According to NBA team salary cap figures obtained this past week by the Express-News, nearly half the league's 30 teams are on track to be over the 2009-10 luxury tax threshold of $69.92 million.
The Spurs have the highest player payroll in franchise history, with a salary cap figure of $80.01 million, but it ranks as just the eighth-highest salary cap figure.
You have to add $763,033 to get the true Spurs' player payroll. That's because the Spurs have to pay 14-year veteran Theo Ratliff and seven-year veteran Keith Bogans, both on minimum contracts, only $825,497. The league picks up the remainder of Bogans' $1.1 million deal and Ratliff's $1.3 million.
The defending champion Lakers have the highest cap figure: $91.35 million.
Seven teams are at least $10 million over the luxury tax threshold. Of those, only the New York Knicks failed to make the playoffs last season.
Only five teams have money available under the salary cap figure of $57.7 million. The Thunder have the lowest payroll: $48.39 million.
Kobe Bryant, whose salary jumped to slightly more than $23 million in July, is the league's highest-paid player.
Spurs captain Tim Duncan ranks fourth among players, at $22.10 million.
Sixty-two players make at least $10million. Only three teams — Oklahoma City, Portland and Sacramento — do not have a player making at least $10 million.