Spirit of '99: 2011 Lockout Discussion

[Andrew]

Agreed, I think they'd have to phase it in if they were move back to 50-50, which again seems like the fairest possible split being an equal share and all.

Three years might be a bit short for a guaranteed deal, I could understand players wanting a bit more security than that. I don't think they could really complain with a maximum length of four or five years, especially with the common opt out clauses as you said. Even if the max length for signing elsewhere is four years and five for re-signing with your current team, if they don't do away with sign-and-trades then they can still move on with a five year guaranteed deal.

[shadowgrin]

If a new CBA is agreed upon, it means Larry Coon has a lot of updating to do.

[_Steve_]

That's kind of interesting: http://www.nba.com/2011/news/08/19/china-ban-contracted-nba-players.ap/index.html.

Moneywise one of the most interesting markets won't be available for most of the players. That should come pretty handy for the owners.

[Andrew]

That's probably a bit of a blow to their leverage but there are still options out there. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some barnstorming teams formed, I'd imagine there's money to be made in teams like that touring a few countries and companies willing to back it for the publicity and their slice of the pie.

[_Steve_]

That's probably a bit of a blow to their leverage but there are still options out there.

That's for sure. But if I'd had to bet when the lockout first started, I'd said many players would've taken their talents to China.

I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some barnstorming teams formed, I'd imagine there's money to be made in teams like that touring a few countries and companies willing to back it for the publicity and their slice of the pie.

The NBA Globetrotters... could be a nice bunch.

PS: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sam_amick/08/22/nba.labor.talks/index.html This article sums it up pretty well.

A nice example why players like Lamar Odom refuse current offers from the owners:
"As described by one such agent who was briefed about the owners' proposal and what it would mean, a player such as Lakers forward Lamar Odom would see his salary plummet from $8.9 million to $2.6 million next season, according to the union officials putting on the presentation. Such stark propositions have created a climate that another agent recently deemed "odorous," with the bad blood and bitterness continuing to rise while the emotions do nothing to help with a solution."

[Andrew]

Another meeting is scheduled for next week. Hopefully, it'll prove to be a little more productive and successful in closing the gap than the last one was.

[koberulz]

Patty Mills signs with the Melbourne Tigers.

[Andrew]

Wonder if he'll end up back in the NBA at some point.

[koberulz]

His Melbourne contract includes an out clause, apparently, so he'll be back in Portland the second there's a Portland to be back in.

Wildcats season tickets turned out to be a pretty good investment. Martin/Mills should be a hell of a matchup.

[shadowgrin]

Chandler heading to China!

Not that Chandler. This Chandler...

Denver Nuggets restricted free agent Wilson Chandler will play in China this season and won't be able to opt out of his deal and return to the NBA if there is a 2011-12 season.

Chandler's agent, Chris Luchey, tells The Associated Press his client will play for Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association.

[_Steve_]

Nowitzki decided not to play in Germany during the lockout. He said he would have opted for China if China hadn't declared not to sign NBA players with ongoing contracts. Nowitzki thinks that negotiations are just getting serious and he expects that a solution at least will be found when the first games are cancelled and frist players miss their paychecks. Sorry but this article is only available in german

[deihatein]

Nowitzki decided not to play in Germany during the lockout. He said he would have opted for China if China hadn't declared not to sign NBA players with ongoing contracts. Nowitzki thinks that negotiations are just getting serious and he expects that a solution at least will be found when the first games are cancelled and frist players miss their paychecks. Sorry but this article is only available in german

Good news

[Andrew]

The next meeting takes place today. Once again, here's hoping it's a productive one and the gap can be closed a little. A resolution or even tentative agreement strikes me as being far too optimistic at this juncture.

[Andrew]

Not a great deal of progress made in the meeting it seems, but perhaps some.

Neither side offered any specifics or would say if progress was made, but said they plan many more meetings in hopes of having basketball begin without interruption.

The sides hadn’t met since Aug. 1, despite saying they hoped to follow that with multiple sessions before the end of the month. They are far apart on major issues, but Stern said there is “clearly enough time” to make a deal that would allow the regular season to open as scheduled on Nov. 1.

He added he has no timetable for when cancelations might be necessary. The NBA quickly shot down a report this week they would happen at an owners meeting on Sept. 15.

“We don’t have any deadlines in mind,” Stern said. “We just have meetings in mind and discussions in mind.”

The first exhibition games this year are set for Oct. 9, and maybe they can still happen.

“It’s very obvious that coming out of the lockout being July 1 and into this part of August, it’s very clear both sides are feeling a sense of urgency,” Fisher said. “We’re very focused on getting a deal done and that’s how we’ll proceed from this point going forward.”

[koberulz]

Between Mills signing with the Tigers and Bogut being interested in the Wildcats, I actually hope the season gets cancelled at this point.

[Andrew]

Understandable. Personally I'd still take the NBA over some interesting happenings in the NBL though.

[koberulz]

What is wrong with you?

[Andrew]

Hey, I'm comfortable being the weird guy who prefers the NBA over the NBL.

[koberulz]

It's people like you that are the reason Bogut might not be able to come over even in the event of the season being cancelled. Yes, the NBL product is currently subpar, but if you want it to get better, and reintroduce Brisbane and Newcastle, you're going to have to support it now.

[Andrew]

I think I'll leave that to the folks who still have faith and interest, but thanks for the rousing speech all the same.

On the subject of the NBA lockout's effect on other entities though: No NBA season? Businesses may be benched

[The X]

Between Mills signing with the Tigers and Bogut being interested in the Wildcats, I actually hope the season gets cancelled at this point.

Would be good if Rudy joined Mills in Adelaide. Agreed Bullets need to come back. They were well supported here & got good crowds & only reason we lost them because of the GFC & ABC Learning Centres owner handing back license.

I drove down to Gold Coast to catch a Blaze game last season against my Kiwi team & quasi-Bullets, the Breakers. Great triple overtime game, plus I got to see my newest cult NBL hero, Chris Goulding (who looks like a cross between Adam Morrison meets Sasha Vujacic, coincidentally a NLSC team member coached him at one point. That person was not me). Great family environment and I'd definitely take my daughter to a NBL game over the drunken louts at league, union, AFL & football/soccer games. Blaze are playing a couple of games in Brisbane this season so will probably catch one of them. Also making my way along to the Olympics qualifer next Friday. I'm hoping Tall Blacks win game 1 so Penney & the boys can wrap up an Olympics berth in game 2, although we tend to only beat Aussies in the World Championships qualifying series & never the Olympics ones.


Anyways, back on lockout topic:

I think I'll leave that to the folks who still have faith and interest, but thanks for the rousing speech all the same.

On the subject of the NBA lockout's effect on other entities though: No NBA season? Businesses may be benched

Would suck for Spirit of 77 bar but frankly as a business you shouldn't place too much reliance on any one stakeholder.

[koberulz]

Between Mills signing with the Tigers and Bogut being interested in the Wildcats, I actually hope the season gets cancelled at this point.

Would be good if Rudy joined Mills in Adelaide.

Problem with people who aren't Mills or Bogut is that most teams have their import slots filled already. Not to mention the complete lack of money. Bogut's willing to pay for peanuts, but his insurance alone is 1.4 times the salary cap.

[The X]

Between Mills signing with the Tigers and Bogut being interested in the Wildcats, I actually hope the season gets cancelled at this point.

Would be good if Rudy joined Mills in Adelaide.

Problem with people who aren't Mills or Bogut is that most teams have their import slots filled already. Not to mention the complete lack of money. Bogut's willing to pay for peanuts, but his insurance alone is 1.4 times the salary cap.

That's why sadly he likely won't play in the NBL until his career is more or less over unless there was some private corporate sponsors who footed most of the insurance bill. Not sure if they would mess with cap since I don't know how NBL's cap works for those sort of things.

EDIT: Looks like I talked too soon (http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... rth_Of_NBL). Anyways, WA should use a little bit of mining income to make it happen

[koberulz]

There's never been any likelihood of it happening, and Mills was uncontracted, so there's really nobody with a clue about how the NBL will handle it.

Bogut had a meeting with the Wildcats the day I first brought it up in this thread. I wouldn't have considered it a possibility had Bogut himself not indicated interest.

[Kenny]

As much as it'd be cool to see Mills and Bogut in the NBL, I'm kind of with Andrew on this one. I think the longer they'd play in the NBL, the harder it'd be for them to settle back into the NBA. I'd rather see Mills and Bogut play at the highest level possible so they can use that experience and make the Boomers stronger. Spending too much time in a lesser competition would be to their detriment I think.

Don't get me wrong, I'd support a Brisbane team in the NBL and I hope as much as anyone that the league thrives, but not at the expense of the best basketball competition in the world. I'd hate to see the lockout take up the entire NBA season.

Anyway, I realise I'm a bit late with this, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents.