NBA Thread 2011-12

[rocksta]

I feel as if it was inevitable. As a big soccer guy it doesn't bother me at all.

Edited July 20, 2012 by rocksta

[naiwf]

I know this is done by alot of soccer teams, but this is the first time a major American sport will have advertising patches on their uniforms. How do ya'll feel about this?

I hate this idea more than LeBron being a champion, but slightly less than Dwight Howard's schizophrenic departure from Orlando. I just don't want to see uniforms changing every couple of years because a sponsorship deal changed, and what starts out as just a patch is not going to end that way. I can't wait for the day where you'll have to announce a team as "Cablevision Presents The New York Knicks" or something asinine like that because they purchased naming rights.

[maninblack]

Some teams seem to change their uniforms every year anyway, purely to get more money out of the fans.

I doubt whatever projected revenue they'll make from this extra advertising is going to mean much, not with the way teams are still willing to overspend.

[thuganomic]

Naiwf, you damn purist.

Bring on the jersey patches. Woooooo

[Lint]

Some teams seem to change their uniforms every year anyway, purely to get more money out of the fans.

I doubt whatever projected revenue they'll make from this extra advertising is going to mean much, not with the way teams are still willing to overspend.

This. The owners want more money. If they want more money, they should stop paying 25 million dollars to fringe players

[gunnar hendershow]

A direct result of the power the player's union has in the NBA. They can't lower salaries so they have to find another revenue stream.

[Trey]

Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

On another note, I heard today that the Rockets used a poison pill provision that basically made the salary in the last year of the deals they signed Asik and Lin around 15 million if they returned to their old teams but only in the 8 million range if the teams declined to match. How does that work exactly?

[Maxx]

That's what poison pill provisions are. They sign an offer sheet, and their original teams have to agree to whatever is in it. It's pretty ridiculous and also pretty funny.

[Trey]

I just don't see how a team can say "your year 3 salary is 8 million if you play here but 15 if you end up here", you'd think that the salaries would have to be the same for every team for each year of the contract.

[Maxx]

It's just language in the contract, no different than a no compete clause in wrestling contracts really.

If the raise in the third season is greater than 4.5% of the first year, the offering team must be able to fit the average of the entire contract under their cap. The accounting is different for the player's original team, where the player's salary for a given year—not the contract's average—is counted against the cap. In some cases, the offering team can exploit a loophole to create what is referred to as a poison pill for the player's original team, potentially forcing the original team to pay the luxury tax by the third season. This could discourage them from matching the offer sheet

It was worse in the NFL. Steve Hutchinson ended up in Minnesota because of a ridiculous poison pill that would guarentee his entire salary if he wasn't the highest paid lineman on a team. For the Vikings, he would have been, but for his original team, Seattle, he wouldn't have been, and they'd have been on the hook for his entire salary and their cap space would be destroyed. The NFL has banned the practice, I can't say I'm surprised that the NBA has not.

[Quom]

It's a bit stupid, but I guess it does help small market teams get players. But it sort of kills any idea of a guy playing their whole career with the one team unless they are willing to ignore all offers.

[Panni]

Here's some 2011-2012 Predictions

Eastern Standings

1. Miami Heat

2. Chicago Bulls

3. New York Knicks

4. Boston Celtics

5. Atlanta Hawks

6. Orlando Magic

7. Indiana Pacers

8. Detroit Pistons

Western Standings

1. San Antonio Spurs

2. Los Angeles Lakers

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

4. Los Angeles Clippers

5. Dallas Mavericks

6. Memphis Grizzlies

7. Portland Trailblazers

8. Golden State Warriors

MVP - Kevin Durant

Rookie of the Year - Jimmer Fredette

Playoffs

Miami over Detroit (4-0)

Boston over Atlanta (4-1)

New York over Orlando (4-3)

Indiana over Chicago (4-2)

San Antonio over Golden State (4-1)

Los Angeles Clippers over Dallas Mavericks (4-3)

Oklahoma City over Memphis Grizzlies (4-2)

Los Angeles Lakers over Portland Trailblazers (4-0)

= = =

Miami over Boston (4-1)

New York over Indiana (4-2)

San Antonio over Los Angeles Clipper (4-3)

Oklahoma City over Los Angeles Lakers (4-2)

= = =

Miami over New York (4-2)

Oklahoma City over San Antonio (4-1)

NBA FINALS - Miami Heat over Oklahoma City (4-1)

I just wanted to gloat a little bit because these are by far the best predictions I've ever made heading into a season. Obviously I didn't get everything, or even most right, but I'm most proud of (Spurs as top seed/putting Indiana into the second round and of course the NBA Finals prediciton.