After 44 games, the New Jersey Nets and Portland Trail Blazers have opposite records to most people's suprise, 18-26 for the Nets and 26-18 for the Blazers. As Jason Kidd and Vince Carter get older, the Nets need to make sure to move these players before their value dips too low.
Portland has a great deal of depth and nice, young players, but to really make a run in the playoffs they need a veteran. Jason Kidd, with two years remaining on his contract, would be the perfect fit to lead Portland into a decade of potential dominance.
This trade would allow the Nets to rebuild quickly before they move to Brooklyn and Portland would immediately become a legitimate contender this season.
Nets receive:
Raef LaFrentz, $12,440,787, 2 Years Remaining
Channing Frye, $2,487,240, 2 Years Remaining
Darius Miles, $8,250,000, 3 Years Remaining
Sergio Rodriguez, $817,000, 2 Years Remaining
2008 First Round Pick
Portland receives:
Jason Collins, $6,100,000, 2 Years Remaining
Jason Kidd, $19,728,000, 2 Years Remaining
Malik Allen, $770,610, 1 Year Remaining
This trade would give Portland a starting lineup of Jason Kidd at point guard, Brandon Roy at shooting guard, Martell Webster at small forward, LaMarcus Aldridge at power forward, and Joel Pryzbilla at center. With this trade, Portland's bench would get even deeper with Steve Blake and Jarrett Jack at guard; James Jones, Travis Outlaw, and Josh McRoberts at forward; and Malik Allen and Jason Collins at center. Portland would be two deep at each position and with Greg Oden coming back next year, they would certainly be one of the favorites going into the 2008-09 season.
For the Nets, more big talent would be the benefit of this trade. With Marcus Williams waiting in the wings, Kidd may be expendable. Plus, Rodriguez at 21 years old, has shown some flashes of brilliance at the point guard. Additionally, Frye is only 24 and has shown an ability to stand-out on the defensive end. Miles is coming off an injuy and could be a factor off the bench for the Nets. LaFrentz has two years left in his contract, and after this season, his contract could potentially become an asset to add another player down the line.
Although the Nets clearly would not get equal value for their best player, Jason Kidd, they would be moving him out to the Western Conference and would give themselves some future flexibility. If the Nets wait any longer, all they will have is a player with less value and a team that struggles to even make the playoffs.
Showing posts with label Joel Przybilla. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joel Przybilla. Show all posts
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Friday, September 28, 2007
Kevin Pritchard's Blueprint for Success
Blazers’ barometer
GM Kevin Pritchard: The way to wins starts in the locker room
Despite loss of Greg Oden for the season, positivity and pressure flow to keep team on track
By Kerry Eggers
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=119092559145694500
The Portland Tribune, Sep 28, 2007
Pritchard takes the helm of the Blazers, as announced by owner Paul Allen during a game last spring. Pritchard faces his first full season as general manager, already having overcome the disappointment of losing expected star Greg Oden for the season.
It’s a personal item the media and the public never will see. Pritchard has been doing it since high school in Tulsa, Okla., where he was the state’s player of the year his final two seasons at Edison High.
“It’s just a collection of my thoughts, notes about what I’m thinking, private things I believe in,” says the Trail Blazers’ general manager. “Every year since high school, I’ve written kind of a manifesto. I try to think about what’s important – what were the issues I faced today, and how did I handle them? I can look back a year from now and say, ‘These were my mistakes, and I learned from them.’ ”
Before this season – training camp begins Tuesday – Pritchard will list in his diary five things he wants to accomplish with his management team. He chooses to keep them private, but offers one hint.
“I want each of (the Blazer executives and coaches) to enjoy a balanced life,” he says. “I’m going to push you hard. If I’m not pushing you hard enough, tell me. If I’m pushing you too hard, tell me. I expect hard work and production, but I want them to have a life away from basketball, too.”
Pritchard is organized and ambitious. He wants to be inspirational as he begins his first season running the Blazers’ basketball operations. Those around him say they believe he is on the right track.
“Kevin is one of those guys you could pay to be a motivational speaker,” Blazer broadcaster Mike Barrett says. “After three years in our organization, he definitely has the staff behind him.
“I remember going to the press conference when he was announced as GM. The staff was gathered in an open area, and as he came down the hallway, people were chanting, ‘Kevin! Kevin!’ He told everyone it was a defining moment in his life, and he had to stop several times to hold back tears.
“Every time he speaks, people leave feeling better about the direction of the team. And it’s not like he’s selling us a bill of goods – it comes from the heart,” Barrett says. “The staff looks to him about how to feel about things, using him as a barometer. He knows he has that responsibility, and he thrives on it. He’s genuinely optimistic and looking for positives, and that’s exactly what we’ve needed after what we’ve gone through the last few years.”
Oden mishap is first test
“Kevin is a very loyal person,” says Chad Buchanan, beginning his first season as Portland’s director of college scouting. “That’s important in me having trust in working for him. If you work hard and do your job, he’s going to be very good to you. He also knows when it’s time to tell you you’re not living up to his expectations.
“That’s why his staff loves to work for him. He’s going to push you to reach your maximum potential. The guy is just a natural-born leader.”
Remember when Pritchard said Greg Oden felt the weight of the world on his shoulders after the rookie underwent season-ending knee surgery two weeks ago? To a degree, Pritchard feels the same way with those in the organization whose spirits were wounded when the budding franchise player was lost for the year.
Pritchard’s comments to the media were upbeat and encouraging, even though he surely felt depressed over what is really the first major setback since taking over the club’s basketball operations in March.
“The biggest thing is for me to stay positive, especially for Greg and our staff,” Pritchard concedes. “It’s a tough blow to take, but I have to make sure we keep on track. Once we get him back, we’re going to be better for it.”
Though a segment of the Blazers’ following second-guessed Pritchard’s selection of Oden over Kevin Durant and wondered whether the Blazers might have blown it in predraft medical exams, Pritchard won’t admit to such thoughts.
“We did our homework,” he says. “We did MRIs on both of his knees. It was reported there were a lot of concerns, but we were the one team that was allowed to do an MRI. We were comfortable with the results. We did our diligence.
“Obviously, we don’t feel good about what happened. It’s a setback, but we got a great player and a great kid. I’m very happy we have Greg Oden. He’s going to be a Blazer for a long time.”
Character counts a lot
Pritchard’s basketball pedigree is top-drawer. He played for Larry Brown and Roy Williams at Kansas. Two of Brown’s assistants during his time there were Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford, who run the San Antonio organization that has won four NBA championships over the past nine seasons.
Pritchard spent two years as a scout for the Spurs before coming to Portland in 2004. Brown, Williams, Popovich and Buford are his basketball mentors, and he wants to mirror their philosophies as he develops his own with the Blazers.
“San Antonio kind of put the stamp on me,” Pritchard says. “The common denominator of championship teams is that the locker room is great. Players don’t have to hang out or do everything together, but somebody was willing to step up and take responsibility. Good locker room, good people.
“Maybe I overemphasize it. Has it turned me away from talented players who maybe aren’t the best people? Absolutely. What it boils down to, I want to be a part of something really special, and I want to be in the trenches with people I admire.”
It’s why Pritchard traded Zach Randolph and wanted nothing to do with guard Steve Francis. He didn’t want their influence around his team’s young players. It’s why Pritchard says he will do everything he can to support coach Nate McMillan and help the Blazers’ young fleet of executives learn the business.
“I want to be a great assist person for Nate,” Pritchard says. “I want to make sure he has every tool to work with so he can succeed. I never walk into Nate’s office and say who to play. I know his challenges. I believe in him. He doesn’t do it exactly how I’d do it, but he works his tail off, he’s committed, and he’s a very good coach.
“I want my management team to learn and move up. I’d like to be like Coach Brown and Coach Williams, to have 12 or 15 guys move up in the management ranks around the league.”
Pritchard has lit a fire under owner Paul Allen, who ceded the Rose Garden to creditors, then considered selling the club as his once-proud franchise plummeted to the worst record in the NBA.
Owner comes around
The Blazers are once again Allen’s favorite toy, exemplified by multimillion-dollar expenditures that allowed the team to draft Brandon Roy and Sergio Rodriguez in 2006 and Rudy Fernandez and Petteri Koponen in 2007.
“Paul loves basketball,” Pritchard says. “I’ve been to a Seahawk game with him, and we talked basketball the whole time. He went through the emotions of owning a team and losing money, but the biggest thing to him is, winning is really important.
“The dynamics have changed for Paul. We wouldn’t have Brandon or Sergio without him stepping up.”
Allen agreed to the trade of Randolph to New York and the $31 million buyout of Francis’ contract because of his faith in Pritchard’s master plan. The Knicks deal included receiving a trade option that allowed the Blazers to acquire small forward James Jones from Phoenix and, in the process, procure the pick that landed Fernandez, a high-potential shooting guard who will wind up in Portland after playing one more season in Barcelona.
It’s a gamble, but an educated one, Pritchard insists.
“You can’t know everything in this business,” he says. “When I don’t, I tell Paul. No matter what the situation, he’ll do what he can to help me out. That’s where he’s really good for me.
“Our draft book is intense, and he reads every bit of it. He is very educated on all our opinions. I send him player videos throughout the season. We talk or e-mail at least every other day. I love that. One of the keys in this business is that the owner, general manager, coach and players all understand where we’re going and what we’re doing. It is one of the great challenges for a GM, but if you can accomplish that, you have a much better chance for success.”
Getting money under control
Pritchard’s master plan for the Blazers is to have salary-cap flexibility in 2009. It’s why he signed free agents Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake to two-year contracts, with conditional guarantees for the third season.
At a time when the league’s salary cap will be at about $60 million and the luxury-tax threshold about $70 million, Portland’s salary commitment (minus first-round picks the next two years) could be about $31 million – and $9 million less than that if Darius Miles’ surgically repaired knees force the enigmatic forward into retirement.
If Pritchard so chooses, the Blazers could have only Oden, Roy, Rodriguez, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Przybilla (plus draft picks) on their books for the 2009-10 season. That would leave ample room for the club to dip into the league’s high-ticket free-agent market for the first time ever.
“We’re going to get offered some deals over the next year and a half,” Pritchard says. “I will under no circumstance trade the future of this organization for a short-term fix.
“The ultimate goal is to compete for a championship down the road. We’ve set it up so we have a good young core of players who can grow together, and in a couple of years still have financial flexibility to add pieces of the puzzle we don’t have.”
If it all comes together, Pritchard’s diary will include material Blazer fans could only dream of a couple of short seasons ago.
“We believe it will happen under Kevin’s leadership,” says Tod Leiweke, chief executive officer of Allen’s Vulcan Sports & Entertainment Inc. and the man in charge of hiring Pritchard as GM. “He’s one of the bright young minds in the NBA and a pied piper for his vision of the Blazers. We feel lucky to have him.”
kerryeggers@portlandtribune.com
GM Kevin Pritchard: The way to wins starts in the locker room
Despite loss of Greg Oden for the season, positivity and pressure flow to keep team on track
By Kerry Eggers
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=119092559145694500
The Portland Tribune, Sep 28, 2007
Pritchard takes the helm of the Blazers, as announced by owner Paul Allen during a game last spring. Pritchard faces his first full season as general manager, already having overcome the disappointment of losing expected star Greg Oden for the season.
It’s a personal item the media and the public never will see. Pritchard has been doing it since high school in Tulsa, Okla., where he was the state’s player of the year his final two seasons at Edison High.
“It’s just a collection of my thoughts, notes about what I’m thinking, private things I believe in,” says the Trail Blazers’ general manager. “Every year since high school, I’ve written kind of a manifesto. I try to think about what’s important – what were the issues I faced today, and how did I handle them? I can look back a year from now and say, ‘These were my mistakes, and I learned from them.’ ”
Before this season – training camp begins Tuesday – Pritchard will list in his diary five things he wants to accomplish with his management team. He chooses to keep them private, but offers one hint.
“I want each of (the Blazer executives and coaches) to enjoy a balanced life,” he says. “I’m going to push you hard. If I’m not pushing you hard enough, tell me. If I’m pushing you too hard, tell me. I expect hard work and production, but I want them to have a life away from basketball, too.”
Pritchard is organized and ambitious. He wants to be inspirational as he begins his first season running the Blazers’ basketball operations. Those around him say they believe he is on the right track.
“Kevin is one of those guys you could pay to be a motivational speaker,” Blazer broadcaster Mike Barrett says. “After three years in our organization, he definitely has the staff behind him.
“I remember going to the press conference when he was announced as GM. The staff was gathered in an open area, and as he came down the hallway, people were chanting, ‘Kevin! Kevin!’ He told everyone it was a defining moment in his life, and he had to stop several times to hold back tears.
“Every time he speaks, people leave feeling better about the direction of the team. And it’s not like he’s selling us a bill of goods – it comes from the heart,” Barrett says. “The staff looks to him about how to feel about things, using him as a barometer. He knows he has that responsibility, and he thrives on it. He’s genuinely optimistic and looking for positives, and that’s exactly what we’ve needed after what we’ve gone through the last few years.”
Oden mishap is first test
“Kevin is a very loyal person,” says Chad Buchanan, beginning his first season as Portland’s director of college scouting. “That’s important in me having trust in working for him. If you work hard and do your job, he’s going to be very good to you. He also knows when it’s time to tell you you’re not living up to his expectations.
“That’s why his staff loves to work for him. He’s going to push you to reach your maximum potential. The guy is just a natural-born leader.”
Remember when Pritchard said Greg Oden felt the weight of the world on his shoulders after the rookie underwent season-ending knee surgery two weeks ago? To a degree, Pritchard feels the same way with those in the organization whose spirits were wounded when the budding franchise player was lost for the year.
Pritchard’s comments to the media were upbeat and encouraging, even though he surely felt depressed over what is really the first major setback since taking over the club’s basketball operations in March.
“The biggest thing is for me to stay positive, especially for Greg and our staff,” Pritchard concedes. “It’s a tough blow to take, but I have to make sure we keep on track. Once we get him back, we’re going to be better for it.”
Though a segment of the Blazers’ following second-guessed Pritchard’s selection of Oden over Kevin Durant and wondered whether the Blazers might have blown it in predraft medical exams, Pritchard won’t admit to such thoughts.
“We did our homework,” he says. “We did MRIs on both of his knees. It was reported there were a lot of concerns, but we were the one team that was allowed to do an MRI. We were comfortable with the results. We did our diligence.
“Obviously, we don’t feel good about what happened. It’s a setback, but we got a great player and a great kid. I’m very happy we have Greg Oden. He’s going to be a Blazer for a long time.”
Character counts a lot
Pritchard’s basketball pedigree is top-drawer. He played for Larry Brown and Roy Williams at Kansas. Two of Brown’s assistants during his time there were Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford, who run the San Antonio organization that has won four NBA championships over the past nine seasons.
Pritchard spent two years as a scout for the Spurs before coming to Portland in 2004. Brown, Williams, Popovich and Buford are his basketball mentors, and he wants to mirror their philosophies as he develops his own with the Blazers.
“San Antonio kind of put the stamp on me,” Pritchard says. “The common denominator of championship teams is that the locker room is great. Players don’t have to hang out or do everything together, but somebody was willing to step up and take responsibility. Good locker room, good people.
“Maybe I overemphasize it. Has it turned me away from talented players who maybe aren’t the best people? Absolutely. What it boils down to, I want to be a part of something really special, and I want to be in the trenches with people I admire.”
It’s why Pritchard traded Zach Randolph and wanted nothing to do with guard Steve Francis. He didn’t want their influence around his team’s young players. It’s why Pritchard says he will do everything he can to support coach Nate McMillan and help the Blazers’ young fleet of executives learn the business.
“I want to be a great assist person for Nate,” Pritchard says. “I want to make sure he has every tool to work with so he can succeed. I never walk into Nate’s office and say who to play. I know his challenges. I believe in him. He doesn’t do it exactly how I’d do it, but he works his tail off, he’s committed, and he’s a very good coach.
“I want my management team to learn and move up. I’d like to be like Coach Brown and Coach Williams, to have 12 or 15 guys move up in the management ranks around the league.”
Pritchard has lit a fire under owner Paul Allen, who ceded the Rose Garden to creditors, then considered selling the club as his once-proud franchise plummeted to the worst record in the NBA.
Owner comes around
The Blazers are once again Allen’s favorite toy, exemplified by multimillion-dollar expenditures that allowed the team to draft Brandon Roy and Sergio Rodriguez in 2006 and Rudy Fernandez and Petteri Koponen in 2007.
“Paul loves basketball,” Pritchard says. “I’ve been to a Seahawk game with him, and we talked basketball the whole time. He went through the emotions of owning a team and losing money, but the biggest thing to him is, winning is really important.
“The dynamics have changed for Paul. We wouldn’t have Brandon or Sergio without him stepping up.”
Allen agreed to the trade of Randolph to New York and the $31 million buyout of Francis’ contract because of his faith in Pritchard’s master plan. The Knicks deal included receiving a trade option that allowed the Blazers to acquire small forward James Jones from Phoenix and, in the process, procure the pick that landed Fernandez, a high-potential shooting guard who will wind up in Portland after playing one more season in Barcelona.
It’s a gamble, but an educated one, Pritchard insists.
“You can’t know everything in this business,” he says. “When I don’t, I tell Paul. No matter what the situation, he’ll do what he can to help me out. That’s where he’s really good for me.
“Our draft book is intense, and he reads every bit of it. He is very educated on all our opinions. I send him player videos throughout the season. We talk or e-mail at least every other day. I love that. One of the keys in this business is that the owner, general manager, coach and players all understand where we’re going and what we’re doing. It is one of the great challenges for a GM, but if you can accomplish that, you have a much better chance for success.”
Getting money under control
Pritchard’s master plan for the Blazers is to have salary-cap flexibility in 2009. It’s why he signed free agents Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake to two-year contracts, with conditional guarantees for the third season.
At a time when the league’s salary cap will be at about $60 million and the luxury-tax threshold about $70 million, Portland’s salary commitment (minus first-round picks the next two years) could be about $31 million – and $9 million less than that if Darius Miles’ surgically repaired knees force the enigmatic forward into retirement.
If Pritchard so chooses, the Blazers could have only Oden, Roy, Rodriguez, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Przybilla (plus draft picks) on their books for the 2009-10 season. That would leave ample room for the club to dip into the league’s high-ticket free-agent market for the first time ever.
“We’re going to get offered some deals over the next year and a half,” Pritchard says. “I will under no circumstance trade the future of this organization for a short-term fix.
“The ultimate goal is to compete for a championship down the road. We’ve set it up so we have a good young core of players who can grow together, and in a couple of years still have financial flexibility to add pieces of the puzzle we don’t have.”
If it all comes together, Pritchard’s diary will include material Blazer fans could only dream of a couple of short seasons ago.
“We believe it will happen under Kevin’s leadership,” says Tod Leiweke, chief executive officer of Allen’s Vulcan Sports & Entertainment Inc. and the man in charge of hiring Pritchard as GM. “He’s one of the bright young minds in the NBA and a pied piper for his vision of the Blazers. We feel lucky to have him.”
kerryeggers@portlandtribune.com
Monday, August 27, 2007
Salary Cap 101
Blazers.com created a comprehensive FAQ concerning the NBA's salary cap several years ago.
This article can be found at:
http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Salary_Cap_101-147720-41.html
What is a salary cap?
The salary cap is simply a limit on the amount of money that NBA teams are allowed to pay their players. The salary cap varies from year-to-year as it is calculated as a percentage of the League's revenue from the previous season. If the League did not have a salary cap, the teams in larger markets with more revenue streams would have an even larger advantage over the smaller market clubs.
Has there always been a salary cap?
The League had a cap in the mid-1940s, but the modern NBA instituted a salary cap prior to the 1984-85 season, striving to level the playing field for all teams and to maintain competitive balance throughout the League. Prior to the salary cap, teams were allowed to spend whatever they desired on players. The salary cap that first year was $3.6 million. The 2004-05 salary cap was the highest in history, $43.87 million.
Does the NBA have a "soft" cap or a "hard" cap and what is the difference?
The NBA has a soft cap meaning there are certain significant exceptions that allow teams to exceed the salary cap in order to sign players. Having a soft cap also helps teams keep their current players. A hard cap would not allow teams to exceed the salary cap in any circumstance. The NFL has a hard cap with very limited exceptions.
What is the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)?
The CBA is a contract between the NBA and the Players Association that dictates the rules by which they operate. The current CBA, which is up at the end of this month, has been in effect since 1999. Both parties have been working on a new agreement since last year.
Are there exceptions to the salary cap and what are they?
Yes, there are several exceptions to the salary cap. These exceptions allow teams to sign players even if a team is over the cap. The exceptions are listed below:
Mid-Level Exception
A team is allowed to sign a player to a contract equal to the NBA average, even though the team is over the salary cap. The mid-level exception, which can be used each season, can be used on one player or split between many players. Contracts can be signed for up to six years. The mid-level exception last season was $4.9 million. Example: The Golden State Warriors signed guard Derek Fisher to a multi-year contract using the entire mid-level exception prior to the 2004-05 season.
$1 Million Exception
This exception, which was actually worth $1.6 million last season, cannot be used in consecutive seasons. The $1 million exception can also be split among more than one player. Example: The L.A. Lakers signed forward Karl Malone using the $1 million exception prior to the 2003-04 season.
Rookie Exception
Teams are allowed to sign their first round draft selections to rookie "scale" contracts even if the club is over the salary cap. Example: Even though the Trail Blazers were over the salary cap prior to the 2004-05 season, the team was allowed to sign both Sebastian Telfair and Viktor Khryapa to rookie contracts.
Larry Bird Exception
Free agents who qualify for this exception are called "qualifying veteran free agents" or "Bird Free Agents" and must have played under one or more contracts covering all of part of the three preceding seasons without changing teams as a free agent or being waived. If such a player is traded, his "Bird" rights transfer to his new team. The team holding the Bird rights can use this exception to sign him to a contract up to seven years in length with annual raises of up to 12.5%. If a first round draft pick finishes his three-year rookie scale contract (or four-year contract if the team exercises its option for a fourth season) the team will have full Bird rights. This exception is known as the Larry Bird Exception because the Boston Celtics were one of the first teams permitted to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agent. That free agent was Larry Bird. Example: Damon Stoudamire and Shareef Abdur-Rahim both qualify as Bird players.
Early Bird Exception
Free agents who qualify for this exception are called "early qualifying veteran free agents" after playing only two seasons without changing teams as a free agent or being waived. A team may use this exception to resign a player for 175% of his salary the previous season or the average player salary whichever is higher. Contracts using this exception can be between two and seven years with annual raises of up to 12.5%. Example: Joel Przybilla will qualify for this exception after the 2005-06 season. He signed a two-year deal with the Trail Blazers after completing his rookie scale contract, which he originally signed with Milwaukee and was later traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
Non-Bird Exception
Free Agents who qualify for this exception are called "non-qualifying free agents" meaning they do not qualify under either the Larry Bird Exception or the Early Bird Exception. Under this exception, teams can resign a player to a contract beginning at 120% of his salary the season before or 120% of the minimum salary whichever is higher. Contracts can be signed for up to six years with annual raises of up to 10%.
Can a team use more than one exception to sign a player?
No. Teams can specify which exception they would like to use, but teams cannot combine exceptions in order to sign a player.
What types of free agency does the CBA allow?
There are two types of free agents in the NBA; unrestricted and restricted. An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any team while a restricted free agent is subject to his current team's Right of First Refusal. This means that the player can be signed to an offer sheet by another team, but his current club can match the offer and keep the player. For a first round draft pick, restricted free agency is only allowed after a team exercises its option for a fourth year and the team makes a Qualifying Offer at the Rookie scale amount after the fourth year is completed. For all other players to be a restricted free agent, he must be in his first three years in the NBA and his team must have made a Qualifying Offer for 125% of his previous season's salary, or the minimum salary plus $150,000, whichever is higher.
What is an offer sheet?
An offer sheet is at least a two-year contract offer to a restricted free agent. The original club has 15 days to match the offer or loses the player to the new team. Example: Prior to last season, the Trail Blazers signed Minnesota Timberwolves guard Trenton Hassell to an offer sheet. The T-wolves matched the offer and kept Hassell.
Does a team get compensated when they lose a free agent to another club?
No, the team just loses the player.
What is a rookie "scale" contract?
First round draft picks are slotted in salaries according to their draft position. The first pick receives more than the second pick, the second more than the third, and so on. Each contract is for three-years with a team option for a fourth season. For a fourth season, the team must exercise the option by October 31st following the second season.
What is a sign-and-trade?
Simply put, it is when a team signs one of its free agents and immediately trades that player to another team. A sign-and-trade is beneficial to both players and teams; the player receives more money than they might ordinarily get from a team they would like to play for while the trading club gets something in return for a free agent.
What are player and team options?
Player options give the player the right to invoke an option year while a team option allows the team that right. NBA contracts only allow for one option year and the option year salary cannot be lower than the previous year.
Are there salary restrictions for players?
Players have minimum and maximum salaries, based upon the amount of seasons a player has been in the NBA. The more years a player has played, the higher the salary.
How does the salary cap affect trades?
The total salaries of the players being traded must end up within 115% of each other plus $100,000. The NBA's salary cap is an amazingly complex piece of work that requires a ton of homework, and in some cases, a law degree. It's easy to understand why so few major trades actually take place. The cap restricts player movement, and is designed to give some measure of equality from the teams in the large markets to the teams in the smaller cities. Obviously, it has been successful, but challenges remain. If you've ever wondered why certain players, or teams, make the moves they do, or don't make any moves, it's helpful to educate yourself. If this were offered as course in college it would easily take more than one term to master the cap. Most fans don't have the time, the means, or the drive to full understand the inner workings of the legalities of everything in the NBA's salary structure. But, hopefully this has helped answer some of the basic questions.
This article can be found at:
http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Salary_Cap_101-147720-41.html
What is a salary cap?
The salary cap is simply a limit on the amount of money that NBA teams are allowed to pay their players. The salary cap varies from year-to-year as it is calculated as a percentage of the League's revenue from the previous season. If the League did not have a salary cap, the teams in larger markets with more revenue streams would have an even larger advantage over the smaller market clubs.
Has there always been a salary cap?
The League had a cap in the mid-1940s, but the modern NBA instituted a salary cap prior to the 1984-85 season, striving to level the playing field for all teams and to maintain competitive balance throughout the League. Prior to the salary cap, teams were allowed to spend whatever they desired on players. The salary cap that first year was $3.6 million. The 2004-05 salary cap was the highest in history, $43.87 million.
Does the NBA have a "soft" cap or a "hard" cap and what is the difference?
The NBA has a soft cap meaning there are certain significant exceptions that allow teams to exceed the salary cap in order to sign players. Having a soft cap also helps teams keep their current players. A hard cap would not allow teams to exceed the salary cap in any circumstance. The NFL has a hard cap with very limited exceptions.
What is the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)?
The CBA is a contract between the NBA and the Players Association that dictates the rules by which they operate. The current CBA, which is up at the end of this month, has been in effect since 1999. Both parties have been working on a new agreement since last year.
Are there exceptions to the salary cap and what are they?
Yes, there are several exceptions to the salary cap. These exceptions allow teams to sign players even if a team is over the cap. The exceptions are listed below:
Mid-Level Exception
A team is allowed to sign a player to a contract equal to the NBA average, even though the team is over the salary cap. The mid-level exception, which can be used each season, can be used on one player or split between many players. Contracts can be signed for up to six years. The mid-level exception last season was $4.9 million. Example: The Golden State Warriors signed guard Derek Fisher to a multi-year contract using the entire mid-level exception prior to the 2004-05 season.
$1 Million Exception
This exception, which was actually worth $1.6 million last season, cannot be used in consecutive seasons. The $1 million exception can also be split among more than one player. Example: The L.A. Lakers signed forward Karl Malone using the $1 million exception prior to the 2003-04 season.
Rookie Exception
Teams are allowed to sign their first round draft selections to rookie "scale" contracts even if the club is over the salary cap. Example: Even though the Trail Blazers were over the salary cap prior to the 2004-05 season, the team was allowed to sign both Sebastian Telfair and Viktor Khryapa to rookie contracts.
Larry Bird Exception
Free agents who qualify for this exception are called "qualifying veteran free agents" or "Bird Free Agents" and must have played under one or more contracts covering all of part of the three preceding seasons without changing teams as a free agent or being waived. If such a player is traded, his "Bird" rights transfer to his new team. The team holding the Bird rights can use this exception to sign him to a contract up to seven years in length with annual raises of up to 12.5%. If a first round draft pick finishes his three-year rookie scale contract (or four-year contract if the team exercises its option for a fourth season) the team will have full Bird rights. This exception is known as the Larry Bird Exception because the Boston Celtics were one of the first teams permitted to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agent. That free agent was Larry Bird. Example: Damon Stoudamire and Shareef Abdur-Rahim both qualify as Bird players.
Early Bird Exception
Free agents who qualify for this exception are called "early qualifying veteran free agents" after playing only two seasons without changing teams as a free agent or being waived. A team may use this exception to resign a player for 175% of his salary the previous season or the average player salary whichever is higher. Contracts using this exception can be between two and seven years with annual raises of up to 12.5%. Example: Joel Przybilla will qualify for this exception after the 2005-06 season. He signed a two-year deal with the Trail Blazers after completing his rookie scale contract, which he originally signed with Milwaukee and was later traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
Non-Bird Exception
Free Agents who qualify for this exception are called "non-qualifying free agents" meaning they do not qualify under either the Larry Bird Exception or the Early Bird Exception. Under this exception, teams can resign a player to a contract beginning at 120% of his salary the season before or 120% of the minimum salary whichever is higher. Contracts can be signed for up to six years with annual raises of up to 10%.
Can a team use more than one exception to sign a player?
No. Teams can specify which exception they would like to use, but teams cannot combine exceptions in order to sign a player.
What types of free agency does the CBA allow?
There are two types of free agents in the NBA; unrestricted and restricted. An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any team while a restricted free agent is subject to his current team's Right of First Refusal. This means that the player can be signed to an offer sheet by another team, but his current club can match the offer and keep the player. For a first round draft pick, restricted free agency is only allowed after a team exercises its option for a fourth year and the team makes a Qualifying Offer at the Rookie scale amount after the fourth year is completed. For all other players to be a restricted free agent, he must be in his first three years in the NBA and his team must have made a Qualifying Offer for 125% of his previous season's salary, or the minimum salary plus $150,000, whichever is higher.
What is an offer sheet?
An offer sheet is at least a two-year contract offer to a restricted free agent. The original club has 15 days to match the offer or loses the player to the new team. Example: Prior to last season, the Trail Blazers signed Minnesota Timberwolves guard Trenton Hassell to an offer sheet. The T-wolves matched the offer and kept Hassell.
Does a team get compensated when they lose a free agent to another club?
No, the team just loses the player.
What is a rookie "scale" contract?
First round draft picks are slotted in salaries according to their draft position. The first pick receives more than the second pick, the second more than the third, and so on. Each contract is for three-years with a team option for a fourth season. For a fourth season, the team must exercise the option by October 31st following the second season.
What is a sign-and-trade?
Simply put, it is when a team signs one of its free agents and immediately trades that player to another team. A sign-and-trade is beneficial to both players and teams; the player receives more money than they might ordinarily get from a team they would like to play for while the trading club gets something in return for a free agent.
What are player and team options?
Player options give the player the right to invoke an option year while a team option allows the team that right. NBA contracts only allow for one option year and the option year salary cannot be lower than the previous year.
Are there salary restrictions for players?
Players have minimum and maximum salaries, based upon the amount of seasons a player has been in the NBA. The more years a player has played, the higher the salary.
How does the salary cap affect trades?
The total salaries of the players being traded must end up within 115% of each other plus $100,000. The NBA's salary cap is an amazingly complex piece of work that requires a ton of homework, and in some cases, a law degree. It's easy to understand why so few major trades actually take place. The cap restricts player movement, and is designed to give some measure of equality from the teams in the large markets to the teams in the smaller cities. Obviously, it has been successful, but challenges remain. If you've ever wondered why certain players, or teams, make the moves they do, or don't make any moves, it's helpful to educate yourself. If this were offered as course in college it would easily take more than one term to master the cap. Most fans don't have the time, the means, or the drive to full understand the inner workings of the legalities of everything in the NBA's salary structure. But, hopefully this has helped answer some of the basic questions.
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