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Charlotte News Observer: Why Jordan has become a hard-liner

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by Clips/Roxfan, Nov 8, 2011.

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  1. Clips/Roxfan

    Clips/Roxfan Member

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    It's no surprise Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan has a big stake in the NBA's next collective-bargaining agreement.

    Jordan took a $100,000 fine from the league for telling an Australian newspaper the NBA's system was "broken" and warning "owners are not going to move off" effecting major change.

    But now important has morphed into imperative, if Jordan and his front office hope to make good on promises to make the Bobcats competitive.
    Jordan has stepped knee-deep into these negotiations. Numerous media reports named Jordan as the de facto leader of a small-market faction pushing for the toughest negotiating stance.

    Sources with knowledge of Jordan's thinking say the Bobcats' success rests on closing the gap between what big-market teams can pay for players vs. what the Charlottes, Sacramentos and Milwaukees can afford.

    There's a fascinating irony in this. During the 1998 lockout, when Jordan was a superstar player, he told then-Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin that if Pollin couldn't make a profit, then he should go sell his team.

    Now Jordan is Pollin, owning about 80 percent of a business Forbes magazine estimates lost $20 million last season.

    Jordan in the role of hard-line owner surprised and disappointed some NBA players, based on their recent tweets.

    Golden State Warriors rookie Klay Thompson: "You think the 1996 MJ would pull this? Straight hypocrite, bro."

    The Indiana Pacers' Paul George: "He should have been the first one behind us."

    Wizards player Nick Young: "i'm not wearin jordans no more. can't believe what I just seen and heard from MJ. Elvis done left the building."

    It's hard to tell, in this Twitter age of instant rage, whether that reaction is either wide-spread or long-lasting among the players. Jordan repeatedly has said he'll aggressively pursue free agents going forward. Bobcats management has portrayed Jordan's iconic history - he won six NBA titles - as a platform to recruit top talent.

    Would Jordan's tough stance become a hindrance to future player recruitment? A former player agent, who would be quoted only anonymously because of on-going business dealings with the NBA, said that's a legitimate concern.

    "Players and agents sometimes hold grudges. These people have a lot of pride," the agent said.

    A source close to Jordan said that's a calculated risk the owner was willing to take because changing the system is so essential to the Bobcats' future. There are three distinct elements to remaking NBA economics: The division of revenue between players and owners, the system that controls free agency and the revenue sharing among the 30 franchises.

    The Bobcats believe all three of those elements must change significantly for the local team to compete with the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. How each one works:

    Revenue split: The NBA has a term - Basketball Related Income - that covers most league-wide revenue. In the last CBA, players were promised 57 percent of BRI. Now the NBA is offering approximately a 50-50 division in a deal the league threatens to pull if it's not accepted by end of business Wednesday.

    Each percent amounts to about $40 million annually, so in coming down to 51 percent, the players union already has conceded $240 million this season and dramatically more over what likely is a six-year agreement.

    Not enough, say the owners, who are threatening to drop their offer to 47 percent.

    System rules: In some ways, this might be the most important factor for the Bobcats. The league wants various controls on player contracts - a reduction in the scope of exceptions to the salary cap and a dramatically more punitive luxury tax. That's intended to keep the Lakers, Knicks and Dallas Mavericks from continuously outgunning the small markets financially.

    The union sees this as a radical attempt to stifle the free-agent market.

    Revenue-sharing: This is more an owner-owner dynamic than an owner-player debate. Teams like the Lakers or Knicks make local television-radio revenue that dwarfs anything the Bobcats or Bucks could generate. The league intends to redistribute some of those revenues to address the disparity.

    The question is how much will the Lakers agree to part with, and whether that's sufficient to raise the Bobcats' coffers, as Jordan hopes.

    Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/11/08/1627916/why-jordan-has-become-a-hard-liner.html#ixzz1dB7513uY
     
    #1 Clips/Roxfan, Nov 8, 2011
  2. Ziggy

    Ziggy QUEEN ANON

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    Killer sources, highly informed individuals.
     
    #2 Ziggy, Nov 9, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  3. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    I have to wonder if MJ becoming the vocal leader of the hardliners is partly his ego and partly the other owners being fine with pushing him in front of them to deflect the blame away from them.

    "You want to be our vocal 'leader' MJ. Suuuurrre...cool. Go for it."
     
    #3 heypartner, Nov 9, 2011
  4. Cohete Rojo

    Cohete Rojo Contributing Member

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    MJ's Reason #1: "None of you guys are me"
     
    #4 Cohete Rojo, Nov 9, 2011
  5. RV6

    RV6 Contributing Member

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    Marbury called MJ a sellout via twitter...
     
    #5 RV6, Nov 9, 2011
  6. ascaptjack

    ascaptjack Member

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    Who????
     
    #6 ascaptjack, Nov 9, 2011
  7. Dei

    Dei Member

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    Force revenue sharing already. Idk why this is taking the backseat to BRI. Fisher's an idiot for not pushing this.
     
    #7 Dei, Nov 9, 2011
  8. BimaThug

    BimaThug Resident Capologist
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    Fisher HAS pushed this. Repeatedly. And in the media.

    Doesn't matter. The owners know they have leverage on the players. They're not going to effectively share revenue so long as they know they can get it from the players.

    Sad, really.
     
    #8 BimaThug, Nov 9, 2011
  9. opticon

    opticon Member

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    So true. Also one of the Major issues is TV deals. TV stations in low population cities don't get major AD dollars there for cannot fork over 10s of millions of dollars on TV deals for sport teams.

    All Tv revenue should go into a pool and be distributed evenly between the 30 teams. Fat chance of that happening though.
     
    #9 opticon, Nov 9, 2011
  10. Dei

    Dei Member

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    Oh. I don't hear about it as much as BRI. I think all the players should make it a deal breaker.
     
    #10 Dei, Nov 10, 2011
  11. SPF35

    SPF35 Member

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    http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/33209166


    Marbury rips MJ

    These guys don't get what MJ did to their contracts.
    He doesn't understand that the average salary was under 5 million for SUPERSTARS when MJ played. When MJ did have his ONLY TWO years of salaryabove 3/4 million, he bought more revenue and fame every second he stepped on the court as he was a living legend on the time.

    Its hard to argue that outside of the superstars that bring fans to the court the other players deserve their contracts. They talk about how htey are making concessions, because the bubble has burst! they were overpaid and not held accountable more importantly iwth their guarantees that are unlike any other JOB in the world.

    The Exposure, infrastructure taht MJ as an icon and Stern created as a commissioner, access to media, etc changed the game and allowed them to get paid what they do today. They will still be big time millionaires after this CBA regardless, yet they will be held accountable just like anyone else in the world would be but htey havegotten spoiled and now just try to point fingers. Sad that they do it to the guy who took the sport, fame, and money to the game where it is.
     
    #11 SPF35, Nov 10, 2011
  12. BimaThug

    BimaThug Resident Capologist
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    I don't even think you have to go that far. Just put 50% of each TV deal in the pot, then split that pot either in 30 equal shares or as the league otherwise deems equitable. Remember, the big market teams also have larger expenses in many respects (to paraphrase Patrick Ewing).

    No problem. Unfortunately, the players don't have the leverage to make that a deal breaker. In case you haven't noticed, they're fighting just to have a season at this point, and they seem to want a season more than half the owners. Making better revenue sharing a deal breaker is a luxury that they just don't have at this point.

    But Derek Fisher and Billy Hunter definitely tried like hell to push that issue. It's unfair to criticize them for that. Hell, I actually think they (especially Fisher) have done a good job overall under unprecedentedly difficult circumstances.
     
    #12 BimaThug, Nov 10, 2011
  13. Raven

    Raven Member

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    Jordan is looking out for Jordan. He's under no obligation to put the interest of overpaid athletes ahead of his own, and their whining about it only makes them look more out of touch.
     
    #13 Raven, Nov 10, 2011
  14. RedRedemption

    RedRedemption Contributing Member

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    Brings Jordan's selfishness to light.
    For a guy so concerned about his image... why would he do this?
     
    #14 RedRedemption, Nov 10, 2011
  15. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    I think MJ is trying to prevent overrated players like Marbury to get paid like Mike.
     
    #15 tinman, Nov 10, 2011
  16. what

    what Member

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    I don't think it is good for Jordan's reputation to stab the players in the back like he is doing. He needs to stfu!
     
    #16 what, Nov 10, 2011
  17. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    "If you can't make a profit, you should sell your team." -- Michael Jordan's comment to Abe Pollin.
     
    #17 heypartner, Nov 10, 2011
  18. Der Rabbi

    Der Rabbi Member

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    If Jordan is only taking money away from overpaid players, couldn't it equally be said that the Bobcats making any money at all would equate to an overpaid franchise? There is no reason that team should have been created. Pro ball had failed in that market just a few years before, the team sucks, no one attends the games & the market is a college market. It is a mistake to have made the team, bought into the team and to continue the team. Doesn't that qualify as "overpaid"?
     
    #18 Der Rabbi, Nov 10, 2011
  19. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

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    Reputation? What does MJ care of Nick Young or Paul George's opinion?

    The dude is an Owner now! His game and hustle speak for itself.
     
    #19 REEKO_HTOWN, Nov 10, 2011
  20. daspydamayn

    daspydamayn Member

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    tl;dr
    but im pretty sure that he did it for the $$$$$
     
    #20 daspydamayn, Nov 10, 2011
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