The Spurs paid the tax last year and will pay it this year. I have no idea where all this nonsense about them being under the tax comes from. This board is full of numerous posts alluding to them being under the tax which is absolutely wrong.
No jopatmc they will never get it. There has been so many things reported that refute all the JVG lovers and Spanoulis bashers claims but they just don't see anything but the nonsense JVG filled their heads with. Not only this but I just found out this weekend that Spanoulis may very well sue the Rockets. His agent and lawyer are currently discussing it. In his contract with the Rockets he was GUARANTEED 10 minutes playing time in every game as long as he was not injured. This was a prerequisite of him signing with the team. This is the biggest and main reason as I just learned this weekend why JVG was fired because despite numerous orders from Les, Morey, and Dawson he refused to play Spanoulis even though this meant the Rockets breached their contract and also thus put themselves in place for a player and union lawsuit. They fired JVG because they are now facing a big lawsuit which would also include the NBA player's union because they breached Spanoulis' contract, all because Van Gundy decided to do so on his own. all the while with no legal repurcussions at all against him because he had not signed the contract.
Just from memory, the Spurs paid a nominal amount of luxury tax last year. I believe it was under a $1 million. New York and Dallas were the 2 teams that paid a big tax.
Apparently, - Les doesn't buy the "feel-good" excuse of 52-win regular season record trumped up every now and then by Gundy apologists on this board; - Les is not a cheapskate his haters would like to cast him; when time is right and opportunity arrives, he is as a bold investor as any wise owner in NBA; - needless to say, all good things start with firing of Gundy!
And they will also pay it this year. But for some reason so many people here always say they never pay the tax. I notice that excuse always comes up here when someone mentions about how Alexander had not paid the tax. Always someone comes up with well the Spurs don't pay it either and do whatever they can, trades, whatever to avoid it and didn't pay it last year and won it and this year won't pay it and etc. That typical argument. The problem is they paid it last year and will do so again this year.
True there have been plenty of huge contracts he has been willing to pay for. Francis Pippen Hakeem Drexler Yao McGrady
I agree, but it also shows how a great organization can win championships without going overboard on player salaries. Look at Cuban - he has one of the highest payrolls in the league, yet he didn't think Nash was worth 10 million per season and lets him get away to Phoenix. Then he turns around and gives a big phat contract to Jason Terry?
Giving Ericka Dampier $68 million and simultaneously telling Steve Nash he was not worth $40 million has got to be the most r****ded thing ever done by any owner.
I'd like to see Yao working with Hakeem more. I love that Hakeem is still ballin' just for the love of the game.
If V-span passed on a richer contract based on conditions in his contract with the Rockets and they are in breach yes, he could sue them for the extra costs and lost compensation he would have recieved if he had stayed in Greece. If the Rockets loose this case will they counter sue JVG?
I would assume so. Considering all he had to do was apparently give 10 minutes of PT every game. Causing himself to lose his job over 10 minutes of PT for a young player is a perfect example of what happens to a person when they get a Napoleon Complex.
I know Les says a lot of things... but he has consistently over the years stated that he would go over the LT if he felt the reasons for doing so were signficant. The scenarios are the following: he goes over the tax trades somehow diminish salaries enough to be under the LT players are cut and salaries are eatin' I can see how he feels a Francis and Motumbo on the cheap are worth paying the tax. I cannot see how people can think or write negatively about anything that has happened during the off-season. The Rockets have done a great job. People are even b****ing about how many point guards we have. I view it as a welcome change from having one playing 44 minutes a game. Cheers, Brock
I would be shocked if there were any clause in any player's contracts assuring playing time. and putting that in a contract for a rookie european player? doesn't make sense to me, but if it turns out to be more than rumor kudos to V-Spans agent.
I wouldnt be surprized... all last off-season prior to his signing with the Rockets there was news he would get alot of playing time... I just hated the fact of how he was handled by jvg.
Oh come on, no one is going to sue anyone....that would be a tremendous mistake on Billy's side....he got a richer deal, will make more money now than ever. Just move on... DD
I recall that Yao said in a paper that Hakeem is too quick for him, he can even not follow a 40-year old man very much, plus Hakeem is not in USA in all summer
