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AP: Stern says owners want relief from bad contracts

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Rockets34Legend, Nov 1, 2004.

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  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Contributing Member

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    By CHRIS SHERIDAN, AP Basketball Writer
    October 28, 2004

    NEW YORK (AP) -- Defining one of the goals of owners in ongoing collective bargaining talks, NBA commissioner David Stern said teams would like some type of relief from long-term contract obligations to unproductive players.

    The NBA's seven-year labor agreement expires after the upcoming season, and the league and players' union have been holding preliminary talks on a new deal -- the first since the sides went through a costly lockout that wiped out a large portion of the 1998-99 season.

    Sounding a fairly optimistic tone, Stern said it was far too early in the process to even be speaking about the possibility of another lockout.

    But he did give some insight into what's behind one of the owners' current proposals -- cutting the maximum length of contracts from seven years to four.

    ``Owners, on balance, want to come up with system that's a bit more profitable than the existing system and doesn't reward players who are no longer in the league -- or who shouldn't be in the league at higher prices,'' Stern said Thursday in a conference call with reporters.

    ``Players getting contracts and not playing in the league is taking money from players who are in the league and are playing heavily. That's what gets us into discussions of shorter contracts,'' Stern said.

    Stern met with ownership's negotiating committee earlier this week during the league's Board of Governors meeting, giving a briefing on what parameters have been established thus far in talks with the union.

    The union is seeking greater freedom of movement for players, along with an end to the escrow tax system under which 10 percent of players' paychecks are withheld, and the luxury tax system that penalizes owners with the highest payrolls.

    Stern also said he has asked for a 20-year-old age limit, with incentives provided to players who defer their draft eligibility to stay in college. The union says it adamantly opposes raising the current age limit of 18.

    ``There are lots of proposals and ideas going around. We remain committed to a process that guarantees the players a specific percentage of revenues,'' Stern said. ``We're talking more about certain approaches as to redistributing money than we are about major efforts to clamp that money down.''

    Basketball's collective bargaining talks come as the National Hockey League is in a work stoppage, the owners having locked out the players and postponed the start of the 2004-05 season.

    NBA owners are also seeking a reduction in the size of annual raises given in long-term contracts. Currently, players can receive 12.5 percent raises if they re-sign with their current team; 10 percent if they sign with a new team as a free agent.

    Owners are also seeking a reduction in the starting salary for the midlevel exception, which allows teams over the salary cap to free agents.

    But the most important item on the wish list, Stern made clear, was some mechanism to prevent teams from having to pay millions of dollars to players who stop being productive after signing long-term contracts.

    The New York Knicks, for instance, paid $6 million to Travis Knight -- along with an additional $6 million in luxury tax -- despite cutting him prior to last season.

    Also, Matt Maloney is being paid $3.2 million by Houston this season despite having been out of the league for most of the past three seasons, and the Knicks are on the hook for $1.2 million to John Amaechi despite having waived him just days after acquiring him from Houston last season.

    New York is currently pondering a buyout of the three years and $24 million it owes Shandon Anderson, and the Chicago Bulls are in similar straits trying to part ways with Eddie Robinson.

    ``The system may not have adequate rewards for veteran players and others who can make contributions,'' Stern said.

    Union director Billy Hunter did not immediately respond to Stern's statements. He said during the summer that a lockout is possible if ownership didn't move significantly away from its initial demands.
     
    #1 Rockets34Legend, Nov 1, 2004
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2004
  2. Cesar^Geronimo

    Cesar^Geronimo Member

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    I think reducing the max years is a good idea.

    Players don't seem to feel obligated to honor a contract if the exceed (or meet expectations) but they expect a team to pay them if they don't meet those expectations.

    This would help alot with that. The sad thing is the owners could unilateraly implement this (just don't sign long term contracts) but a few renegade owners would undermine it.
     
    #2 Cesar^Geronimo, Nov 1, 2004
  3. Fegwu

    Fegwu Contributing Member

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    Bad contracts

    J Kidd
    Baron Davis
    Derick Fisher
    Skip to my Lou
    LA Clippers Organization


    ....more to come
     
    #3 Fegwu, Nov 1, 2004
  4. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    a max of 4 years on contracts would be ideal, but I don't know how easy it'd be get by the union. The other stuff is much smaller. As long as the contracts are still guaranteed and they can't be cut like in the NFL, it shouldn't hurt the players at all.
     
    #4 CriscoKidd, Nov 1, 2004
  5. hrockets2k

    hrockets2k Member

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    WHAT?! The Rockets are still paying Matt Maloney for doing nothing. Geez I wish i had it that easy. If i was Les I would make him do something at least wipe the floor after falls. There is seriously something wrong when a person can get paid 3.2 million dollars for someone they dont even work for...
     
    #5 hrockets2k, Nov 1, 2004
  6. wizkid83

    wizkid83 Contributing Member

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    Just a question, would the amount of athletes that play with/through and injury decrease because they don't want to be injured and risk long term career? Look at what Rashad Lewis did a couple of years ago with seattle as he was becoming a FA. Also, can we hold players accountable now that the contract length are shorter and less things are guaranteed?
     
    #6 wizkid83, Nov 1, 2004
  7. john_l

    john_l Contributing Member

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    Hell, bring him back. At least he could hit an open 3.

     
    #7 john_l, Nov 1, 2004
  8. Samar

    Samar Contributing Member

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    Yeah i have always hated when these people are under long contracts and not playing. Like with Matt Maloney, thats 3.2 million dollars that we could have put in with the money we are paying ward and sura and could have gotten a really good point guard.
     
    #8 Samar, Nov 1, 2004
  9. Toast

    Toast Member

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    Long term contracts have their benefits, though. Like say you wanted to sign some cream-of-the-crop SF but don't have too much cap money for this season. You could offer him the $$ he would make on another team for 4 years, but spread it out over 6.
     
    #9 Toast, Nov 1, 2004
  10. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Contributing Member

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    Maloney is one lucky dude. Getting paid and not even working. Must be nice... :mad:
     
    #10 Rockets34Legend, Nov 1, 2004
  11. gucci888

    gucci888 Contributing Member

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    J Kidd's contract is only bad because he is hurt, and he will only be out til December. He'll atleast be able to come back and earn it.

    How is Baron Davis' contract bad? He is one of the best PG in the league. Definitely deserved the max, period.

    Here are some REAL bad contracts:

    1. Grant Hill- Injury isn't his fault, but a 100M+ contract sitting on the bench for 4 years is just bad.

    2. Micheal Dickerson- signed a 6yr/43M extension w/ Grizzlies, retired 6 games later. Grizz are still paying him. :)

    3. Todd McCallough- read above.

    4. Matt Maloney- read above.

    5. Shandon Anderson- got a BIG contract from us and has still yet to show he deserved it.
     
    #11 gucci888, Nov 1, 2004
  12. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    The player still makes more money by signing the 4 year deal in your hypothetical. After the 4 years are up, he can still sign for those 2 extra years for money he wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
     
    #12 CriscoKidd, Nov 1, 2004
  13. KeepKenny

    KeepKenny Contributing Member

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    Why would a player want to sign the 6 year contract instead of the 4 year contract if they're both for the same amount of total money?
     
    #13 KeepKenny, Nov 1, 2004
  14. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    They say he'll only be out til December, and even then he may only be a shadow of himself.

    And it's bad because its a longterm contract to a player who isn't young and is showing signs of breaking down already. If he stays healthy, the contract wont be to bad over the next few years, but it wont be long til his contract is an albatross.
     
    #14 CriscoKidd, Nov 1, 2004
  15. cuneo77

    cuneo77 Contributing Member

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    why do we still pay him if he played for other teams after us?
     
    #15 cuneo77, Nov 1, 2004
  16. pugsly8422

    pugsly8422 Contributing Member

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    They need to do something to keep players from making all of these threats like not playing unless they get an extension or certain amount of money. I really don't know what could be done unless there is a fine of some sort if they public. Any kind of talks about someone wanting to be traded, wanting an extension, or threating not to play should not come public, whether it's through a player, agent, or coach. Like I said, this is kind of crazy, but this is one thing that seems to be getting very popular and I think that it's just making everyone look bad.

    Pugs
     
    #16 pugsly8422, Nov 1, 2004
  17. stevel

    stevel Contributing Member

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    Shandon's big contract from us was due to a sign and trade with NY. We did not want to pay him that kind of jack, hence he was dealt.
     
    #17 stevel, Nov 1, 2004
  18. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    Owners have only themselves, not the system, to blame when they are willing to sign players long term who can't play. Every businessman knows that the longer the commitment is, the greater the risk.

    What I think they should do is to get rid of guaranteed contracts. But the union will never allow it.
     
    #18 Easy, Nov 1, 2004
  19. MLittle577

    MLittle577 Contributing Member

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    For real. Paying Maloney all that money for hitting kick out of double team threes for the short amount of time he did it, was just dumb. So was giving Moochie his contract.
     
    #19 MLittle577, Nov 1, 2004
  20. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    short contracts
    I think the player may go for it
    but
    THE OWNERS WILL HAVE TO RAISE THE SALARY CAP

    I cannot get 70 mile over 70 yrs no more
    but
    I D8mn sure want 55 Mill over 4

    Rocket River
    gotta give to receive
     
    #20 Rocket River, Nov 1, 2004
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