LeBron taking his talents to South Beach has caused a frustrating lockout

Lebron wins in Cleveland Lebron stays in Cleveland. The rest is negotiated out like gentlemen (sic). The original sin of this mess is the mess LBJ created by not getting over the hump in Cleavesburg. So he tucked tail and talent and off to South Beach. Where he pulled his annual disappearing act.

 

The problem is definitely money AND system. Even the union agrees the NBA lost money, though their estimate of 100million is significantly less than the 300+ million figure the owners claim.

But as a fan, I'm really more concern with the system issues than the earnings of owners or players. So whether the BRI is 51-49, 50-50 or 51-49 band, I really don't care as none of those significantly effect the products on the court.

What does concern me however is the inequality of spending between teams. I'd rather not have a system where the Lakers, Mavs, Knicks, Celtics etc are able to spend 80 or 90 million while teams like the rockets, warriors, spurs can barely spend 70 or Hornets, OKC and others can barely spend 60. IMO a stiffer luxury tax would help alleviate some of this by either curbing spending through higher taxes OR increasing revenue of poorer teams at the expense of tax paying teams.

I'm all for players having freedom of choice as to where to play, which is why I'm probably against a franchise tag, however I would like to eliminate their ability to hold a team hostage to get both freedom of movement and circumvent the spirit of bird rights by forcing sign and trades. Therefore I'd rather eliminate all sign and trade. To give players further incentive to resign with their orig teams, contract lengths should be shorten from 3 years + 1 yr team option (optional w/only 1/3 guaranteed) and 5 years for resignings.

While the NBA's stance on a lower MLE for tax player is a good restriction to limit spending disparity, its also unnecessary if the the tax rate is sufficiently increased. Teams like the mavs and lakers wouldn't want to pay 3x the cost of the full MLE, but if they did that money would go to help other teams.


My proposal

+ higher tax rates
+ no sign and trade
+ shorter contracts (3/5yr resigning)
+ BRI 49.5-49.5 in players favor with 1% going to pension plan.

 

This.

 

Clearly NOT enough system changes where the "LEAGUE thrives."

As a fan, I would have left BRI the same to force the players to accept major systemic changes that produces parity, then, to produce profit, close the doors to the four dead franchises leeching off the league to increase revenue sharing for the remaining 26 teams .

parity *and* profitability -- the only way to achieve that is to admit the league is too diluted. Contraction also makes each remaining team a better basketball team on the court by redistributing the 60 players, thereby eventually resulting in the firing of the 60 worst players in the league.

Imagine a supplemental draft like gin rummy, where you have to discard to pick up a new card...haha

 

So what has to happen to end up with replacement players? If they go to court, & still ultimately can't agree to a DEal, then? Because a judge can't come up with & force a contract on them, right?