Mike James did turn 31 on June 23, 2006. By my reading he is classified as a 31 year old going into his next contract (he would turn 36 just before the moratorium, I think the techincal definition of when the season ends)--I think he is about a week too old to get the 5th year at full value. http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm * The seasons marked with asterisks would fall under the Over-36 provision if the player's birthday falls between the July Moratorium and September 30 and he signs his contract prior to his birthday. This is because for the Over-36 rule only, seasons are defined to commence on October 1. If the player's birthday falls between the July Moratorium and September 30, and he signs his contract prior to his birthday, then he will turn a year older just before each season commences. For example, suppose a 32-year-old Qualifying Veteran Free Agent re-signs with his prior team for five seasons. Suppose he signs on August 15, and his birthday is on September 15. When the fourth season of this contract commences, the player will be 36 (not 35), and therefore the Over-36 rule will be triggered on the fourth season. Of course, the player can avoid this situation by waiting until after his birthday to sign his contract.
Your giving an example of a player that is clearly 32 at the start of the season. James is clearly a year younger than the player in Coon's example.
His tables seem to show the the 5th year of contracts (whether QFA or otherwise) for 31 year olds are treated as deferred compensation. It also looks like July 1 is where the leeway is (if he turned 31 after July 1, 2006), and Mike James was born one week before that. My reading anyway.
I think he is being totally disingenous right now, and that is fine, more power to him - we're negotiating, and this is fair. Look, he would not be subtlely jab at the Rockets if they were NOT his first choice; I am not saying he is definitely coming to Houston, but he would not 'lean Dallas' by dogging Houston if he really was about to hop there. He is not that stupid of a negotiator. He wants the maximum amount of money, and who can blame him. Don't get wrapped up in him being 'pissed' or mad that he is trying to squeeze the Rockets - its the same type of thought and ego and cutthroat (albeit transparent) and all that that makes him a good player. He is communciating with the Rockets - about wanting to start, about $ - with all his media behavior, it seems pretty straightforward to me. Again, no guarantees that he will come to Houston, but he's not a moron. I will certainly not hold this against if he comes here, which I think is way likely.
I'm at work and don't have time to read every one of Coon's words. But asking ourselves...what is the intent of the Over-36 rule? By my speed-reading, it's to prevent players from having a valid contract while they are over the age of 36 due to the high statistical probability that they'll get to 36 and retire while money is still owed to them. I realize a line in the sand has to be drawn somewhere. But strictly speaking Mike James with a 5 year deal will not be playng on an NBA basketball court on that contract when he is over 36. IMHO, the Over-36 rule applies to players who are 32 years of age at the time the contract is signed. 32 years olds will have a whole season at 36 to retire and collect the money. My interpretation and I've been wrong before.
That was my understanding too. He turns 36 in his 5th year of the contract thus the 36 year rule applies. On another point are you sure the 36 year rule applies to bird right players because I can't find that anywhere. My interpretation of the 36 year rule is it was put in place to stop teams from circumventing the MLE by giving older players longer contracts than they otherwise would have recieved thus the later years would be considered defferred payment to spice up a contract. Since a bird rights player is only limited by the maximum amount of dollars and years the league allows there would be no reason to call in play the 36 year rule. THus Toronto is allowed to sign James for whatever they want for 5 years and trade him to us for our TE provided his starting contract didnot exceed 4.3 million. If that is the case than we have the biggest offer on the table. ANd no one can match or dollars outside of a sign and trade. Now the only thing that comes into play is the new MLE if it is on the high side than what we are offering may not be a big enough difference to matter especially considering he has to work anextra year for it. But if it comes in on the low side say only 100 grand more, than our offer is several million dollars better of guaranteed money and if he really wants to play here than that would be hard to turn down. Again this is my interpretation please correct me if I am wrong.
Do you guys really think he won't be playing when he's 35? I know anything can happen, but if you're Mike James looking at offers on the table, assuming the rule applies, does it even phase you?
NOT GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The NBA's top remaining free-agent point guard should be off the market soon. Mike James is expected to announce his next team Tuesday after meeting face-to-face Monday in Las Vegas with Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson. James then returned to his offseason home in Houston to choose between the Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves, all of whom have been negotiating with James during the Vegas Summer League. It's believed that each of those teams is offering the 31-year-old a three-year deal starting at the $5 million mid-level exception. Mike James Point Guard Toronto Raptors Profile 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 79 20.3 3.3 5.8 .469 .837 The front-runner? Judging by James' comments over the weekend in Los Angeles at a charity basketball game hosted by Baron Davis and Paul Pierce, it's the Mavericks. And that's largely because of the former pass-first point guard chasing the shoot-first point guard who's coming off a breakout season in Toronto. "The biggest 'wow' in this whole situation has been Avery Johnson," James says. "I respect him as a coach, but we have a relationship beyond the court. We've been friends for some years now. I've always respected Avery, even as a player when he had that broke jump shot. But he has a ring and he knows what it takes to win. He's been the person who has wowed me the most through this process." James added that potential suitors must meet two requirements. Championship contention is No. 1. "These three teams want to win," James said. "Kevin Garnett tells me he doesn't want the playoffs, he wants to win the championship. Houston wants to get back to that point, and they've already got two superstars. "Dallas was two games away," James continued, noting that the Mavs are closest to meeting the first prerequisite. "That's a very important factor for me." No. 2? "I want a team that wants to win, but also believes that I'm a significant piece," James said. "It's about trust. That's one of the main things I'm focused on. Do you really believe in me? "These teams tell me they do. For them to say, 'Mike James, you're a significant piece,' that humbles me. With all the stuff I've been through -- everyone telling me I can't, can't, can't -- I'm humbled that these three teams believe in me." While he stops short of requiring a spot in the starting lineup, James isn't shy about his belief that he should remain a starter. "I was top 20 in every category besides rebounding, blocked shots and steals," James said. "There's over 400 players in the NBA, so I think I've proven what I'm capable of. All I can do is continue to work and erase all the critics minds." And according to James, the critics have been hard at work, hounding him throughout his career. Following a stellar college career at Duquesne, James went undrafted before eventually singing with the Heat as a free agent in 2001. Over the next four seasons, James bounced between Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Houston, respectively, before the Rockets dealt him Toronto on the first day of training camp last October. James went on to establish new career bests in minutes per game (37.0), assists (5.8), rebounds (3.3) and points (20.3). He became just the second undrafted player in NBA history, after John Starks, to average 20 points in a season. While some might credit the jump in production to contract-year motivation, James says it was a product of increased playing time, a lifetime of hard work and a love for the game that saved him. "If it wasn't for the game of basketball, I know what I would have done, and it wouldn't have been nice," he said, referring to his rough childhood in Amityville, N.Y. "The only other thing I knew was the streets. Basketball was my way out, so the only thing I can do to give back to the game is play with my heart." While James continues to ponder a decision that will alter the course of his career, he already knows where he'll be when that decision is announced. He dreams of a press conference. "I never had the chance to wear that hat on the podium in front of the media," James said. "I told my wife, I'm going to the podium because I've never done that before. For me to just do that once, I'm awed by it. I'm thankful." Sam Alipour is based in Los Angeles and writes the Media Blitz column for ESPN The Magazine.
Yes, but since it is "NOT GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!" it probably needs to be posted in every thread on the board to make sure we are all aware of it!
Unlike some of you, I have a job and don't have time to read 6 different topics with 300 posts each totaling a couple of thousands posts....Since this was a pretty important thing, and I just read it, I decided to post it so if somebody missed it because they didn't read it on a previous thread, then i'm sorry....What is the big deal?...I think it should be posted everywhere since we have been talking about it for the last few weeks!!
I went back and read Coon in more detail. IMHO, James is not an Over 36 Rule player. Look at the box titled "Other Free Agents". There is an asterisk with an explanation: " * The seasons marked with asterisks would fall under the Over-36 provision if the player's birthday falls between the July Moratorium and September 30 and he signs his contract prior to his birthday. This is because for the Over-36 rule only, seasons are defined to commence on October 1." First, James' birthday does not fall into this timeframe. Secondly, if seasons commence on Oct 1, James will be 31 for year 1 and not be 36 until 6 seasons from now. IMHO, this is why all of Coon's examples are for players 32 and older.
Damn, some of the people on this board are so damn conceited like they are the only ones permitted to post and everybody else should just worship them for their expert analysis on everything....I didn't know posting something would offend you so much and without a LINK!!!....GOOD GOD what have I done??!!! stop being so overly dramatic....next time I will post a link and make sure I submit to all of your rules SIR.....
I've said it before, I'll say it again. I think Mike James would be a good addition. Not necessarily a great one, but perhaps the best available. that said... the interviews and articles regarding the current status of the negotiations seem all too typical, and for someone that reportedly was citing the Rockets as his first pick, he sure isn't putting any slack our way. I think we're trying to hard, and making it obvious we want him more badly than we should. Not that we shouldn't want him, but come on. He won't see the time or appreciation in Dallas that he will here, we're the hometwon, he SAID he wanted to come here... our offer is competitive. It should be a done deal. If it isn't? I say let him go... where ever. I won't be happy about it, but I think we've done enough. Be careful what you wish for. He'll have a new deal, less reason to prove himself.... he'll want "touches" that we may not be able to afford, and he's not on a dreadful toronto team where he'll shine like he did last year (thanks to our trading him, no grattitude necessary, evidently). If he wants to come, quit playing games. If not, say so and go. We want him. That's a clear consensus, but I think we've made ample if not excessive effort. Do what you will, "MJ".
Agree. It's my belief that a lot of the "veterans" of this board don't have any more basketball knowledge that some of the "rookies"
