We get to watch children open their presents in the corner of our eyes while a great NBA triple header starts off the season: the Celtics at Knicks, the Bulls at Lakers, and of course the epic rematch of Miami at Dallas. While it will be opening day and the play won't be at the level of the finals, I'm thinking these teams and players will all surprise us with some solid play and extremely competitive games. I mean most the players were so angry they're losing games, especially the veterans and younger stars in the leauge. Kobe is a great example: an aging superstar that will continue to climb the ranks in all-time NBA stats, not just scoring either. While I'm sure it helped getting some much needed rest, him and the Lakers are going to have to adapt to an entire new style of play under coach Mike Brown, and with a one week training camp most players will be coming out of that camp confused and frustrated (it's going to take a month or so for them to adapt, let alone get back that chemistry they lost entirely last playoffs).
Overall I'd put my money on it that a 3-4 week span following the tipoff night will prove to be a little up and down in terms of play for the entire league as young and old teams just didn't have the time to prepare. Veteran teams would have the advantage with nearly identical rosters returning as well as coaches, like Doc Rivers and the Celtics, but with a 66 game schedule they are older and definitely going to have to go 10 deep, maybe more, to win their games as they get back into game shape.
This Christmas we are going to get our NBA basketball. It's the opening day of the 2011-2012 NBA season, a season in which is trying to not be that of the 1999 post lockout season *(the sloppy and out of shape season that was only 50 games). Instead we have a what appears to be a 66 game season, I like this idea much more, and we will likely see the playoffs pushed a 3-4 weeks back so teams aren't playing 4-5 games a week like that horrific 50 game season. This should ultimately allow it to feel like a real NBA season, because we all know that 1999 season will always have an asterisk by it and ultimately be dismissed by many of the true fans of the game.
The training camps will start on December 9th, and are only going to be one week (good luck getting in shape Eddy Curry). The Free Agency will also begin on the same day, something that will be quite interesting considering it's a solid FA class. While there's no true great players, there's plenty of good players, like (SG/PG) Jamal Crawford, (PF) David West, and of course (C) Tyson Chandler, all good/great players that can truly impact a game in their own respective ways if they choose to sign with a a new team that fits them perfectly, or in Chandler's case remain with the Mavericks assuming Cuban continues to spend like he's always done. I'll be writing about the Free Agents in my next post. As for now, what exactly is different in terms of the NBA's system and rules that the NBA and Players Union were working on reaching an agreement on. This is all from NBA TV and ESPN.com meaning it's as official as it gets until they actually start to build and write the new CBA and sign it.
The main points that make up the new agreement and CBA:
-Owners dropped their insistence on what would have been known as the Carmelo Anthony rule, preventing teams from executing extend-and-trade deals similar to the one that sent Anthony from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks last season. This means that if Dwight Howard, Deron Williams and Chris Paul want to leverage their way out of Orlando, New Jersey and New Orleans, they will still be eligible to sign four-year extensions with their current teams before being immediately traded elsewhere.
-Teams above the salary cap will be able to offer four-year mid-level exception contracts to free agents each season. Previously, owners were asking that teams be limited to offering a four-year deal one year, a three-year deal the next, then four, then three, etc.
-The rookie salary scale and veteran minimum salaries will stay the same as they were last season. Owners had been seeking 12 percent cuts.
-Qualifying offers to restricted free agents will become “significantly” improved. The sides had already agreed to reduce the time for a team to match an offer to a restricted free agent from 7 days to 3.
-A new $2.5 million exception will be available to teams that go below the salary cap, then use all of their cap room to sign free agents. Once they are back above the cap, they will be able to use the new exception instead of being limited to filling out their rosters with players on minimum contracts.
-The prohibition on luxury tax-paying teams from executing sign-and-trade deals was loosened, although the freedom to execute those types of deals will still be limited.
-Revenue sharing will be more robust than ever before. Big-market teams like the Knicks and Lakers will be expected to give more to smaller-market teams.
-Also, teams that dip into luxury-tax territory will face much harsher penalties. Instead of paying a dollar-for-dollar tax, penalties may go as high as three or four times that much. The James Dolans and Jim Busses of the world will certainly think twice before reaching into their pocketbooks.
-As a result of these changes, the spending gap should, in theory, shrink with owners also being forced to eventually spend 85-plus percent of the salary cap.
-The agreement on the table is supposed to last a decade, but both sides can opt out after six years. While we may very well go through this whole charade again in 2018, we at least have NBA games on the horizon.
-Teams above the salary cap will be able to offer four-year mid-level exception contracts to free agents each season. Previously, owners were asking that teams be limited to offering a four-year deal one year, a three-year deal the next, then four, then three, etc.
-The rookie salary scale and veteran minimum salaries will stay the same as they were last season. Owners had been seeking 12 percent cuts.
-Qualifying offers to restricted free agents will become “significantly” improved. The sides had already agreed to reduce the time for a team to match an offer to a restricted free agent from 7 days to 3.
-A new $2.5 million exception will be available to teams that go below the salary cap, then use all of their cap room to sign free agents. Once they are back above the cap, they will be able to use the new exception instead of being limited to filling out their rosters with players on minimum contracts.
-The prohibition on luxury tax-paying teams from executing sign-and-trade deals was loosened, although the freedom to execute those types of deals will still be limited.
-Revenue sharing will be more robust than ever before. Big-market teams like the Knicks and Lakers will be expected to give more to smaller-market teams.
-Also, teams that dip into luxury-tax territory will face much harsher penalties. Instead of paying a dollar-for-dollar tax, penalties may go as high as three or four times that much. The James Dolans and Jim Busses of the world will certainly think twice before reaching into their pocketbooks.
-As a result of these changes, the spending gap should, in theory, shrink with owners also being forced to eventually spend 85-plus percent of the salary cap.
-The agreement on the table is supposed to last a decade, but both sides can opt out after six years. While we may very well go through this whole charade again in 2018, we at least have NBA games on the horizon.
I really love the newly implemented "owners forced to eventually spend 85+ percent of the salary cap" rule. What will cheapass Clippers owner Sterling do now?
Some Clipper speculation: I don't think he's ever spent more than 70% of the cap in any given season, and that's being generous. It's a great rule for them though, as they have a franchise player and reigning Rookie Of The Year and highlight sensation Blake Griffin, as well as a legit second option in young shooting-guard Eric Gordon who is an underrated star; most don't see him as a star... it's the "Clipper Curse". I have a feeling Kaman will be their starting center to begin the season, possibly to showcase him as a great trade piece if they don't sign a free agent to fill the SF spot. Their future starting five, which small-forward fits the best? Their starting 4, with Kaman and DeAndre likely splitting minutes at Center, plus Kaman can actually play some PF next to DeAndre while Griffin get's his rest.
PG:
SG:
PF:
C:
SG:PF:C:Future SF:
?
When you have a franchise stud, a legit second scoring option, as well as a one-time All-Star 20/10 center in Chris Kaman healthy now, as well as likely re-signing the young and upcoming center DeAndre Jordan, who's defensive mindset, great shot-blocking skills as well as amazing athletic ability for a 7 footer (was 3rd in the NBA in dunks behind his front-court mate Griffin who was just behind Dwight Howard). You have a great core, and a nice point-guard that is used to playing next to and off of a star in Mo Williams. It's time for them to sign a Small Forward and they should be playoff team for sure: with Grant Hill, Tayshaun Prince, and Shane Battier looking like plausible and unrestricted free-agents, Sterling not only should do this, he almost has to since he's not near the 85%+ cap space mark. Sterling would usually just stick with the roster, and while there's nothing wrong with that, Aminu, the young SF that shows great potential appears to be a couple years away from being that SF that makes the Clipps the best they can be, needing a great defender to complement Griffin defensive weaknesses while also a guy (like Battier) that can shoot 3's at SF efficiently, especially catch-n-shoot 3's that will always be there because of Griffin's ability to draw doubles and kick it out to the open guy.
Alright, I'll stop for now. I guess I'm actually excited for this upcoming season, it's starting to sink in they actually made an agreement. I hope all you fans are willing to forgive them for taking so long to get this deal done, but they did it and salvaged themselves in my mind. Thank God almighty! AMEN!
I'd like to say a sincere farewell to Mr. Yao Ming. He deserves a full article to discuss what he's done for the game on a global scale. Free Agent lists and discussion will soon be posted as I can finally start to ponder realistically on where some of the free-agents, restricted and unrestricted, end up signing.
I'm back in my comfort zone. So for you 5 avid readers, please feel free to comment and discuss what you think about the new rules and CBA; is it a step forward for parity in the league or does it seem like not much has changed?
-One Love
