MS wrote:It has nothing to do with understanding the league. The product this post seasom sub bar at best. There was virtually two games worth watching in the entire eastern conference and one competitive series in the western conference.

The league is and always will be built on stars. It's nice to see everyone do well. But, the ratings are dependent on Lebron and Curry.

I'm all for people getting paid and doing well, but there are guys that couldn't carry a college team making 15MM a year is tough to understand.

You can quantify a player like Jeremey Lin getting a poison pill contract, but Johnson? Every deal just can't be explained because of TV money.

I know it's shocking. This is the new normal.

Let me explain it this way. There are 30 "STARS" in the NBA. Basically 24 "ALL-STARS" and a couple of guys who missed the all star team who possibly deserved to be on it. Let's just say 30 "STARS". The "STARS" include the 10 "SUPERSTARS" in the league. The 10 "SUPERSTARS" get paid the same as the "STARS" because of the cap. They get the "MAX" essentially.

Next are the 60 guys in the league that are 1st, 2nd and 3rd best players on each team. These guys are not "STARS" but because many "STARS" team up, not every team has a "STAR". These 60 guys are getting paid MAX, near Max, or something quite high. Think 70 mil over 4 years type of deal or better.

Next are the next 100 guys - these guys are guys with breakout potential, starters (4th or 5th best players on the team), or super subs. These guys are getting 40 to 65 mil per year over 4 years.

Next are the next 100 guys bench guys that play. These guys get 20 mil/3 years-type deal (essentially the new mid-level exception)

Next 160 fringe bench guys that usually do not play. These guys get less than 6 mil per year (below mid-level).

There are a max of 450 NBA players in the league per year (30 teams, with 15 man rosters).

first 30 stars (includes 10 superstars)
next 60 top players
next 100 starters/top rotation players
next 100 bench guys that play
remaining 160 fringe guys - bench warmers who play in case of injury
----
equals 450 NBA players

MS wrote:It has nothing to do with understanding the league. The product this post seasom sub bar at best. There was virtually two games worth watching in the entire eastern conference and one competitive series in the western conference.

The ratings were strong anyway.

More importantly, the 9 year TV deal just starts THIS season. The NBA has 9 more years of this TV revenue guaranteed. In the bank.

I'm all for people getting paid and doing well, but there are guys that couldn't carry a college team making 15MM a year is tough to understand.

It should not be. If you simply commit to understanding the economics and the context of why it is happening, its quite easy to understand.

I understand it fine and I'm an idiot. Just ask anyone.

You can quantify a player like Jeremey Lin getting a poison pill contract, but Johnson? Every deal just can't be explained because of TV money.

There are always going to be good and bad contracts, that has always been the case. As i say, if you bother to understand the economics involved, the players are STILL getting a smaller share of the league revenue as they did in the last CBA, even with all what people perceive to be the 'crazy' deals.

What's happening right now is a perfectly explainable and understandable confluence of the new CBA and the unprecedented introduction of the TV money and the market forces created by raising the cap/floor by 35% in one year, one year head of raising it another 16%.

Once you lay out all the factors involved, you would have realized a year ago what is happening was going to happen. And not because owners are stupid, but because they exist in a competitive market.