Last night and this morning one of the featured headlines on the right on ESPN was Duncan exercising his play option, one wherein the five time NBA champion, fist ballot hall of fame (likely unanimous), 3X Fianls MVP, 2X League MVP, 14x All Star...and the list goes on and picking up a mere $10.3 million. That's someone showing real dedication to winning. Even though it's also about loyalty and commitment, we don't need or expect that in professional sports outside of the Duncans, Jeters, and a handful of others. But taking half of what he theoretically deserves, based on Bosh getting $20 million, that is someone that is truly putting winning above personal gain. Also someone smart enough to realize that he's set and that that otherwise staggering $10 million is something he can easily live without.

Not if James and Melo were willing to do that, be it it together or on different teams, it would change how I view them. But as fishmike mentioned in another thread I hit upon in my thread regarding Rose's preference for Love on the Bulls, I want to see more guys that want to be the best, not join the contending or titles teams for that hope of quick path to a ring. All those guys that Jordan beat, they weren't lining up to play with him, they were all trying to beat him. So many modern athletes are missing that killer instinct and drive to be the best and proving by beating their peers.

Someone on either this forum or another mentioned how the Heat proved that the latest CBA is ineffective at stopping a team from building and padded double, triple, or possible quadruple threat to create a dynasty.

I'm in the minority in that I want Melo to stay and bring a chip the NY, and I want him to do it in the mold of Duncan. MAke a significant financial sacrifice for the orange and blue. That said, I realize that he'd be crazy to do it and needn't sacrifice a damned thing for any of us. He's a great player and has been carrying this team. He's carried every team he's played for and like Ewing rarely had a great team around him. In that situation your flaws are magnified and the in NYC the vultures are always ready and waiting be they "fans", the press, or whomever else seeks to point fingers while not contributing. In that environment I wouldn't either...

grillco wrote:...if it's just a token. James and his boys were going to only make just over $20 million each next year. How are they supposed to live on that. That's about what Melo's looking at making elsewhere and the Knicks will pitch it to him to stay as well. And we've all talked about this, but...

Last night and this morning one of the featured headlines on the right on ESPN was Duncan exercising his play option, one wherein the five time NBA champion, fist ballot hall of fame (likely unanimous), 3X Fianls MVP, 2X League MVP, 14x All Star...and the list goes on and picking up a mere $10.3 million. That's someone showing real dedication to winning. Even though it's also about loyalty and commitment, we don't need or expect that in professional sports outside of the Duncans, Jeters, and a handful of others. But taking half of what he theoretically deserves, based on Bosh getting $20 million, that is someone that is truly putting winning above personal gain. Also someone smart enough to realize that he's set and that that otherwise staggering $10 million is something he can easily live without.

Not if James and Melo were willing to do that, be it it together or on different teams, it would change how I view them. But as fishmike mentioned in another thread I hit upon in my thread regarding Rose's preference for Love on the Bulls, I want to see more guys that want to be the best, not join the contending or titles teams for that hope of quick path to a ring. All those guys that Jordan beat, they weren't lining up to play with him, they were all trying to beat him. So many modern athletes are missing that killer instinct and drive to be the best and proving by beating their peers.

Someone on either this forum or another mentioned how the Heat proved that the latest CBA is ineffective at stopping a team from building and padded double, triple, or possible quadruple threat to create a dynasty.

I'm in the minority in that I want Melo to stay and bring a chip the NY, and I want him to do it in the mold of Duncan. MAke a significant financial sacrifice for the orange and blue. That said, I realize that he'd be crazy to do it and needn't sacrifice a damned thing for any of us. He's a great player and has been carrying this team. He's carried every team he's played for and like Ewing rarely had a great team around him. In that situation your flaws are magnified and the in NYC the vultures are always ready and waiting be they "fans", the press, or whomever else seeks to point fingers while not contributing. In that environment I wouldn't either...

No, it's about demand...No one else out there is willing to pay Duncan 20 mil per after 18 years in the league...

CrushAlot wrote:Also, there is a big difference in what a guy nets if he plays in a state without state income tax like Florida or Texas. Duncan took significantly less but LBJ and company net about the same as Melo but get credited for taking less to help the team.

not being a pest here, this is not always fair way to look at things tax wise. tax laws when it comes to pro sports are not that simple. you will get taxed by some states (and cities as well) when you play there, you may get taxed TWICE for the same game (home state wants its cut, state where game is played wants theirs too), etc. so just because you play in a state with no income tax doesnt mean you wont be paying a state income tax ever, you most likely will be paying some income tax to a state in 30 or so games if you are out of florida or other income tax state.

sidsanders wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Also, there is a big difference in what a guy nets if he plays in a state without state income tax like Florida or Texas. Duncan took significantly less but LBJ and company net about the same as Melo but get credited for taking less to help the team.

not being a pest here, this is not always fair way to look at things tax wise. tax laws when it comes to pro sports are not that simple. you will get taxed by some states (and cities as well) when you play there, you may get taxed TWICE for the same game (home state wants its cut, state where game is played wants theirs too), etc. so just because you play in a state with no income tax doesnt mean you wont be paying a state income tax ever, you most likely will be paying some income tax to a state in 30 or so games if you are out of florida or other income tax state.

CrushAlot wrote:

sidsanders wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Also, there is a big difference in what a guy nets if he plays in a state without state income tax like Florida or Texas. Duncan took significantly less but LBJ and company net about the same as Melo but get credited for taking less to help the team.

not being a pest here, this is not always fair way to look at things tax wise. tax laws when it comes to pro sports are not that simple. you will get taxed by some states (and cities as well) when you play there, you may get taxed TWICE for the same game (home state wants its cut, state where game is played wants theirs too), etc. so just because you play in a state with no income tax doesnt mean you wont be paying a state income tax ever, you most likely will be paying some income tax to a state in 30 or so games if you are out of florida or other income tax state.

The post just had an interview with rod thorn where he said the tax breaks in Texas meant that the mavs could offer j Kidd the same net after jersey income tax came out of his salary so they had no advantage when they were trying to resign him.

there still needs to be a better way for folks to talk about it. the way its discussed it is cut/dry and it really isnt.

"At that point, all the tax collectors have left is a math problem to figure out that Ichiro Suzuki, the highest-paid baseball player in Washington, a tax-free state, will have to pay more than $218,000 in California taxes for the 25 games the Mariners will play there this summer."

thats from a 2009 article talking about jock taxes.

cbafaq mentions this stuff as well
http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q77

to me, no tax state makes things easier for more than half your games when it comes to taxes, however if you play out of ca or visit ca, you are going to get hit with the highest income taxes around. heck, that faq mentions the bulls:
"Illinois (Bulls) does not make visiting athletes pay a jock tax if they come from jurisdictions without a jock tax. However, Illinois does not credit its residents for jock taxes paid out of state, so Bulls players can be double-taxed for some road games."