Welpee wrote:Players union would never agree to an NFL model.
Not by choice.
Sadly, and this might be either really obvious or really sad for most here ( probably a bit of both) but most professional athletes in the US are living check to check.
Owners are tired of it. It's not just about the money, it's about the product on the floor and if it's sustainable. But the key issue is THE NETWORKS ARE TIRED OF IT. The ones who sign the checks for the massive broadcasting rights to these games. Stern built the NBA around individual marketing but this is infinitely difficult to do because large segments of the Western world do not relate to or are appealed to by NBA players. Not like MLB and not like the NFL.
Cut off checks for NBA players for 3 months, see what happens. 6 months. See what happens. A year. See what happens.
The current contract structure benefits the player, his family and his agent.
The NFL model benefits competitive play and team's ability to reboot/reload. "Signing Bonuses" operate as guaranteed money and the top/elite guys will command enough money to be nearly uncuttable/untradeable.
If LeBron James buckles, he generates enough revenue for the league to deal with his idiocy.
But no one wants to deal with the power play of a Noah. Or a Baron Davis. Rip Hamilton. Aging Tracy McGrady. Erick Dampier.
STAT is a good example. A "signing bonus" would have made his contract uncuttable for the first two years. By year 3, if the Knicks could have let him go, they would have. They would get the chance to rebuild, STAT would go back out and help some other team AT HIS CURRENT MARKET VALUE. More players on the market at the actual value to the league right then and there would make team building and rebuilding much easier. It's a better product on the floor, players have no choice but to play harder and keep improving their game. STAT doesn't get to give lip service to defense, he either improved or gets cut. Guys milking fake injuries would have to rethink everything.
You are paid what you are worth right now. If you want to keep your job, you better produce. You want to show up to the preseason out of shape? Well if you are LBJ, you can get away with it. But Noah? Sorry dude, hit the exit.