TripleThreat wrote:

franco12 wrote:not to be crass or stupid - but what is the practical difference between $103M and $221m? For all intents and purposes, you're looking at stupid, generational wealth. Neither he, nor his kids or his kids' kids will have to work.

But, glad to see players start to be more concerned about where and who they will play with, than guaranteed money.

118 M?

Let me run a hypothetical by you real quick.

Imagine you are a billionaire and you happen to own a pro sports franchise. Any sport, any league. Like most people in this position, you aren't getting all this money legally. Just doesn't work that way.

You want a player but the rules says you can't pay him the most. So you pay him in crypto. Or you pay him in duffle bags full of cash. Cash is great because since it's not taxed onto the player, you can offer him less than the face value of the difference he's losing in taxes anyway. The player just needs to see the net gain ABOVE what he would make after he was taxed on a normal max possible deal.

Since the player can't hide that kind of money ( they are dumb, young and surrounded by even dumber people. If Rich Paul wasn't LBJ's best friend, he'd be running a liquor store somewhere in Nebraska, watching Netflix and eating frozen pizza for dinner) , the owner offers to help him hide it. And gets a nice fat kickback from the people who do it.

Cheaper for the owner, more money for the player plus the perception the player is some kind of saint.

Guys, NO ONE is leaving money on the table in the NBA. Ever.

So why do you keep harping about player Bird Rights?

martin wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1148982329639153665

The NEW NBA. We will see a totally different landscape every other year. The players have so much more control in todays NBA. I think that teams that stick to the "OLD SCHOOL" ways of constructing a team, will just stay on the sidelines and watch other teams put together a championship roster in a matter of months. Question is how much is a chip worth to teams, fans, owners? Toronto finally got one and they did so with a player that stayed just one year and who they gave up their franchise player for. Clips just gave up most of their future picks. IMO, that is better than 46 years of fantasizing about some 2nd round draft pick and keeping a whole bunch of assets that will not get you to what should be the end goal.

In terms of Kawhi, think he is not as giving as some may think. Several of the elite players are taking shorter term deals in order to take advantage of the increases to come.

TripleThreat wrote:

franco12 wrote:not to be crass or stupid - but what is the practical difference between $103M and $221m? For all intents and purposes, you're looking at stupid, generational wealth. Neither he, nor his kids or his kids' kids will have to work.

But, glad to see players start to be more concerned about where and who they will play with, than guaranteed money.

118 M?

Let me run a hypothetical by you real quick.

Imagine you are a billionaire and you happen to own a pro sports franchise. Any sport, any league. Like most people in this position, you aren't getting all this money legally. Just doesn't work that way.

You want a player but the rules says you can't pay him the most. So you pay him in crypto. Or you pay him in duffle bags full of cash. Cash is great because since it's not taxed onto the player, you can offer him less than the face value of the difference he's losing in taxes anyway. The player just needs to see the net gain ABOVE what he would make after he was taxed on a normal max possible deal.

Since the player can't hide that kind of money ( they are dumb, young and surrounded by even dumber people. If Rich Paul wasn't LBJ's best friend, he'd be running a liquor store somewhere in Nebraska, watching Netflix and eating frozen pizza for dinner) , the owner offers to help him hide it. And gets a nice fat kickback from the people who do it.

Cheaper for the owner, more money for the player plus the perception the player is some kind of saint.

Guys, NO ONE is leaving money on the table in the NBA. Ever.

Triple, not for anything but you have told us you played in the league but won't tell us who you are.
At the same time you come off with some good takes. Its not exactly insider stuff thought.
Then you come off with the conspiracy stuff and ask us to buy it cuz you in the know.

What your saying is logical to a point. we don't see a lot of guys passing up money. What Kawhi did was illogical and its possible Ballmer paid him under the table. These guys also running to California with taxes that are a killer are also illogical.

You talking Swiss bank accounts and bags full of cash? This coming from owners pockets? Most teams have multiple investors, they all in on this? General parters and those with minority stakes? What about commiting tax fraud? Regarding he league, are the not in on it? Seems if Triple knows it, lots of people do?
Its logical, but is it implemented?

martin wrote:

TripleThreat wrote:

franco12 wrote:not to be crass or stupid - but what is the practical difference between $103M and $221m? For all intents and purposes, you're looking at stupid, generational wealth. Neither he, nor his kids or his kids' kids will have to work.

But, glad to see players start to be more concerned about where and who they will play with, than guaranteed money.

118 M?

Let me run a hypothetical by you real quick.

Imagine you are a billionaire and you happen to own a pro sports franchise. Any sport, any league. Like most people in this position, you aren't getting all this money legally. Just doesn't work that way.

You want a player but the rules says you can't pay him the most. So you pay him in crypto. Or you pay him in duffle bags full of cash. Cash is great because since it's not taxed onto the player, you can offer him less than the face value of the difference he's losing in taxes anyway. The player just needs to see the net gain ABOVE what he would make after he was taxed on a normal max possible deal.

Since the player can't hide that kind of money ( they are dumb, young and surrounded by even dumber people. If Rich Paul wasn't LBJ's best friend, he'd be running a liquor store somewhere in Nebraska, watching Netflix and eating frozen pizza for dinner) , the owner offers to help him hide it. And gets a nice fat kickback from the people who do it.

Cheaper for the owner, more money for the player plus the perception the player is some kind of saint.

Guys, NO ONE is leaving money on the table in the NBA. Ever.

So why do you keep harping about player Bird Rights?

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/cap/

Even with a massive "discount", what percentage of the cap is Leonard taking up? Then George, then him and George together?

If you want to contend, you'll need at least 2 Max type players ( true franchise max players, not just "market max" type players who are good for sales/promoting the franchise/anchoring the "brand" involved) Maybe 3 of them. You'll only be able to do this and sustain QUALITY DEPTH ( because these few max guys won't do it alone, you need quality role players, not just ring chasers on vet minimum deals) if you have Bird Rights to go over the cap and into the luxury tax zone. Even the repeater tax zone. Quality depth comes at a range of market based price points.

Having the Bird Rights to as many key/core/elite players as possible is critical to contending and to sustain that contender for a run at multiple rings.

Nalod wrote:

TripleThreat wrote:

franco12 wrote:not to be crass or stupid - but what is the practical difference between $103M and $221m? For all intents and purposes, you're looking at stupid, generational wealth. Neither he, nor his kids or his kids' kids will have to work.

But, glad to see players start to be more concerned about where and who they will play with, than guaranteed money.

118 M?

Let me run a hypothetical by you real quick.

Imagine you are a billionaire and you happen to own a pro sports franchise. Any sport, any league. Like most people in this position, you aren't getting all this money legally. Just doesn't work that way.

You want a player but the rules says you can't pay him the most. So you pay him in crypto. Or you pay him in duffle bags full of cash. Cash is great because since it's not taxed onto the player, you can offer him less than the face value of the difference he's losing in taxes anyway. The player just needs to see the net gain ABOVE what he would make after he was taxed on a normal max possible deal.

Since the player can't hide that kind of money ( they are dumb, young and surrounded by even dumber people. If Rich Paul wasn't LBJ's best friend, he'd be running a liquor store somewhere in Nebraska, watching Netflix and eating frozen pizza for dinner) , the owner offers to help him hide it. And gets a nice fat kickback from the people who do it.

Cheaper for the owner, more money for the player plus the perception the player is some kind of saint.

Guys, NO ONE is leaving money on the table in the NBA. Ever.

Triple, not for anything but you have told us you played in the league but won't tell us who you are.
At the same time you come off with some good takes. Its not exactly insider stuff thought.
Then you come off with the conspiracy stuff and ask us to buy it cuz you in the know.

What your saying is logical to a point. we don't see a lot of guys passing up money. What Kawhi did was illogical and its possible Ballmer paid him under the table. These guys also running to California with taxes that are a killer are also illogical.

You talking Swiss bank accounts and bags full of cash? This coming from owners pockets? Most teams have multiple investors, they all in on this? General parters and those with minority stakes? What about commiting tax fraud? Regarding he league, are the not in on it? Seems if Triple knows it, lots of people do?
Its logical, but is it implemented?

I think it is simpler than that.
If Balmer is offering KL to invest in his businesses with a private money or stock options on large scale the money will multiply quickly and will stay in play for generations to come.
The contract money are peanuts comparing to what the return can be.
And this is nothing illegal about it.
Business partnership in the club or any other business owner has can be much more valuable that contract itself.
And there is no way for the public to even have a glimpse of it.

GustavBahler wrote:LeBron started the trend. Kawhi isnt just learning from LeBron. Looks like he also tried to hobble the Lakers chances of building a team in LA to challenge his Clippers. He's also trying to win a ring in more places than LeBron, and in his house, so to speak.

For all the talk of Kawhi being mostly about the game, he also does business like a Corleone. Dont believe he gets enough credit for that.

Kawhi Leonard and Uncle Dennis Robertson are a couple of blithering idiots.

Under the new Chris Bosh Rule, what Leonard accused the Spurs of doing ( i.e. mismanaging his health) is close to impossible. He also went to war with a franchise that has deep media ties( which is why Leonard got gutted in the press for a long time before SA traded him)

His new role with the Clippers is a credit to Jerry West. Who had a bad exit with the Lakers and set up this entire situation ( i.e. having Leonard give a verbal promise to the Lakers to only gut them later)

People are putting up with Leonard and his idiot uncle because the guy is just so talented. Once his playing career is over though, things are going to dry up for them. People in the league don't forget this kind of *******ry.

This is NOT about the new Michael Corleone. It's about talent scarcity at the NBA level. When you have a rare God given skill set, and there is not much competition for what you can do, you can get away with being a total *******....well for a while.

The Spurs were actually pretty generous with him. They could have gotten the media to spin the Chris Bosh provisions and thrown it in Leonard's face, but didn't. Only a ****ing dumbass would try to war with the Holt legacy and the SA Spurs and their deep ties to the massive TV deals the NBA gets.

Great player. Assumed to be smart or thoughtful because he didn't speak much. Once he spoke, you realize he's actually an idiot. Then in Canada, he learned to shut up again.

It's called "The Halo Effect" - If you are seen as very competent in one area, people will assume you have these other amazing qualities as well. You see a cute girl, you assume she's sweet as well. Well many do. But one has nothing to do with the other.

Leonard is a future locked in HOFer, people just assume he has these other amazing qualities. No, he's a ****ing dumbass with a douchebag uncle who has real HOF talent. ( I'll give Leonard credit, sometimes he just takes the other team on on the basis of One Against Five and just sometimes steam rolls the other team)

GustavBahler wrote:

TripleThreat wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:LeBron started the trend. Kawhi isnt just learning from LeBron. Looks like he also tried to hobble the Lakers chances of building a team in LA to challenge his Clippers. He's also trying to win a ring in more places than LeBron, and in his house, so to speak.

For all the talk of Kawhi being mostly about the game, he also does business like a Corleone. Dont believe he gets enough credit for that.

Kawhi Leonard and Uncle Dennis Robertson are a couple of blithering idiots.

Under the new Chris Bosh Rule, what Leonard accused the Spurs of doing ( i.e. mismanaging his health) is close to impossible. He also went to war with a franchise that has deep media ties( which is why Leonard got gutted in the press for a long time before SA traded him)

His new role with the Clippers is a credit to Jerry West. Who had a bad exit with the Lakers and set up this entire situation ( i.e. having Leonard give a verbal promise to the Lakers to only gut them later)

People are putting up with Leonard and his idiot uncle because the guy is just so talented. Once his playing career is over though, things are going to dry up for them. People in the league don't forget this kind of *******ry.

This is NOT about the new Michael Corleone. It's about talent scarcity at the NBA level. When you have a rare God given skill set, and there is not much competition for what you can do, you can get away with being a total *******....well for a while.

The Spurs were actually pretty generous with him. They could have gotten the media to spin the Chris Bosh provisions and thrown it in Leonard's face, but didn't. Only a ****ing dumbass would try to war with the Holt legacy and the SA Spurs and their deep ties to the massive TV deals the NBA gets.

Great player. Assumed to be smart or thoughtful because he didn't speak much. Once he spoke, you realize he's actually an idiot. Then in Canada, he learned to shut up again.

It's called "The Halo Effect" - If you are seen as very competent in one area, people will assume you have these other amazing qualities as well. You see a cute girl, you assume she's sweet as well. Well many do. But one has nothing to do with the other.

Leonard is a future locked in HOFer, people just assume he has these other amazing qualities. No, he's a ****ing dumbass with a douchebag uncle who has real HOF talent. ( I'll give Leonard credit, sometimes he just takes the other team on on the basis of One Against Five and just sometimes steam rolls the other team)

Leonard worked the system like a gangster, ended two dynasties like a gangster. Moved back to his old turf to take out his biggest rival. Like a gangster. His priorities are different than yours. Whatever bad press he got from his beef with the Spurs is gone. If anything its the Spurs rep which is starting to take a hit. Bringing in Duncan, or Duncan approaching the Spurs, couldnt have come at a better time for them.

Leonard was lucky as ****.

He got drafted and then traded to a dynasty level contender who had an extended run. He played with three locked in HOF players.

He ****ed that up and then got traded to the gutted East, where he was fortunate to take on one of the greatest dynasty teams every but gutted with massive injury.

He was lucky again that Jerry West happens to run ops for the Clippers and orchestrated the moves to get him to LA and Paul George to LA, in part because the Lakers ****ed West over on his way out.

Leonard didn't work ****. Did he decide where to be drafted? Or to be traded on draft night?

Did he have say being traded to Toronto? They offered the best return in value on a possible rental so the Spurs took it.

Did he magically work Paul George to the Clippers? No , that was The Logo himself, Jerry Fucking West.

What the **** are you even talking about?

Leonard and his uncle claimed the Spurs mismanaged his health, when the system in place essentially prevents that from happening now. You go to a medical panel on retainer by the league administration and independent of any specific franchise to arbitrate any medical related disputes between the players, the NBAPA and the owners.

They ****ed my my health!

(Uh, why don't you just go to a league doctor and get it mediated?)

No, no, they ****ed up my health! Where is my big shoe contract! Why can't my uncle get a front office job here!

Did he decide where he would be drafted? No
Did he decide where he would be traded? No
Did he get Paul George to the Clippers? No

So, yes, according to you, he's the next Michael Corleone.

GustavBahler wrote:

Nalod wrote:Kahwai is lucky. Everything went right.
Ball bounced, Lebron went west. All went his way.
Way too little credit to Lawrence frank who is the president and in charge. Logo is not full time.
He might have put his blessing on the deal but credit to Frank and the GM. Some to West of course.
Big cred t the moron Magic Johnson who might have messed the damn thing up in his special way.

Luck is part of every championship. Injuries can affect the outcome, and often does. LeBron could have gotten hurt playing for Cleveland. How Kawhi choose to respond to the Spurs, and the conflict over Kawhi's injury wasnt luck. Could have turned out like Durant. Being told you're good to go. Next thing you know, a year of rehab. Unless you believe Kawhi was faking it. Leonard has two rings, and is playing where he wants, in the situation he wants to be in. Not to join LeBron, but to confirm his place as the best player on the planet. These things werent luck.

Good fortune smiled on Kawhai and his Quest. There’s was a path were he could have looked bad coming out of SAS. The talent was rarely in question.