NBA Free Agency
The NBA’s summer free agency, otherwise known as the Idiot’s Guide to Spending Money, has finally died down and it is time to take a look at the lunacy. Last year the NBA owners locked out the players in order to force them into a collective bargaining agreement that would cost them less money and that lock out ended up cancelling a small portion of this last season. I know that comes as a shock to most of you because cancelling 16 games at the beginning of the regular season is the equivalent of the tree falling in the woods with no one around to hear it. After the three month marathon they call the NBA playoffs I can’t remember the last 16 games of the regular season and there isn’t even any football going on then. The owners needed a new CBA rules to control spending because as everyone knows these billionaires can’t control themselves when it comes to buying neat little toys for their franchises. This all happened a year after the Atlanta Hawks spent $120 million on Joe Johnson a man who is as average as his name suggests (by the way, new Atlanta Hawks GM Danny Ferry wins NBA Executive of the Year for getting the Nets to take Joe Johnson off his hands, although duping the clueless Billy King makes it slightly less of an accomplishment). While the new CBA rules limit contracts more than ever that won’t stop those crazy owners from over paying average talent. Roy Hibbert and Brook Lopez signed contracts for 4 years worth $58 million and $61 million respectively. I get that finding legit 7-footers is tough but giving max money to Hibbert who averaged 12.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last year and Lopez who was hurt almost all of last year is just plain crazy. Nicholas Batum who is a very solid small forward got a 4 year $45 million dollar contract from the Portland Trailblazers after the Minnesota Timberwolves offered him that same deal, yep two teams wanted to pay a guy that averaged 13.9 points a game $45 million over the next four years. My favorite is the two contracts the Houston Rockets offered to Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik, the so-called “poison pill” contracts that the Knicks and Bulls didn’t match. These contracts both are set up for small salaries the first two years and then huge salaries in the last year, contract offers designed to get the Knicks and Bulls to not match them because of the salary cap implications in the third year a strategy that worked as the both teams passed. Now the Rockets will be paying Lin and Asik as combined $30 million dollars three years from now, someone forgot to tell them that if the other teams don’t like the taste of your “poison pill” you have to swallow it yourself. A few other contracts that call into question the sanity of NBA teams:
-Eric Gordon, New Orleans Hornet (4 years $58 million): He barely set foot on the court last year after being traded to the Hornets for Chris Paul due to injury. The Phoenix Suns signed him to a max contract offer sheet and the Hornets had to match it because he was the centerpiece to their trade of Paul. The only problem now is that during the draft the Hornets added new face-of-the-franchise Anthony Davis and combo guard Austin Rivers meaning Gordon could become the third best player on the team.
-JaVale McGee, Denver Nuggets (4 years $44 million): McGee was traded to the Nuggets last year from the Washington Wizards because he’s a head case, there is really no other way to put it. The Wizards decided he wasn’t worth the headache and sent him packing. I’m sure $11 million dollars a year will cure it.
-Kris Humphries, Brooklyn Nets (2 years $24 million): Luckily it is only a two year contract but $12 million a year for a guy better known for his short lived marriage to Kim Kardashian than his basketball skills is a bit much. Humphries is a nice player but not $12 million a year nice.
-Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic (3 years $25.2 million reportedly): Apparently they are paying Nelson hazard pay for having to deal with the Dwight Howard saga because there is no other reason to pay a thoroughly average, undersized point guard over $8 million a year. I guess when your superstar teammate repeatedly begs to play with better talent the front office decides to overpay you trying to convince him you’re a better player than you are. This strategy isn’t working by the way.
-Michael Beasley, Phoenix Suns (3 years $18 million): $6 million a year isn’t outrageous for an NBA player but Beasley is a malcontent without a position. He isn’t skilled enough to be a small forward and his game isn’t built to be a power forward.
It’s a good thing the owners locked out the players and forced them into the new CBA rules otherwise I’m sure one of these guys would be overpaid for far longer than the 3-5 years they are overpaid now.
Quick Hits
-The Olympics start this week and I’m pumped. I am definitely a Summer Olympics guy, I love basketball, swimming and track and field and I’m sure I’ll be staying up late or getting up early to watch the Men’s USA Volleyball team. Go USA!
-Go see The Dark Knight Rises, it is 2 hours and 45 minutes but it doesn’t feel like it. Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon Levitt steal the show. The tragedy in Colorado has rightfully overshadowed the opening of the movie but I hope it hasn’t kept anyone from going to see it.
What I have to say about the aftermath of the shooting in Aurora is this, forget the shooter. Remember the victims. Read about Jessica Ghawi or about the 3 guys that died shielding their girlfriends from the shooter. There are many stories about the victims and far too many stories about the shooter.
Thanks for reading
Nate
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