What was the point of the lockout?

[jtnc]

What was the point of the lockout? Mega teams still being formed, smaller markets will still struggle to attract big time fa's, what the fug was the point?

[Dpantherman]

For owners to get some of their money back.

[d-run]

For owners to get some of their money back.

QFT

It was never about parity. That is what owners throw out there to make us feel ok with the lockout. They really just wanted a bigger piece of the basketball related income. Basically, lower the minimum salary level and the cap.

The only way the Bobcats ever win is to get lucky in the lottery and get a superstar and hope he sticks around long enough to win. SA did it with Duncan, Dallas did it with Dirk. Best we can hope for.

[CatMan72]

Yeah, it was a money grab by the owners... nothing more.

If they really wanted parity they would have held out for a hard cap and given some of the BRI back to get it.

Does the NBA not realize that this consolidation of talent will ultimately kill the whole league?

Why should anyone in New Orleans even bother to watch a Hornets game at this point?

[Stroupe-a-loop]

Isn't it basically still the same CBA until the luxury tax significantly increases in two years? Why would anything be different right now?

[mj4life]

Isn't it basically still the same CBA until the luxury tax significantly increases in two years? Why would anything be different right now?

exactly, when the new tax levels kick in it will make some teams think twice about how much they spend. under the new cba the lakers would have paid out 60 million in luxury tax along with the over 90 million they spent on players. throw in the estimated 50 million they will contribute toward revenue sharing adds up after a while. players will still move to teams they want to play for but will have to take pay cuts which will bring down the market for alot of players.

[pantherfan49]

Even with a hard cap, players are going to go to the large markets where endorsement deals and tv time are plenty.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

Even with a hard cap, players are going to go to the large markets where endorsement deals and tv time are plenty.

Isn't Miami small market? I think you just need to get some elite talent in the lottery and then you will be attractive to free agents. Luckily, I guess, we will probably be bad enough to get a good player from what looks like a strong draft.

[Panthers128]

Miami is a bandwagon town, not a small market. Hence the repeated sell out of Heat games compared to the 10-15 people who go to Dolphins games.

[SOJA]

there was no point, the NBA is just looks at decisions thinks of the most logical one, then makes the complete opposite one

sorry still mad about the paul trade

[Stroupe-a-loop]

Miami is a bandwagon town, not a small market. Hence the repeated sell out of Heat games compared to the 10-15 people who go to Dolphins games.

Well here, http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0763098.html, it says Miami is the 44th largest city in the US. I realize there's some other cities nearby, but it's not like any of them are huge either.

I'm just saying, you have to get an elite player and then it's a destination for free agents. Nobody wanted to go to New York until they got Amare. Nobody wanted to be part of the soon to be Brooklyn Nets until they got Deron Williams.

I understand that all things being equal huge city > than Charlotte, but if you get a good player and have the proper things in place (ie cap space, assets, etc) players will come there.

Cleveland was a destination when they had Lebron. Imagine how many people would have taken a pay cut to go there if they had gotten Amare instead of Antawn Jamison.

The system is set up to reward teams that hit on a star in the draft and don't blow up their cap with overpaid players. Of course teams that spend 30 million into the luxury tax are going to be better, if they are also run well.

The NBA is unfair, but I would say it is unequal because the difference between the #1 pick and the #5 pick in a given draft is immeasurable.