NEW YORK — There is word out there this morning that federal mediator George Cohen might be asked to re-join the NBA collective bargaining talks to guide these blind men to the finish line.
So while we await word on that, let’s all chew on this.
From Marc Berman of the New York Post:
“(Jim) Dolan, part of the owners’ negotiating committee, is content about one of the agreed-upon aspects of a new collective bargaining agreement: the size of the salary cap will not go down. More than any team in the NBA, that will benefit Dolan’s big-market Knicks the most, ironically. According to multiple sources, one of the resolved issues in a new CBA is the 2011 salary cap will remain at the level as it was in 2010 — $58 million. Star guard Chris Paul will be able to be the Knicks’ main target in 2012 because of the team’s salary-cap maneuvers. … Economic projections from sources say the salary cap will then grow to about $60-$61 million in 2012, when the Knicks will have the largest cap space in the league and have room to woo either Chris Paul, Deron Williams or Dwight Howard, who are slated to become free agents. The Knicks could be at least $20 million under the projected 2012 cap. Ironically, Dolan has been seated across from Paul, who is the Knicks’ top priority, during many of the labor bargaining sessions because Paul is on the union’s negotiation committee. According to a players source, Dolan has been the least combative of the owners and often serves as a mediator during contentious moments. “He’s tried to keep the parties on point,’’ the source said. “He’s trying to make a deal, seeing a positive spin. He’s been, in a word, productive.’’
Good, they’re sitting across from each other. Then Paul will see how much of a hack Dolan really is.
When it comes to reality, the #s speak the truth. If CP3 says he’d take just 10 million a year to play for the Knicks then that leaves the knicks about 10 million to fill out the rest of the roster. LOL.
And if anyone thinks superstars will take less money to play in _______, guess what…those days are over. The “less money” Bron and Bosh took to play together will look like super max deals once the new CBA is in order. That’s why you gotta hand it to those guys for playing the system the way they did. Same goes for Melo and Amare, they saw what was on the horizon….get as much money as you can before the system changes.
Chris,
Let’s face it, seeing how Paul played against the Lakers last year, basically carrying a team with no one on it to almost knock out the defending champions. Plus, add in the fact the this has become a “point guard’ league, if the Knicks get Paul, they’ll immediately compete for a title.
Go Knicks!
Awww the NY Knicks hype machine is back at work before the lockout is over…….the bottomline is the Knick will never win anything until they realize like the rest of the league that defense and rebounding wins championships in the NBA.
I’m a Knicks fan and I happen to agree with the defense and rebounding comment. A championship will never happen until those 2 issues get addressed.
That’s why long term I’m actually prefer Howard over Paul for big money. I’d have to assume that much like Prokorov, Jay-Z, and Kardashian he’d want a piece of the Knicks before any other team.
Yeah, I’m sure Howard would want to go to the Knicks so he can’t get any touches with 2 ballhogs who never pass the ball like Amare and Melo on the team and having to make even bigger defensive efforts since those 2 don’t play a lick of D.
Not only they can’t afford him (LOL @ anyone thinking Dwight, a way superior player to Melo and Amare, would take significantly less than both of them, cause NY won’t have room for a max no matter how you slice it), but they’re also a TERRIBLE fit for Dwight from a pure bball standpoint.
Knicks will not be 20 million under the cap, here’s a breakdown:
Knicks cap number in 2012 will be at 44,862,631.
Melo: 19,450,000
Amare: 19,948,799
Balkman: 1,675,000
Cap hold x 8: 473,604 x 8 = 3,788,832 (and this # could go up in the next CBA, it’s based off minimum rookie salary)
That leaves Paul a maximum of 16,137,369. That’s WITH renouncing Fields, Douglas, Turiaf, AND trading out of the 1st round (1st round picks have a guaranteed cap #). The number for Paul would be even lower if they don’t do all those things.
They’d then have zero money left for anyone else, and you can’t use the MLE if you are under the cap. Everyone they get from there would have to be vet min contracts.
The Heat were much better off financially b/c they all signed together when the contracts were lowest, then took less money, so they were able to afford Miller, Haslem, and Anthony. None of whom are amazing, just pointing out that the Knicks will have even less after their superstars, b/c of the way they are staggering the acquisitions.
Thank you. Math is the enemy of Knicks writers everywhere. Including Sheridan who is still hacking it out apparently.
No wonder why ESPN fired him. He is a homer hack.
Balkman’s $1.7M + $3M can be traded for a 2nd round pick easily in 2012 so add that to whatever cap is available. The 8 minimum salary players you talked about can be signed after Paul is signed to go above the cap (yes that is legal in the old CBA…no reason that rule will change) so add that $3.8M to what’s available. Lo and behold you have over $20M to sign free agents. Even if they keep Shumpert and maybe one of the other 2nd year players, they will still have enough to pay CP3/Dwight the max.
Much like Melo, Paul to the Knicks is basically pre-ordained. The rest of the league might as well just accept it. Now whether or not that gets them a ring will have to play out over time, I have my doubts about his health and size, but we will see.
Dolan is no dummy, of course he wants this settled fast. The Garden practically prints money in their basement when the Knicks are in action. Hope something gets settled soon.
“Dolan is no dummy” LOL
Marc Berman is so clueless it’s not even funny. Who is he trying to kid other than the blind and dellusional Knicks fans? They won’t have room for a max even if those are the numbers of the cap. A max contract for those guys would start at 30% of the cap. That means $58M cap = max contract of $17.4M; $61M cap = max contract of $18.3M.
Chris Paul will be a Knick.
Then Melo will be a Hornet