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Cheech Tremendous

Discussion: The 2010 NBA Free Agent Class

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Hey Knicks fans, you may want to reconsider stashing away that champagne for the summer of 2010.

 

From the NY Daily News:

 

Fratello credited Walsh with clearing cap space, but asked: "What happens if you don't land a couple of these (free agent) guys?" More importantly, Fratello answered his own question saying James, and his fellow free agents, may not even be free agents in 2010. They might not even be available to the Knicks or any other new team.

 

For they will still be wearing their current uniforms.

 

This is all about the money. It always is. Fratello said Stern and NBA owners are bound to take a "very hard stance" in an attempt to significantly lower the salary cap, steering the league closer to a hard cap, during the next contract negotiation.

 

The NBA must decide by Dec. 15, 2010 whether to extend the current collective bargaining agreement through the 2011-12 season. If the contract isn't extended, it is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2011.

 

"I wouldn't be surprised to see a number of the key guys, this summer, extend their contracts, not let them run out in 2010," Fratello said. "Because they may be able to get more (money) now with the way the cap is (currently structured) than if the (cap) number comes down two years from now when the league negotiates with the Players Association."

 

James, after taking some national heat for playing it coy, has already suggested he might stay put. There have also been published reports suggesting if James picks up his option this summer for the 2010-11 season, then extends his Cavs contract out to 2014, he would protect himself from any salary cap drop (which would also lower the "max" salary he would collect) under a new collective bargaining agreement. By beginning the extension in 2011, James could also cash in if the salary cap and "max" salary level actually winds up increasing under terms of a new CBA.

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Hey Knicks fans, you may want to reconsider stashing away that champagne for the summer of 2010.

 

From the NY Daily News:

 

Fratello credited Walsh with clearing cap space, but asked: "What happens if you don't land a couple of these (free agent) guys?" More importantly, Fratello answered his own question saying James, and his fellow free agents, may not even be free agents in 2010. They might not even be available to the Knicks or any other new team.

 

For they will still be wearing their current uniforms.

 

This is all about the money. It always is. Fratello said Stern and NBA owners are bound to take a "very hard stance" in an attempt to significantly lower the salary cap, steering the league closer to a hard cap, during the next contract negotiation.

 

The NBA must decide by Dec. 15, 2010 whether to extend the current collective bargaining agreement through the 2011-12 season. If the contract isn't extended, it is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2011.

 

"I wouldn't be surprised to see a number of the key guys, this summer, extend their contracts, not let them run out in 2010," Fratello said. "Because they may be able to get more (money) now with the way the cap is (currently structured) than if the (cap) number comes down two years from now when the league negotiates with the Players Association."

 

James, after taking some national heat for playing it coy, has already suggested he might stay put. There have also been published reports suggesting if James picks up his option this summer for the 2010-11 season, then extends his Cavs contract out to 2014, he would protect himself from any salary cap drop (which would also lower the "max" salary he would collect) under a new collective bargaining agreement. By beginning the extension in 2011, James could also cash in if the salary cap and "max" salary level actually winds up increasing under terms of a new CBA.

 

I've been saying all along that they need to have a "Plan B" just in case we don't get any of the big names. I have a sneaking suspicion that they'll end up with a bunch of scrubs playing big minutes, but they'll be many millions under the cap in 2010.

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I've been saying all along that they need to have a "Plan B" just in case we don't get any of the big names. I have a sneaking suspicion that they'll end up with a bunch of scrubs playing big minutes, but they'll be many millions under the cap in 2010.

You aren't alone in that assessment. I've been saying for quite a while now that any team banking on the summer of 2010 is going to be severely disappointed. The current salary cap rewards players who stay with their team and in the end, we know that the almighty dollar is the most important thing to most professional athletes. I could see one of the big guys moving to a new team, but this predicted scenario of massive star movement will never come to pass.

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I think if anyone does move, it's going to be the "lesser" big names like Amare, Bosh or Carmelo. Wade and LeBron are their respective franchises and already have plenty of endorsement money. The other guys might feel the need to move to a bigger market to make a name for themselves, or simply to get out of bad situations. As it is though, the Knicks only have a couple of valuable pieces and there's no way they can afford to sign Nate and Lee to longterm deals and still be in the hunt in '10. I have a feeling that things are going to be disastrous at MSG when they don't land LeBron or Wade and they'll have ended up shipping away everything they had for expiring contracts or letting guys walk to clear cap space.

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Bosh is the one guy that strikes me as a possibility since he may be willing to take less money just to get out of Toronto. I can't really envision any scenario where Wade or Lebron leave, nor can I see Dirk or Yao switching teams. The only people who will move are those who aren't really worth max numbers, but might get an inflated contract because of all the teams with money. I can see this being a scenario for Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, Joe Johnson and a few others. The true superstars aren't going anywhere.

 

For reference, here are big name free agents available in 2010:

 

Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Tyson Chandler, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Joe Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Redd

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