NBA Should Institute a 'Hard' Salary Cap

[KingsFanSince85]

With the news today that OKC has exceeded 300M in salary and considering that the ability to build super teams has spiraled totally out of control, I think it's time for the NBA to move to a hard salary cap just like the NFL.

It's far too easy to circumvent the cap to compensate players and keep them on the roster. With a hard cap, the only way a team could do what the Warriors, Lakers, Thunder and others are doing is for a multitude of players to take far, far less than market value --- which is quite unlikely to happen. If it does, more power to them. But the NBA has got to make it harder for franchises to essentially build all-star teams. Because they're all gonna flock to 3-4 cities in the league and you won't have a league anymore. Many would argue they don't have a league now.

It's an unlevel playing field that needs to be leveled. All franchises should be playing by the same rules. However, the current salary cap doesn't allow that to happen.

 

[Sam0ah]

I agree with this. It would level the playing field for smaller market teams.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I could only get on board with a hard salary cap in the NBA if they also eliminated both max salaries and the draft.

 

[biltalent]

I dont know. Im still hoping to get OKCs first rounder in 2022 for a salary dump. That pick may be very good and allow the Kings to build a super star team on their own by drafting another top guy when Bagley/Fox/Giles and co are hitting their second contract

 

[Capt. Factorial]

With the news today that OKC has exceeded 300M in salary and considering that the ability to build super teams has spiraled totally out of control, I think it's time for the NBA to move to a hard salary cap just like the NFL.

Note that they haven't reached $300M in salary, but in salary plus projected luxury tax, which is a distinction. They are basically sitting at $160M in salary and $150M in luxury tax. This is because the luxury tax just exponentially explodes the higher you get above the tax level.

However, they are 100% going to stretch Carmelo Anthony, which will bring them down to $141M in salary and $54M in tax, dropping them well below the $200M total threshold. There is also speculation they may stretch Kyle Singler as well, which would drop them to $138M in salary and $41.6M in tax after they sign one of their second round draft picks or another minimum contract to get back to a roster of 12. At that point, they would be actually under $180M in salary + tax. Keep in mind that the 2013-2014 Nets paid $197M in salary + tax, so five years later, the Thunder likely won't even be setting the record.

I know $300M sounds like a crazy number, but it's not straight salary, and it's also just not what the number is going to be in the end.

Edit: Now what could be really interesting would be if we did the following: If we stretch both Z-bo and Shumpert, we would have enough room to trade peanuts (like the rights to Mitrovic or something) for Carmelo and stay under the cap legally. That would save OKC on the order of $60M relative to stretching him in luxury taxes this year and next year before taking into account they will obviously make more signings over the next two years. It's not outrageous to suggest that in the end such a move could save OKC well over $100M. That's basically gotta be worth picks and pick swaps galore. It would hurt our ability to sign anybody else this year but the pickings are getting pretty slim anyhow.

 

[KingsFanSince85]

Note that they haven't reached $300M in salary, but in salary plus projected luxury tax, which is a distinction. They are basically sitting at $160M in salary and $150M in luxury tax. This is because the luxury tax just exponentially explodes the higher you get above the tax level.
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Totally understood. I guess my main point was the ability to circumvent the cap by being willing to pay taxes. Franchises in large markets with ginormous TV and advertising deals have an advantage in taking that on. A hard cap levels the playing field as every franchise has to build their team with the same amount of $$.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I could only get on board with a hard salary cap in the NBA if they also eliminated both max salaries and the draft.

Having previously said this, I'm also not really on board with the creation of rules which, intentional or not, have the effect of protecting owners from their own ineptitude.