Summer 2010 NBA FA

Free Agency
July 1st 12:01am the first day of NBA free agency. A free agent (FA) is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.

A trio of star players Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade lead the summer 2010 FA class and signed deals that would allow them to be FAs at the same time  instead of staggered. That coupled with players such as Amar'e Stoudemire and Dirk Nowitski opting out of their contracts makes an already typical free agent summer that much more ridiculous.

Due to the structure of the NBA and the savy players' contracts, the athlete has become, perhaps, more powerful than the billionaire owners. That is to say, the athlete can tell the owner what he wants, where he'll play, who he will play with, how much money he wants and needs, and who he wants his coach to be. In addition to that a city, organization(s), and governments backing/offering so much for a signature and agreement to join their favorite NBA team.

Financial implications
It has often been mentioned that LeBron James can re-sign for six years and $125.5 million with the Cavaliers, but the max deal he could get from another team would be five years and $96.1 million. Here's the year-by-year breakdown.

Comparing Max Deals

Year	Sign with own team	Sign with other team	Difference
2010-11	$16,568,908	$16,568,908	0
2011-12	$18,308,643	$17,894,421	$414,222
2012-13	$20,048,378	$19,219,934	$828,444
2013-14	$21,788,113	$20,545,447	$1,242,666
2014-15	$23,527,848	$21,870,960	$1,656,888
2015-16	$25,267,583	--	$25,267,583
Contract total	$125,509,473	$96,099,670	$29,409,803

These differences are attributable to the fact that a player's own team can offer 10.5 percent raises every season, while other teams can offer just 8.0 percent raises (in addition to the fact that a player's own team can offer a sixth season).

Perception/fairness
"You've got to love all these NBA owners and execs begging players to do something that they themselves have never done: Take less money."-Adrian Wojnarowski

Indeed, the players have almost all the power and control, but we cannot forget about the implications of the media and people within the NBA organizations. The media has been disseminating unsubstantiated reports for many months now trying to get the scoop and NB teams have been leaking tidbits consistently to increase their chances of acquiring a FA, but more importantly pre-emptive damage control. There are more teams than there are stud players. 


As it happens ...

WojYahooNBA: Knicks owner Jim Dolan called Jay-Z and complained massive Nets mural overlooking MSG was "intimidating his employees," Nets sources say.

RT @PDcavsinsider: Knicks just sent over their luggage/computers for presentation with an advance team. Folks, I can't make this stuff up.

sportsguy33: "Hey Joe Johnson - thanks for leading us to that 4-game 2nd round sweep when we lost by 20+ per game. Here's $119 million."

LeBatardShow: I know this is impatience talking but we we gathered for a 12:01 circus, dammit, and under the tent is just a sad reindeer and drew gooden

sportsguy33: Joe Johnson in Magic sweep w/ Vince/Barnes/Pietrus defending him: 12.8 PPG, 30% FG, 9-39 3FG, 19 FTA. His team quit by Game 3. $119 million?

sportsguy33: Like BP shored up the oil leak. RT @chadfordinsider: Wolves spent $33 million on Darko and Pekovic to shore up their middle.

LeBatardShow: There's a dirty, emaciated wolf under this lame circus tent and look over there! A clown gm and darko sitting atop 20 million! Party!

LeBatardShow: Minnesota giving darko 20 mil is worst basketball idea since kenyon martin tattoed a rapper's lips to his neck

WojYahooNBA: Channing Frye considering Suns 5-year, $25 million offer, and waiting on the likes of Chicago and New York to have resolution on big stars.

WojYahooNBA: As Y! reported late Wednesday night, Bucks and John Salmons progressing toward contract agreement. Deal likely worth $40 mlll., source says.

LeBatardShow: When Riley arrived at lebrons, did he ask spoelstra to wait in the car?

LeBatardShow: Jay-z has 99 problems and his pitch ain't one. But Russian mafioso owns 99 percent of team. So jay-z has 99 problems and his percentage is

LeBatardShow: Tom Thibodeau, who has never been a head coach in the NBA is 2 signatures away from becoming the greatest head coach in NBA history 

This is my Minority Report!