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The latest word from Commissioner Stern about the pending Collective Bargaining Agreement: He wants to slash player salaries 30%.
My guess? Stern wins. I buy the Bill Simmons theory that NBA players are horrible with money, and it's likely that half of them are living game check to game check. As a rookie, Kevin Garnett showed up to practice with 50 large in his front pocket, bulging like a tumor. There's Antoine Walker, whose money troubles were well documented; Allen Iverson is now playing in Turkey despite being one of the highest paid athletes in America for 10 years of his life ... The list goes on. NBA players are fuck-ups with money, and Stern knows this. He will eventually get his way with the CBA, because the players can't afford to sit through a lockout.
I doubt the players association agrees to let him cut salaries that low, but ultimately, Stern will win out and get a decent reduction on player costs.
NBA commissioner David Stern said Thursday there was no quantifiable progress in collective bargaining talks over the summer, and the league revealed it is seeking a reduction in player salary costs by about one-third.
Stern said the league wants player costs to drop $750 million to $800 million. Deputy commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA spends about $2.1 billion annually in player salaries and benefits.
"We would like to get profitable, have a return on investment," Stern said. "There's a swing of somewhere in the neighborhood of $750 to $800 million that we would like to change. That's our story and we're sticking with it."
Stern said the league wants player costs to drop $750 million to $800 million. Deputy commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA spends about $2.1 billion annually in player salaries and benefits.
"We would like to get profitable, have a return on investment," Stern said. "There's a swing of somewhere in the neighborhood of $750 to $800 million that we would like to change. That's our story and we're sticking with it."
My guess? Stern wins. I buy the Bill Simmons theory that NBA players are horrible with money, and it's likely that half of them are living game check to game check. As a rookie, Kevin Garnett showed up to practice with 50 large in his front pocket, bulging like a tumor. There's Antoine Walker, whose money troubles were well documented; Allen Iverson is now playing in Turkey despite being one of the highest paid athletes in America for 10 years of his life ... The list goes on. NBA players are fuck-ups with money, and Stern knows this. He will eventually get his way with the CBA, because the players can't afford to sit through a lockout.
I doubt the players association agrees to let him cut salaries that low, but ultimately, Stern will win out and get a decent reduction on player costs.
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