I'm excited to root for the Wolves. But there's another reason beyond Towns and Wiggins...

[AbeVigodaLive]

We'll actually know who plays for them. We're embarking on a new era of NBA basketball. The "new and improved" salary cap is almost here. And EVERYBODY is planning for it. Salaries will skyrocket, so players are taking shorter contracts. And NBA teams are embracing it. Heck, the last CBA shortened contracts as one of its key points. Player movement is BIG BUSINESS for the new NBA. It keeps the league relevant during the offseason. So, we can expect players to shuffle in and out of most NBA cities quite often in the next few years.

That player that was hated because he played for the rival? He's on the team now. But don't worry. By the time he's forgiven and appreciated, his short contract is over and he's somewhere else. Teams will overhaul almost entire rosters within 2 seasons.

But not in Minnesota. At least not that way. The Wolves have Wiggins for 3 more. "Probably" more. They have Towns for 4 more years. "Probably" more. They have Rubio for 4 more years. Pekovic for 3 more years (unless they can trade him). In fact, they may have the most player continuity in the entire NBA over the next few years. I dig continuity. I like it when players learn to play together so the team is greater than the sum of its parts. I like seeing teams grow and develop and improve together. That's how the NBA was when I first grew to love it.

I don't dig the mercenary approach of choosing power trios and jumping from team to team to team to team. I'm excited to be rooting for the same collection of players for the next few years. It's about to become a rarity in the modern NBA and we should appreciate it while we can.


[Note: I think it's pretty obvious that I'm a pretty big NBA fan... I try to follow the entire league, not just the Wolves. But I was not thrilled about the new CBA and I'm not a big fan of the direction the league is heading (relatively short term, I think it will be corrected... eventually...]

[Coolbreeze44]

I just commented on this in another thread. I like your comment on continuity, it might help us quite a bit while the big market teams gobble up the best players who are in a position to move. We need to draft well, maintain continuity, and keep our best guys. In doing that we might even be able attract a free agent or two that is looking to win.

[Carlos Danger]

I agree with what wrote. But I'm not as down on "Super Teams". Let's use LeBron as an example since he's the guy many think of with advent of the "Big 3". LeBron played 7 years in Cleveland (the first time). That's a pretty good stretch. Enough that they could have put whatever group of players they wanted to around him for title runs. Same in MIA. He was there for 4 years. That's not just a quick dip/one year for Championship and then off to get paid somewhere else. I think players generally prefer stability too. But nobody wants to just rot in a bad franchise like KG/Wolves for their whole career. I don't blame these guys at all for moving themselves into better situations. We all do the same with our own jobs/careers. I think if the Ownership creates a good situation - people will stay (same in our own jobs/companies).

[thedoper]

We'll actually know who plays for them. We're embarking on a new era of NBA basketball. The "new and improved" salary cap is almost here. And EVERYBODY is planning for it. Salaries will skyrocket, so players are taking shorter contracts. And NBA teams are embracing it. Heck, the last CBA shortened contracts as one of its key points. Player movement is BIG BUSINESS for the new NBA. It keeps the league relevant during the offseason. So, we can expect players to shuffle in and out of most NBA cities quite often in the next few years.

That player that was hated because he played for the rival? He's on the team now. But don't worry. By the time he's forgiven and appreciated, his short contract is over and he's somewhere else. Teams will overhaul almost entire rosters within 2 seasons.

But not in Minnesota. At least not that way. The Wolves have Wiggins for 3 more. "Probably" more. They have Towns for 4 more years. "Probably" more. They have Rubio for 4 more years. Pekovic for 3 more years (unless they can trade him). In fact, they may have the most player continuity in the entire NBA over the next few years. I dig continuity. I like it when players learn to play together so the team is greater than the sum of its parts. I like seeing teams grow and develop and improve together. That's how the NBA was when I first grew to love it.

I don't dig the mercenary approach of choosing power trios and jumping from team to team to team to team. I'm excited to be rooting for the same collection of players for the next few years. It's about to become a rarity in the modern NBA and we should appreciate it while we can.


[Note: I think it's pretty obvious that I'm a pretty big NBA fan... I try to follow the entire league, not just the Wolves. But I was not thrilled about the new CBA and I'm not a big fan of the direction the league is heading (relatively short term, I think it will be corrected... eventually...]

The Garnett salary was the impetus/final straw for the Cap to begin with, but in reality they should have thought about it a bit more holistically. The wolves were hamstrung after that because his unprecedented salary had no exemption under the cap since it was signed before. The best thing in my mind the league could do is give teams the opportunity to sign the players they draft with no cap on their salaries. Make the incentive so great to stay with your own team that the finances don't make sense for players to easily move. The 5th year bump for the 1 star player is not enough of an incentive, and the new money is really going to throw a wrench into the situation. If you drafted and developed a player, you should be able to have a greater advantage to resigning that player. Keep the restrictions in place for trades and free agents. This would also promote players really going for it in their development.

[AbeVigodaLive]

The Garnett salary was the impetus/final straw for the Cap to begin with, but in reality they should have thought about it a bit more holistically. The wolves were hamstrung after that because his unprecedented salary had no exemption under the cap since it was signed before. The best thing in my mind the league could do is give teams the opportunity to sign the players they draft with no cap on their salaries. Make the incentive so great to stay with your own team that the finances don't make sense for players to easily move. The 5th year bump for the 1 star player is not enough of an incentive, and the new money is really going to throw a wrench into the situation. If you drafted and developed a player, you should be able to have a greater advantage to resigning that player. Keep the restrictions in place for trades and free agents. This would also promote players really going for it in their development.

Agreed. That's what I was arguing the moment the new CBA was announced.
The league did a great job with PR during that lockout. Brilliant. They got to play the poor victims (losing money) and made the players look like the foils.

And they even convinced the masses that it was about parity... when the new CBA had the exact opposite effect in some ways. Not rewarding teams for drafting well is so myopic. But let's be honest, James possibly leaving Cleveland is good business. Towns possibly leaving MN will be big business. Durant possibly leaving OKC is big business.

It keeps the NBA relevant. All year. (that approach is huge for the NFL. the NBA is upping the ante.)

[thedoper]

The Garnett salary was the impetus/final straw for the Cap to begin with, but in reality they should have thought about it a bit more holistically. The wolves were hamstrung after that because his unprecedented salary had no exemption under the cap since it was signed before. The best thing in my mind the league could do is give teams the opportunity to sign the players they draft with no cap on their salaries. Make the incentive so great to stay with your own team that the finances don't make sense for players to easily move. The 5th year bump for the 1 star player is not enough of an incentive, and the new money is really going to throw a wrench into the situation. If you drafted and developed a player, you should be able to have a greater advantage to resigning that player. Keep the restrictions in place for trades and free agents. This would also promote players really going for it in their development.

Agreed. That's what I was arguing the moment the new CBA was announced.
The league did a great job with PR during that lockout. Brilliant. They got to play the poor victims (losing money) and made the players look like the foils.

And they even convinced the masses that it was about parity... when the new CBA had the exact opposite effect in some ways. Not rewarding teams for drafting well is so myopic. But let's be honest, James possibly leaving Cleveland is good business. Towns possibly leaving MN will be big business. Durant possibly leaving OKC is big business.

It keeps the NBA relevant. All year. (that approach is huge for the NFL. the NBA is upping the ante.)

Wow Abe next thing you know we will be high fiving when the Wolves make the playoffs. I don't know what you've been putting in your coffee but agreeable Abe is hard for me adjust to ;) Guess we will have to wait till the season starts to start arguing again.

Go Wolves.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

The Garnett salary was the impetus/final straw for the Cap to begin with, but in reality they should have thought about it a bit more holistically. The wolves were hamstrung after that because his unprecedented salary had no exemption under the cap since it was signed before. The best thing in my mind the league could do is give teams the opportunity to sign the players they draft with no cap on their salaries. Make the incentive so great to stay with your own team that the finances don't make sense for players to easily move. The 5th year bump for the 1 star player is not enough of an incentive, and the new money is really going to throw a wrench into the situation. If you drafted and developed a player, you should be able to have a greater advantage to resigning that player. Keep the restrictions in place for trades and free agents. This would also promote players really going for it in their development.

Agreed. That's what I was arguing the moment the new CBA was announced.
The league did a great job with PR during that lockout. Brilliant. They got to play the poor victims (losing money) and made the players look like the foils.

And they even convinced the masses that it was about parity... when the new CBA had the exact opposite effect in some ways. Not rewarding teams for drafting well is so myopic. But let's be honest, James possibly leaving Cleveland is good business. Towns possibly leaving MN will be big business. Durant possibly leaving OKC is big business.

It keeps the NBA relevant. All year. (that approach is huge for the NFL. the NBA is upping the ante.)

Wow Abe next thing you know we will be high fiving when the Wolves make the playoffs. I don't know what you've been putting in your coffee but agreeable Abe is hard for me adjust to ;) Guess we will have to wait till the season starts to start arguing again.

Go Wolves.

"Cocaine is a hell of a drug"

[AbeVigodaLive]

Wow Abe next thing you know we will be high fiving when the Wolves make the playoffs. I don't know what you've been putting in your coffee but agreeable Abe is hard for me adjust to ;) Guess we will have to wait till the season starts to start arguing again.

Go Wolves.

"Cocaine is a hell of a drug"

"Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit snorting... and sniffing glue."

[Carlos Danger]

Wow Abe next thing you know we will be high fiving when the Wolves make the playoffs. I don't know what you've been putting in your coffee but agreeable Abe is hard for me adjust to ;) Guess we will have to wait till the season starts to start arguing again.

Go Wolves.

"Agreeable Abe"- HA! That was pretty funny Doper! I don't know what the heck is going on either, but I've been agreeing with everything he's been writing lately too. This board has been way too nice lately. Who's going to be the next guys to really go after each other? Sounds like a good poll question! :-)

[Monster]

Abe great post. You can really see the potential of seeing this group of players staying together for a while and growing together. It's a nice thought after the turnover the past few years.

On the league changing...

I have a hard time ripping on players for moving around making super teams etc. I dislike it in general but the players are going within a system that's set out for them to do that. I agree that the parody thing didn't work out. OKC couldn't keep Harden they "had" to trade him (unless they wanted to pay a big Lux penalty). There have been a few guys that have taken less money and stayed but that's not the norm and it's a little easier to do when its the Spurs or Dirk with Dallas. The person that said all the movement is good for business is right on. Last year's NBA FA DOMINTED the airwaves for weeks. There is almost no time when there is something going on in the league the finals end and the draft is right around the corner then FA and SL and. Then there is a bit of downtime before the training camps and preseason games but not a lot and sometimes there are still some FA signings or minor trades happening. This offseason FA won't have quite the excitement of last year (there aren't even any coaching openings now) but it's still going. To be plenty interesting. I do t know how the league let's that go and to a certain extent I don't have a probl with player movement. I think the best way to make the league more fair is get that minor league system in place and it would allow for some opportunities to develop keep and add talent.