The National Basketball Association’s players union rejected the most recent motion for a cap smoothing, which in turn will lead to a major spike in the salary cap for the summer of 2016 when the NBA’s television rights are up for renegotiation. The cap smoothing is the normal process that allows for a gradual increase in the salary cap, which usually happens every year. By rejecting that notion, the players are leveraging their power to the owners who would love for nothing more than for things to stay the same. The television rights are expected to jump from $930 million to $2.3 billion next summer, and that substantial increase will cause the NBA’s salary cap to jump substantially from the $68 million that it is now to upwards of $90 million next summer. This will most certainly lead to bigger and better deals for the NBA players. It’s way past time for the greedy owners to continue limiting the players earning power.
“Smoothing would have avoided a substantial Salary Cap spike in 2016-17,” NBA executive vice president of communications Mike Bass said. “Under the league’s smoothing approach, the salary shortfall resulting from more gradual Cap increases would have been paid directly to the Players Association for distribution to all players, and thus the total compensation paid to players in any given season would not have been impacted.”
You know who gets screwed the most from this? Rank and file players who don’t have many years left in the league. Under smoothing they would
— Larry Coon (@LarryCoon) March 11, 2015
…have gotten a big shortfall check in 2016-17. But this way, all the 2016 money goes to 2016 free agents. Playes need to be in the league — Larry Coon (@LarryCoon) March 11, 2015
…past 2017 to reap the benefits. Players whose last years in the league are 2016-17 or 2017-18 will miss out. This is why I’m surprised
— Larry Coon (@LarryCoon) March 11, 2015
h/t SB Nation