[jjj10manParticipant]

 When Cousins was traded, some people called it one of the worst trades in NBA history. Social Media destroyed the Kings, but looking at where their picks may land, they might see a improved team as fast as next year making this a good trade. But this is not the cause of making a great move, it is simply the exploit of a huge loophole in the NBA right now that the Kings (and Sixers) are looking to exploit.

The Kings are likely to get 2 top 10 picks in a loaded draft. They could realistically draft a deadly combination of Markkenen / Tatum, Fox/ Tatum, Smith / Markkenen, or even take the Kentucky backcourt entirely. The problem with this is their Salary Cap since the rookie scale was implemented you can consistently get steals in the draft at the top picks and pay them a fraction of what they’re worth. I made a previous topic about the cursed #2 pick compared to #1, which has produced all stars the last 6/7 years (not counting Ben Simmons as he hasn’t played or Bennett). The Rookies get paid about 5 million a year and that is what is put on their team’s cap for all star level players most of the time (i.e Karl Towns 6 million a year.) 
Meanwhile, Timothy Mosgov is making 15 million per and even Kosta Koufus is making 8 million a year.

This is just unfair, as far as the incentive for tanking debate, the problem would be solved if the rookie scale was removed entirely.

 

Now the Sixers have one of the best players in the league and can still realistically afford to pay Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to max contracts. The also have Ben simmons coming and could draft Jayson Tatum and Malik Monk as well (lakers pick). 

The reason I brought up the Kings trade because if this deal was made 20 years ago (no cap) to a rookie who had a chance of being a bust AND  taking 20 million esentially hurting that team more in the long run.

Now, you can do what (I think) the Kings are doing and the Sixers did. 
Get a #1 pick, he’s a bust? so what. we will just get another #1 who won’t be a bust next year.

Many may be thinking this is a reach, but they are forgetting a team that benefited from this the most: The Cavs

The Cavs should not have been able to trade Anthony Bennett if he had a 20 million dollar contract like he was suppose to, therefore they would have not gotten Kevin Love and probably not won a championship.

Now with the rookie scale, tanking has no reprecussions and remove the rookie scale would give it one.

I know this is an unpopular opinion and is hasn’t been talked about on SportCenter everyday so this might get dislikes, but when the Sixers sign 2 all stars this free agency along with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, ( Malik Monk),  and (Dennis Smith), everyone in the basketball world will be complaining and Sam Hinkie will look like a genius

Kill The Process.

[WinterSoldierParticipant]

 I agree kill the process. It’s gotten so bad that half the fans in the league are cheering for the their teams to lose. If a top three pick costs as much as good veteran player, teams wouldn’t just look to the draft anymore. The rookie scale needs to end because it has ruined trading(look how bad the trade deadline was this year). Also they should have a hard cap and be able to cut players that aren’t producing(this would make free agency much better) like the NFL, easy player movement is good for the players also so they can find better fits.  Having every team competing with the same rules (Hard Cap, No rookie scale) it would create more parody in the NBA which has by far the least out of every other league in the US. 

[jaycee24Participant]

 I think what you’re saying is ridiculous. Philly was in no man’s land for 15 years and finally decided they needed to blow it up. They’ve built through the draft and only taken in free agent assets that fit into the timeline of their rebuild plan. They’ve just started to acquire franchise staples in the last 3 years. You can call it tanking but they weren’t going to invest in journeyman veterans when they had no shot at contention and no shot at top free agents to build around. 

Then to say there shouldn’t be a rookie scale….cmon. That means 18 yo Anthony Bennet would of been negotiating a $10-15 million contract knowing they wouldn’t be able to use him at all until his 2nd contract anyways. This years draft alone shows why this would strip the league of quality talent  veterans getting paid and being acquired by teams in need of them. You’re taking away a teams ability to evaluate talent at the pro level by forcing their hand in the salary cap with paying rookies whatever they will play for with zero NBA experience. If you want no rookie scale you should dump the salary cap too although this basically would cater to the big location franchises

OKC has built all of their assets through draft or trading draft picks/former draft  picks how was what they did not unfair to you? 

Also what percentage of rookies even reach all star status during their rookie contracts to validate top picks getting paid top money. There’s also the service a player has put forth that is rewarded Jon Leuer Mosgov Deng are examples. The league talent pool would also change…players like Russel Andre Drummond Marquis Chriss Porzingis are all high risk high reward picks that would probably not get taken as early if you had to consider the risk of the investment you’re placing on a rookie. Boston wouldn’t even want their pick this year if they had to pay Fultz 20 million next season.

 

Maybe a renegotiation clause could be placed for players that make the All Star team in their first contract but I almost believe whatever additional money they make should not even effect the cap money and just come out of the owners pockets

 

 

 

 

[Arc12345Participant]

Think of all the talents in the NBA that deserve to be making way more money than they currently do but can’t…simply because they haven’t put in "their time."

That sounds like some BS to me. If you’re a top level player and talent, you deserved to be paid like such, bottom line.

I also love that it would destroy the inncentive of tanking. But more so, that if you’re a top superstar player from the get go, you deserve to be paid as such. You use Anthony Bennett, who is a serious outlier, to validate your point. 

 

  

[jaycee24Participant]

So we can just hand over 15 million to Lonzo Ball next year because we BELIEVE he’ll be more productive than say Jeremy Lin or Reggie Jackson? NBA productivity matters and as long as there’s a salary cap you would RUIN franchises just because their top 3-10 pick was a bust. Now they can’t sign a productive player especially if they’re a small market team and they can’t trade the young draft pick because he’s paid too much. Make that make sense. 

This is Donald Trump logic at its finest. 

 

[jaycee24Participant]

 Also restricted free angency in most cases offsets this issue. There are so many occasions where a RFA receives a huge offer sheet because teams know that teams will pay to keep their top assets whether they’re worth that exact dollar amount or not.

 

 Is KCP a max salary talent? Hell no but if Brooklyn offered him a max deal I bet Detroit will match the offer and he’ll get even more $$$. 

If you want to see real value relevant contracts then limit every NBA player to a 1 year contract. 

 

[jjj10manParticipant]

 You used Anthony bennett as an example but every #1 pick besides him since 09 has been worth a max at some point. 

And they give money based off what players are valued; Dwayne Wade is probably going to be better than Ben Simmons, but if the Sixers made an offer, it would be accepted no question because of value. It’s by far the most fair way to do things. Ben simmons wouldn’t be the highest paid player, but he would be top 15 and he should because that where his talent is valued

 

[frogmanParticipant]

There is not one example in the NBA of cellar dwellars signing max players who have made their team instantly compete like you are saying save Lebron returning to Cleveland but that is different.

Teams know if they have all these talented players they will need to pay them eventually.  Even though Embiid is a rookie he is a RFA in two years.  

Superstars just do not want to sign with cellar dwellars no matter how good the young talent is looking.

And I just don’t see how it is fair to the experienced pro’s who have been in the league half a decade that rookies come in and get monster deals especially with the new deal.

Look how it worked in the NFL.  Sam Bradford came out of college and got 50 mil guaranteed and couldn’t stay healthy.  The next year before Jason Smith got major money and plain sucked.  Those two players crippled the Rams finances for an already bad team. 

[holefillers1Participant]

 You guys want all these scenarios to happen.  Bottom line is you still gotta get lucky in the draft lottery and the draft. None of these picks are garunteed.  Every one of you is listing college prospects like they are NBA All stars.  Lakers had top five picks and none of you are up in arms about Russell and Ingram. Two years ago these players would be listed as future HOF on this post…kind of ridiculous.  

[dudo670Participant]

 People act like all these college players are locks to be studs. Latest example is Fultz because he padded his stats on a lousy team against a mediocre schedule. Could he be a perennial all star? Sure. But him and the rest of that class aren’t locks to do shit. This is why philly should trade the pick(s) for a proven star/superstar.

[EndlessknightParticipant]

Anybody else remember when Glen Robinson held out during his rookie training camp because he want a $100m contract to start his career? I doubt if owners and GMs what to return to that. But I agree something needs to be done about the tanking.

[negguaryParticipant]

Needs to be done about the power balance in the league, and I doubt If fixing tanking does that. In fact as of now tanking is the only solution to the imbalance of power in the league!  

[jaycee24Participant]

 I mean you could argue the Cleveland Browns tanked this year…. this is the way of the sports business. How do you think the Cubs loaded up on supreme talent on their entire roster…by being terrible and drafting well until they were in a position to invest for a champship contender.

 You sell off all your diminishing assets while they still have value for many future assets and hold off  your spending until you can get a winner.

 I think it’s fairer for an owner to choose to have a team that won’t have success in the short term; effecting the income of that franchise; so that they can guarantee a high level of future long term success. 

[jjj10manParticipant]

 kinda irrelevent because basketball is a sport where 2 players can win you a championship not football or baseball

[thetrademachineryParticipant]

a bit out of topic, this thing works best in 2k fantasy draft, just draft rookies with potential and you will be good at free agency and trades all the way.

[Andv1 WaitingParticipant]

 The Demarcus trade will need to be re-visted in 5 years(Cousins gets a 4 year max if he stays)

As this trade could essentially be the Kevin love trade but with the picks being slightly lower(but in a deeper draft)…The pelicans could add a few solid F.A’s and be in the contender mix for all we know or lose him for nothing and be in the exact same spot as the start of this year.. 

You also need to see what Hield and the Kings+pelicans pick end up being…..If 2 out of 3 turn into either allstars or at least very good  team player starters(Say a Mike conoly level player at least) then the argument gets a less one sided..As they may have a deeper overall team..

As for increasing the Rookie Contract I totally disagree with that idea as imagine a player like a Greg oden/Anthony bennet getting 20 mill and being a complete flop or paying an injured player like Ben simmons or Joel embiid who didn’t for 2 years/haven’t played a single game that much..

The rookie contract is for two reasons to give the team protection from draft busts(Hype and bad scouting can do that) and help them build a deeper team if they are smart about it or even worse a player has an amazing rookie year then dissapears-See Tyreeke evans 20 5 and 5 then falls off the grid..What it comes down to is Smart drafting:See OKC model/Spurs model or Right place right time Kobe and lakers  whenn they were winning and drafting smartly(Kobe,Bynum etc)and getting quality F.A’s such as Shaq to come in or even GSW(pre K.D which was all drafting and right pickups like iggy)…Teams that don’t build smartly and have incompetent Owners/GM’s are the issue..

 

 

 

 

 

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