Knowing that this blog is where people come to for their up to date information on collective bargaining and the National Basketball Association and, specifically, the Raptors...
Of the facts reported on the new CBA, it appears to be great news for the Raptors:
1) The best players, worth the Maximum contracts allowed, get a small pay bump from 30% to 35% of the team's salary cap.
This will really only impact Kyle Lowry, as he's likely to get the max or just under at some point in the Winter or summer. I can't imagine him leaving the Raptors, his family is reported to be really well settled, he loves his teammates, and he's not likely to join the Cavs, Warriors, Clippers or Spurs...so...so far so good. DeRozan and Lowry are the only two max level players the Raptors are likely to have for the next three seasons.
1b) It became a more difficult choice for players like Durant to leave their original team and join a super team. This makes the formation of another Eastern Conference super team unlikely (sorry Boston).
Their original team, assuming the player is an actual star, can re-sign the player for more money and more years earlier in the contract.
2) The minimum contracts for rookie players are going up. As is the minimum contract for veterans. This is going to make it difficult for teams trying to catch the Raptors to get better.
This is great news in the sense that the Raptors contract situation is more or less set for the next two or three seasons. Teams who are looking to acquire players are going to be really squeezed out by the new CBA: Their first year players are going to be eating up a higher percentage of the salary cap, as will their star player(s) leaving less middle ground for veteran acquisitions. Free agent signing are going to become even more rare. Once again: it's kind of addition by subtraction for the Raptors: They don't have any glaring needs or big acquisitions to make. Teams looking to catch them do, and it just got harder to do that.
2b) One consequence of this will be any player signed between summer 2014 and summer 2016 is likely to have a very valuable contract. Players like Ross, Patterson, Valunciunas, Carroll, and Joseph are going to be incredibly valuable to the Raptors as they'll be getting paid way under market value. This also makes a combination of them plus draft picks a really attractive package for a team who may be looking to trade a star player. Personally: I hope the Raptors don't make a super aggressive move, not much point in getting a Cousins/George or even Milsap if they're going to leave within a year of trading for them and the Raps give up incredible value.
3) The Raptors have drafted really well recently:
Poetl, Nogeura, Powell, Siakam and Delon Wright all look to have NBA player potential, none look to be busts. They're going to get more playing time, more money, and complement the star players well.
The new CBA increases the maximum roster size by two slots, and creates two-way contracts with minor league teams for two players on each roster. All the signs from the Raptors 905 (the minor league team), are that they're incredibly well coached and a great incubator of talent.
4) So, if you believe that the Raptors team is good enough that they're one Cavalier injury away from winning the Eastern Conference playoffs...then it looks like they're going to be in this position for a few years.
So, three more years or so of: Lowry/Joseph/Wright, DeRozan/Ross, Carrol/Powell, Patteron/Sullinger/Siakam, Valuncianas/Bebe/Poetl? While other teams will have a hard time improving quickly? Yes please.
No comments:
Post a Comment