"Big Rookies, Big Money..." (July 12, 1998)

This is another installment of classic Hoop-LA. This problem still remains and is one of the key reasons there is an owners lockout.

Next year the free agent crop will potentially be the best in the short history of NBA free agency. Players who were drafted in 1995 and not signed to an extension will get a chance to get some big money. You've already seen it with Bryant Reeves. He has his contract extended by 6 years for over $60 million!!!

This, through the already out of whack salary structure, is even more out of whack. Let me explain. Damon Stoudamire, arguably the best rookie in his class, has had a great relationship with the Raptors and Isiah Thomas. Damon wants to stay and Zeke wants him to stay. Damon has been The Man on the team for two years. He was expected to sign a contract between that of Penny Hardaway's $7.8 million and Gary Payton's $12 million. We know Damon isn't as good as the Glove, and he's not better than Penny either. But Penny's contract is a couple of years old and was one of those contracts that forced the NBA to adopt the rookie salary cap. From what I've read, Damon is seeking around $15 million per season. He wants to be the highest paid point guard in the NBA. This is crazy. He is good, granted. But he's never been to on the all-star team and never shot better that 42% from the field. Payton earned his money. He took the Sonics to the finals, has been defensive player of the year and all defensive 1st teams not to mention all-NBA teams. I'm not knocking Damon, because I do like him, but this is crazy. Imagine what Joe Smith or Antonio McDyess will ask for knowing that a decent but raw big man like Big Country has received $10 million a year. I'm sure GMs around the league are truly pissed off with Stu Jackson.

The rookie cap, institued a 2 summers ago, has done two things. It's made the good players soon to be very rich and the bad players soon to be CBA players. Without a long term guaranteed contract, what is the incentive to hold on to an Ed O'Bannon (who I adore), Shawn Respert or Randolph Childress? These players are making between $1 and $2 million dollars so teams are stuck with them. When their contract is up, they'll most likely be either resigned for the league minimum and work their way back or be out of the NBA. Doug Smith and Randy White (no conincidence that they both were drafted by Dallas) are examples of players who were signed to long term deals and Dallas had to hold onto them for longer than they were useful (or less politically correct: Dallas was stuck with them even after they showed that had no skills).

Players like Kevin Garnett, McDyess, Rasheed Wallace and others will be in the market for huge contracts. Sure it's a question of supply and demand, where in theory, it should drive down the price down since there will be so many good players, but on the other hand, there is a huge demand for quality NBA players. Garnett will probably garner the most attention. He's young, charasmatic, and can play three positions and is still learning. He's a star, and could be a mega-star. He'll be seeking $120 million over 7 years. Is he better than Shaq? More important than Shaq? That's not even the question is it. It's more a question of can he actually get the money. Sure he can. There are rumours already that the Bulls are going to let Pippen skate after the season and try to sign Garnett to fill the void and play him next to Kukoc to make a formidable 3-4 setup. Joe Smith has publicly stated he wants out of Golden State. He's rumored to end up in Boston, even though Pitino has eyes for Vin Baker. Antonio McDyess has been rumored to want to go to the Lakers. The teams with the good reps will likely entice more players, but money talks and (you know the rest)....

What has next year's free agent crop done to this years free agency signing period? It's almost killed it. The best players last year were getting $100 million over 7 years, but the mediocre players were getting good money as well. Tracy Murray (7 years $19 million). Jim McIlvaine (7 years $35 million). The list goes on. Now at best players are getting good but not great money. Sam Cassell and David Wesley both got good money, but not quite what Kenny Anderson or even Chris Childs got last year. In baseball, the players union would sound the "collusion" alarm, but in the NBA, the players know that next year is when players will be cashing in.

That doesn't mean players haven't been getting paid. Travis Knight got $23 million over 7 years. Here's a guy who had his rights renouced by the Bulls, played for the Lakers (but only 15 minutes per game) and now is making some serious bread with the Celts (CN: and the longest contract on the team - that's a good sign). Pitino likes these athletic centers who can press and shoot the mid-range jumper (a la Mark Pope) so maybe Knight will flourish in Pitino's wide open pressing game. Only time will tell.

The rest of the free agent crop is weak at best and Europe still looms large for the fading veterans who want the big payday (ie. Byron Scott or Dominique Wilkins, who played at league minimum this season), so it is unlikely players salaries will break the bank now when teams will be all holding back for next year.

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