Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that the Oklahoma City Thunder do not attempt to re-sign James Harden next offseason. Before you scoff at that possibility, know this: OKC has approximately $58.5 million committed to six players in 2013-2014: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison and Thabo Sefolosha. Read More »

This according to ESPN’s Henry Abbott and luxury tax guru Larry Coon. The latest collective bargaining agreement was designed to keep teams under the salary cap – while going over is permitted under the “soft” cap rules, mostly to re-sign superstars and keep teams together for years, ultimately any team with the money can go well overboard. And that’s what the Lakers have done this season. Read More »

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka have grown up together on OKC, forming a young, athletic and cohesive core capable of winning multiple championships down the road. Except, this isn’t baseball, and that pesky old salary cap could put a dent in their championship plans. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both locked up long term, and James Harden and Serge Ibaka are up next in the 2013 offseason when both players will become restricted free agents. Read More »

Yesterday, we brought you our list of the top 25 most overpaid players in the League. Today, we’re taking a break from condemnation and doling out some praise. Although the number is smaller, plenty of NBAers deserve a little more cash. Whether it’s because they’re on their rookie contracts or they exploded after signing a long-term deal, some guys could have some serious contract gripes. Here are, in our estimation, 25 of those underpaid players, beginning with No. 25. Read More »

Value. That’s the NBA buzz word these days, as teams fight to reconcile market value with actual value. More often than not, it’s the market that dictates these gargantuan deals. Competing buyers drive up the price, and we’re left with Rudy Gay earning more than $19 million in one season. The most recent collective bargaining agreement sought to curtail such overspending. But alas, it couldn’t. This offseason, there’s been the usual batch of head-scratching contracts and personnel decisions.

Now that free agency is all but over, we’ve decided to compile the worst of the worst – the top 25 NBA players who, simply put, are making WAY too much money relative to their on-the-court value. Of course, this list is up for debate, and plenty of names were left off in favor of others. But it’s an interesting metric to measure your team’s financial intelligence – 19 teams made the list, with a few repeat offenders (Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors). Read More »

I’ll make this quick, so everyone can get to yapping in the comments.

Ignore, for a moment, the transcending popularity, jersey sales, and other peripheral reasons for the continued marriage of Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks. No need to beat a dead horse. One thing above all else has bothered me a ton, and that’s the perception that Jeremy Lin’s cap number in year three of his offer sheet immediately nullfies the financial agreeability of the deal. Really, that’s what all this debate boils down to. So let’s, for a moment, replace myth with fact. Read More »