My unfortunate outlook on the 2010 FA plan

[Donovangian]

In my opinion the Bulls have not looked at this 2010 free agent picture properly. The only reason some of these players with consider changing franchises is for FAME or more MONEY.

LeBron is the best player in the game yet he does not nearly get the endorsements that Kobe or Wade gets. He is in the smallest market and that should be expected. But that does not mean he likes it. He recently complained how the Cavs get no respect. Since 3 people needed to get injured for Mo Williams to bet voted to the Allstar team last year. And recently how Shaq did not get voted in this year above david Lee despite the Cavs having the best record both years. His situation is different because he is from Ohio and the Cavs are banking on that. He knows how important he is to that team and state. And the Cavs have shown him that the will bend over backward to keep him happy. They have made trade after trade to keep him happy. They even let James choose the players he wants on his team. 1st it was Mo Williams then Shaq and now Stat. My point for explaining all this is to prove that LBJ will not leave the CAVS for another team unless he simply just wants more fame and endorsements.

D. Wade situation is a little different he is currently in the best climate and he has the most endorsements at this time. He is the pitch man for T Moble, gatorade and currently the new face of Jordan brand. Wade is at odds with the heat because the other Franchise players of his draft class( Lebron and Mellow) have a say so in how the teams are being built. His problem is that his team sucks without him and he cannot rely on any of them. This has put some space between Wade and the Heat organization. Wade and his agent has to understand that they would make a killing in a larger market like Chi or NY. This is why Wade may be an option for the Bulls. Wade has publicly stated that he would consider coming to the bulls if another Big named free agent accompanied him. My only problem with him is that D. Rose may suffer with wade on the team.

C. Bosh wants to play someplace warm so Miami has one up on us. He also wants someone to build the team around him. HE WANTS THE FAME! He has been playing in that Toronto market and the league is passing him bye. This is similar to what happened to K. Garnett in Minn. D. Rose is a year or two away from becoming the type of leader that we need him to be. This team needs a star player who is vocal & the Bulls have a unique situation that they could sell him on. Lead this team and reap the endorsement benefits until Rose is ready.

J. Johnson wants more endorsements and fame. And he will go to NY to get it. He plays on the most talented team of all the free agents. He has played for NYs coach and they have a good relationship. I live in Atl and he constantly complains about the fans support for the Hawks. From what ive come to know about JJ id have to say he does not want to play second fiddle to any of these other guys. And so he will commute to wherever the other FA dont. So the only player that I don't see him being intimidated by is Bosh.



The bulls were banking on Bosh getting traded and thats not going to happen, At least not before the trade deadline. the only way anyone is going to pry Bosh away from Toronto will be through a sign and trade. Which means that the Bulls did themselves a great disservice by not resigning Ben Gordon. Because the more you have to trade at this point the better. This 'day and age' you cannot simply let a valuable commodity walk out the door without compensation. And now the bulls are considering doing the same thing with TT. So let me get this strait how is it smart to let the 2nd and 3rd picks in their respective drafts walk out the door without compensation? We dont have enough to get Boozer or any other scoring front court player without giving up Deng. Now im not opposed to trading Deng because he is not worth his current salary and the SF position is the easiest to fill.

Lets just hope we dont have to package Deng and a pick to get a Bigman because this team also needs outside shooters in the worse way and we need to draft a quality shooter through the draft.

 

[Kush77]

Welcome to the boards man. Nice post but I gotta disagree with you because I think you're putting too much emphasis on endorsements and markets.

I've been saying for 2 years that LBJ and Wade aren't gonna leave. They can male the most money by resigning with their own teams.

LeBron has just as many endorsements as Kobe and Wade. I don't think that's an issue. LeBron has that puppet commercial with Kobe, he had that LeBron family where he played all the characters. LeBron isn't hurting for dollars.

When it comes to Wade you pointed out all his deals but you said his agent thinks he'll cash in more in a big market. How so? He's already with Nike and t-Mobile. What else is there. I don't think markets hold these guys back.

In todays age with internet, cable TV, NBA league pass, NBA league pass on iphones, being able to read any newspaper in the country. this idea of small market is a myth.

Maybe in the 1970s when there was only 1 game of the week and you might only see a guy like Chris Bosh once a year, that might have been the case. But not now. You can see guys every game if you want.

And here's an example of market not holding a guy back. Who's the one athlete in sports with the most commercials? Peyton Manning. He's played his entire career in Indianapolis. And it's not hurting him at all. I can't image him having more commercials if he played for the Jets or the Bears.

I just think the small market thing is a myth that continues to be kicked around by the national media.

 

[Kush77]

As for the Bulls, I don't see them getting any of the big free agents. Maybe Joe Johnson.

I can hold out hope for a guy like Wade just from the hometown aspect of it, but I still don't think so.

The one thing that Miami has going for them is no state income tax. And when you're signing a deal that will be well over 100 million, that's a lot of money to save.

 

[houheffna]

Value City just sealed a contract with Lebron that has him.......designing furniture. Seriously, dude is about to create a Lebron Loveseat...endorsements is not a problem.

 

[Donovangian]

Thanks for the welcome Kush. Guys market size is and always will be a big difference. Understand that these guys have enormous egos and earnings will always matter. The commercial that someone referred to as far as the few characters that Lebron James plays is a sprite commercial and is by far his largest endorsement to date. The Kobe and lebron puppets are just a character likeness.... It's not even their voices. Further more that money is shared between the two of them. That does not compare to the T. mobile, Gatorade and now Jordan brand money that Wade is getting. As fare as what else is there ? Well, lets see theres sprite (Coca cola) Wheates, Taco bell, McDonolds, And many more. Every one wants to push their products with a familiar face. And if it was as simple as consumers having access to the internet and cable Tv and other outlets why are their no lebron James, Wade, Bosh or JJ billboards in Chicago? Its because we watch Bulls games and we watch local highlights of bulls games! And people who don't even watch the NBA can tell you who D. Rose is in this town because they hear his name and see his face on a nightly basis.

And as far as P. Manning goes he is the face of the NFL. And the NFL is the most popular sport in the world right now. The reason that the endorsement money will be so important in the future is because the new collective bargaining agreement will change the pay scale significantly. Players will not be awarded the types of contracts that they have seen in the past. The current state of the economy just wont allow it. David stern and the owners know this is a fact. This is the very reason why teams are preparing for a lockout.

 

[Donovangian]

In the grand scheme of things value City is nothing. They don't even have stores in the south.

 

[houheffna]

More people in Chicago know who Lebron James is than know who Derrick Rose is....not even close. And it has NOTHING to do with basketball...everything to do with endorsements....Lebron has one MVP and no championships and is one of the most famous athletes in the world...he is a household word...and Rose doesn't compare.

 

[postdiction]

Here is something to think about:

2010 top selling NBA Jerseys:

1)Bryant
2)James
3)D. Howard
4) D. Rose

I don't know if market size matters or not but, it does show the popularity of the Bulls that D. Rose has more jersey sales than other up and coming stars like Durant etc....

I am hoping that these FA realize how much more $ they would make while winning in Chicago and make the smart decision to come here.

later

postdiction.

 

[houheffna]

Here is something to think about:

2010 top selling NBA Jerseys:

1)Bryant
2)James
3)D. Howard
4) D. Rose

I don't know if market size matters or not but, it does show the popularity of the Bulls that D. Rose has more jersey sales than other up and coming stars like Durant etc....

I am hoping that these FA realize how much more $ they would make while winning in Chicago and make the smart decision to come here.

later

postdiction.

The Bulls are not as popular at the Lakers...maybe he should go there...his position at #2 shows that he is getting all of the hype and pub he can handle...the guy above him is arguably the best player of the past decade...I think Lebron is doing just fine...if it was just about markets...Lebron would go to New York...

 

[Fred]

Kush77 wrote:

As for the Bulls, I don't see them getting any of the big free agents. Maybe Joe Johnson.

I can hold out hope for a guy like Wade just from the hometown aspect of it, but I still don't think so.

The one thing that Miami has going for them is no state income tax. And when you're signing a deal that will be well over 100 million, that's a lot of money to save.

An underdog here for a max free agent is Houston. I wasn't aware of this before, but Texas has no state income tax, and I believe they can offer a max deal, based on a report I heard at ESPN.

 

[TheStig]

Fred wrote:

Kush77 wrote:

As for the Bulls, I don't see them getting any of the big free agents. Maybe Joe Johnson.

I can hold out hope for a guy like Wade just from the hometown aspect of it, but I still don't think so.

The one thing that Miami has going for them is no state income tax. And when you're signing a deal that will be well over 100 million, that's a lot of money to save.

An underdog here for a max free agent is Houston. I wasn't aware of this before, but Texas has no state income tax, and I believe they can offer a max deal, based on a report I heard at ESPN.

They can get really close to offering a max deal if they drop scola, landry and dorsey but they can't give a full max deal unless yao opts out. Which he won't. But I think they were looking to take on salary in trade adn wanted more than expirings for tmac.

 

[Shakes]

It depends on where the cap lands, they have 38.45 million in salary with Yao. So if the cap lands at 55+ they have max space.

 

[TheStig]

Shakes wrote:

It depends on where the cap lands, they have 38.45 million in salary with Yao. So if the cap lands at 55+ they have max space.

Thats without cap holds and as the cap goes up so does the max fa salary.

 

[Shakes]

TheStig wrote:

Shakes wrote:

It depends on where the cap lands, they have 38.45 million in salary with Yao. So if the cap lands at 55+ they have max space.

Thats without cap holds and as the cap goes up so does the max fa salary.

Ugh I was forgetting the roster requirements. You're right, with only 8 players they'd be on the hook for another 3 at the minimum, that 2.5 million kills them. Sitting at 41 million means they'd need the cap to be 58.5 or so, which isn't going to happen. Their only hope for cap space would be to dump Ariza, Battier or Yao.

 

[Shakes]

Still it's a sizable chunk of space, you've got to wonder what kind of offers they want for McGrady to prefer that to the space. You'd think they'd be hoping to sign someone of Lee/Boozer/*** type quality if they keep the space. Trading McGrady allows them to keep the other guys, but still, you can't think they'll get much for McGrady.

 

[TheStig]

Depends on what they are getting. Cash is king for them and they have a good defensive team. If I were them, I would try to resign Scola and trade Tmac for some assests or a scoring two guard. They really don't need much else and will only go as far as Yao takes them. Houston has just never signed a fa when they weren't contenders, they have traded or drafted their stars. I can't really see them being a player in 2010 but JJ would be a great fit for them. They could easily work a s&T with someone because they have so much cap room but I just can't see them getting ayone.

 

[Shakes]

Surely the only teams interested are ones looking for a get out of free card on a bad contract decision. What 2 guard are you going to get for him, Rip Hamilton? I don't see how that makes them better than trying to sign Rudy ***, even if they lose Scola that way.

 

[TheStig]

Shakes, I think you will see the cap space teams start picking apart the cash strapped teams this summer. There are 1/3-1/2 of teams losing money this year, the nba is loosing 400 mill collectively. Even if teams can't hit a home run this season, they can offer a team pure cap space for a player. I wouldn't be surprised if a guy like Kevin Martin couldn't be acquired for cap space and a pick. You won't see superstars being moved in these deals but you'll see reasonably priced borderline stars moved. David West would be another guy I see getting moved. I mean Amare is being moved to save a few million in payroll and JJ Hickson. I think theres a shadow market of these types of guys out there.

 

[Shakes]

Normally a team losing money sells it's players to whoever offers the best cap relief, I agree. But the new CBA is the wildcard. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see owners eat the cost for a year, given they expect a new landscape after that. I mean you're going to look mighty stupid if you give away all your players and then it turns out you would have been able to pay them and make a tidy profit in a year's time.

 

[TheStig]

Owners are business men, bean counters, they can't keep showing loss year after year. They will be selling players as there will be buyers. Doing this typpe of deal will allow them to salvage the rest of the year. Your also not going to see franchise players moved but a level or two down, so its not guys they can't replace with time. Look at someone like our own JR. How many moves have we missed so that we don't go over "budget" and thats with running a profit. Imagine if we were losing money.