If your argument about it lowering the standard of the league centres on Tom Daly (sorry Tom, still a big fan) and Bennie Lewis, oh boy. I don't mind the points cap but I do agree that someone like Daly should be in Adelaide and shouldn't be missing out on gigs because of a points value. I don't think the points cap has meant that Adelaide have assembled a weak team however - I think it's looking great for 70 points.

For every player who misses out, another gets a spot who would've otherwise missed out. Quality of competition remains a valid argument, but I don't think Daly and Lewis are a strong case.

There is supposed to be a way to appeal a value through hardship but I don't know how effective it is. Once Adelaide sign Teys for his single point, the path for Daly gets harder. Make the appeals too easy and you'll have teams exploiting it.

Yes, there is an NBLPA and yes they do make various noises about the points cap and restrain of trade, but I haven't seen anything come of it.

I imagine that the new NBL might ditch the points cap purely because some fans don't like it. I can see it having some value, even just as an arbitrary way of retaining control and changing it to a soft cap with a way of "buying points" from other teams. That's one mechanism whereby teams can be offered flexibility at a cost. Remove the points cap, and that opportunity disappears.

Well said, Isaac.

Furthermore, if Tom Daly (I'm a big fan too) were CLEARLY better than the alternatives available for 1-3 player points, he would've already been signed.

I believe that Townsville, Sydney and Wollongong aren't in danger of breaching the player points cap without extending their salary budget.

What we have is a subjective classification (by the NBL) and analysis (by clubs) of talent, where a given player (e.g. B.Teys) that is likely about the same standard as Daly picks up a spot that he otherwise may not have.

It's still in the best interest of the teams to put together the best roster possible given their salary constraints - this does not change.

While there is a deadweight loss from the PPC, I doubt there would be a negative net effect considering both the talent distribution effect and additional enforcement of the salary cap.

I wouldn't mind seeing a more 'flexible' player points cap i.e. a soft cap similar to the NBA's, but regarding the PPC and much fewer exceptions.

@Isaac,

Either by trading for unused points or by paying the league a luxury tax on extra points. Something that could allow the 70pt margin a little fuzziness so that players who would otherwise be 1 or 2 pts too dear on a team balancing a roster can still get a gig.

Big fan of being able to points trade to keep a current player, would help get rid of some of the silly situations where a player cant be kept because of one or two points.

Analogy

Do people like what the Miami Heat has done in the NBA? Amalgamating star power into a few teams weakens the leagues general appeal.

A points system avoids situations where the strong clubs get stronger and the weaker continue to struggle

do you want a competition where any team can beat any team or a lopsided one with 2/ 3 dominate teams that smack everyone each game.

paul - definitely the thing that narks me the most about the points cap.

Apart from, you know, not being able to spend millions of dollars hiring NBA players and then pretending they're on $150k. But apart from that, that's my biggest pet peeve

;)

Muzz Buzz, you say its lessened the general appeal, but has it? NBA does not seem to be suffering or trending downward.

Having said that i believe the concession should be granted to stop successful teams forcibly being torn apart to comply with the rule

You also have the classic recent case of Ev Bartlett claiming the points cap kicked him out of the league despite his points rating not changing and he having a valid contract in place

I still cannot understand how that last season did not see Barlett's points value go down instead of up, but whatever. In a sense, yes, he was dropped due to points. Not because they changed, and not because of salary issues, but because it was 4 instead of 3, which made the maths not work how we wanted it to. And there was absolutely no recourse available to him.

That said, good bye Mr 0-from-9.

Originally I thought it time for point system to go
but thinking about Burdon instead of Christopherson and selling 9 points, my reaction has since mellowed.

Do people like what the Miami Heat has done in the NBA? Amalgamating star power into a few teams weakens the leagues general appeal.

Nathan points are locked at the time of the contract. Sign DJ long term at low points and reap the benefits. If a player drops off then you are lumped with that too.


to throw a curveball into the equation

Delly is 3 points
Exum is 1 point

Points dont necessarily equate to talent

Have also heard that Daly had advice not to challenge his points as it will drop his earning potential

Points are not related to salary in any way.

And given they bumped Bartlett to a 6, I'd say they're not related to talent either!

Actually, it kind of did. It certainly closed the curtains on the idea that he would still be at the club at the end of the coming season and effectively made him a dead-end proposition that made more sense to cut than retain. The fact his points value arbitrarily added up to a college returnee+1pt player, freeing up a necessary single point to get dual imports just sealed his fate sooner rather than later.

But my comment wasn't related to that - just an observation that his points shouldn't have risen to begin with.

Bartlett is a moot point. Who knows what his points rating would have been once his contract finished. More to this payout than just his points rating.

http://sportsbusinessinsider.com.au/news/category/financial-and-governance/brendan-schwab-nbls-player-rating-points-system-is-a-flagrant-restraint-of-trade/

Yes, the points system has its negatives.

At the end of the day though, it's a case of "tough titties".

Nothing is guaranteed in sport.

If you are good enough to play in the league, you will get a spot.

For guys like Daly/Lewis, it just reiterates the idea that you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket. You have to prepare yourself for life out of basketball.

At the end of the day, working full-time in a good job will pay them better than what their earning potential is in the NBL atm?

If you're good enough to be a 10pt player you will get a spot. If not, well, you may or you may not get on to a roster. Depends how it all shakes out.

Just take a few words and you are spot on. If you are good enough you will get a spot. If youve been around a while and not performed you probably wont, doesnt matter whether there is a points system or not.

"http://sportsbusinessinsider.com.au/news/category/financial-and-governance/brendan-schwab-nbls-player-rating-points-system-is-a-flagrant-restraint-of-trade/"

excellent article! thanks HO.

The point is simply that if the NBL enforced the salary cap properly there is no need for the points cap.

Isaac your point about the NBA is moot. I dont follow it but surely the purpose of a salary cap in the NBL or any league is in place to equalise the competition? Do you disagree?

The NBL just need to enforce the salary cap. It is that simple. If they did their job properly the players and particulerly those at the lower end wouldnt be left out.

The points trading proposal floated from what I can workout goes directly against your notion of not wanting the richer clubs to be advantaged over the lower clubs. Would being able to afford to buy points simply strengthen the rich clubs and weaken the poor clubs who couldnt afford to buy them?

And the writer of that article has since said he didn't have access to all the facts so it cant be considered accurate.

Just remember too that players are and have been happy to be paid outside the rules.

Players cant abuse 1 system and then complain when rules are brought into stop the undeclared payments. Not even ARL and AFL are able to effectively police a salary cap.

The NBA example shows that a salary cap doesn't equalise a competition. Even having a salary cap is restraint of trade isn't it, whoops perhaps not convenient to mention that is it.

"Even having a salary cap is restraint of trade isn't it, whoops perhaps not convenient to mention that is it."

Of course it is.

And the courts know it is, too, but its allowed as long as it satisfies a few conditions.

Schwab's contention is that the points cap does not satisfy those conditions.

OP, other leagues have salary caps and measures like a draft. A draft can't work effectively in the NBL and clubs were brutally rorting the salary cap.

A weak team cannot bring in revenue to improve. Selling points can help maintain income and allow them to cover shortfalls and make their way back.

Original poster, simple answer: Yes, it is a restraint of trade.

Complex answer: its legality depends on a number of things. ultimately it's up to the NBL to justify it (ie is it going to provide for what it's ultimate goal is -> competitive balance, an even league etc).

Brenadan Schwab wrote an article about this moons ago. Should look it up.

Sorry, just read the posts and seen the article already mentioned.

I do know that recently the NBLPA has been talking to Brendan about their next negotiations.

FYI, is there a reference to where Schwab now says he didn't have all the facts?

Google is your friend here HO
Schwab has said on his twitter feed that he used anecdotal information.
Obviously he cant state fact because the fact is no player has ever been stopped form playing basketball anywhere in the world because of their points rating in the NBL. There is nothing stopping eg Daly playing in NZ or SEABL or trying out overseas. No one is restraining his ability to play basketball and earn an income. He tried out for a number of NBL teams but was passed over. IMO the points cap is often to blame for players who arent good enough to make it. have you ever heard a 10 point player blaming the points system for not getting a job, of course not because they do have jobs. it is also an easy out for NBL teams to tell players that they cant sign someone because of their points. That is a lot easier to say to player than you arent good enough.