Interesting isn't it, I wonder if the Spurs model is better than the one super champion player model?

He is super, no doubt, but which of the top NBA franchises can afford him and what players will they sacrifice to get him?

Remember, one player be it a champion can be beaten by a champion team...

Oh, and his pay cut could buy the whole NBL, seriously I doubt he needs the money!

Its a tough one,

Its obviously easier to build a champion team with the 'Spurs model' everyone taking a bit less for extra depth, but LeBron isnt GM/owner so it isnt really his problem managing the salary cap. Even if LeBron gets his max Kobe and others are still earning more so you could even argue LeBron is underpaid to what his true value is (or the others are just grossly over paid at this point, which is probably more reasonable)

But i can understand from LeBrons point of view, he is the best player, he may as well be paid like it, and as Isaac said he carried the load last season, didnt take games off, was one of the only ones to play well in almost every game including finals, so could understand if he says i did all the work you guys take the pay cuts.

Be very interesting, i wonder what Wade and Bosh will do now.

What teams can offer LeBron the max?? obviously the Heat can, but what other teams??

Currently, seven teams have the cap space to offer James a deal starting at $20.7 million next season: the Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic.

This seriously shakes up the bidding process. Cuban won't give out a max deal, whilst Phoenix, Philly and Orlando aren't exactly big markets to play in. Truth be told, I'm not sure how this will be taken from the Miami brass either. I can see them being torn between paying a max deal for LeBron, and paying Wade & Bosh decent money.

The wildcard in this is the Lakers. They are never down for long, and a trio of Kobe, Randle and LeBron with some solid pieces around them could definitely contend for a title. Could also trade Steve Nash for nothing (or waive him using the stretch provision) to give them even more cap space.

Then of course there is the potential for a sign and trade. How likely is this though? I doubt there will be many teams willing to give up 20 million in salary worth of players to acquire LeBron, it pretty much is equal to restructuring an entire team.

seriously does ANYONE really need to earn this much, take a look at the world guys its way bigger than you!!!

@ Anon - Yep they need to earn that much cause it is what they are worth!!!

Interesting to see it all shake out...the Texas teams & Heat have the advantage of no income & Foreign earned income tax so can offer a little less to keep/get him as his brand already sells itself so he doesn't require a major market team.

The Lakers have tax issues they face with recruits as California has state income tax of 10.55% plus they now have a foreign earned income tax plus they hit you with Mental health Tax...this is on top of the federal income taxes already charged.

All adding up you get taxed more than 40% extra in some cases!
A high profile guy like LeBron ticks every tax box…

The new taxes are part of the reason Kobe wanted the high salary as you give more than half away every year when compared with the Richer states (Texas & Florida)

NY would have been odds on IMO.

Big market, glitz and glamour, Madison Square Garden, Phil Jackson.

But to bad they have Amare and can't get rid of his contract - $23m next season FFS!

Can't amnesty either as I think they used it on Billups a while ago?

I would not be surprised if Lebron went to PHX. Not a big market team but imagine him alongside guys like Dragic, Bledsoe and a legit Center like Len.

Another question to consider: how much does Lebron want to go to the West? (which is why I thought NY if they could afford it).

The West is just too tough - a team would have to get acclimated to Lebron and a new style (whereas teams like OKC, LAC, MEM, SPURS will largely have the same personnel and style)

@Tiger Watcher that's an interesting view point actually, we don't really appear to know that much about the taxation structures in the States, certainly it isn't mentioned that much.

Not really a level playing field is it...?

Sixers could sign him as a marquee player for say $300k .................... That's probably less than he has in his wallet right now!!

Actually, you also have a "jock tax" as well.

NBA players get charged tax for every state they visit and play a game at. Crazy I know.

e.g. California 10% tax. Played there 5 times in the season, you would pay 5 days worth of tax.

I know there are allowances if you travel with the team, but don't play (i.e. no tax is charged)

Yea it is a little crazy but depending on the state tax can be very onnuerous.

It isn't talked about alot but is being mention more as despite LA being a top destination the state tax implacations can make it hard to round out a roster and lure top free agents as why play for $1mill when you pay %650K in tax plus high living costs..when in texas you only pay federal tax & if you rent no land tax plus lower cost of living.

Not really related, but NBA Players also get a per diem payment when they are on the road.

Think its like $107 per day or something. So if you go on the road for 7 days you get $750.

That is the equivalent to a tax free income of $39k!

Heard that Kyle Korver never touched his salary and used his per diem payments - I mean its easy not to spend $107 each day when they're already been provided with 5 course meals and everything like travel is paid for.

The tax money in California is irrelevant when you consider that LA is the second biggest market in the USA (NYC being #1). Additional endorsements and 3rd party agreements would more than nullify the increased taxes he'd face.

Let's get this into perspective ............. They play basketball ........... They don't perform brain surgery, or save lives, or hold back tidal waves, or stop earthquakes.........they play a game! How ant professional athlete can be paid multi multi multi million dollars is beyond me.

"Funny everyone got stuck into Kobe for wanting to get paid yet it's ok for Lebron."

Lebron is 29 and is considered the best player in the world. Kobe was past his prime at 35 and coming off a very serious injury. Huge difference.

LeBron is in his prime and arguably the games best player. For that he deserves the max salary it doesn't matter what he does he will be criticized no matter what.

I too think he deserves the max.

He has to be target number 1 for Miami.

Arrison and Riley have to say to Wade and Bosh "were offering you this much..take it or leave it".

Wade came out and said he is testing FA, but its pretty deep FA class - I can't see any other team willing to offer Wade more than what the Heat would. (especially given there are young talents out there like Parsons, Bledsoe etc).

My point is that lose Lebron and you can kiss goodbye to the championship (hell maybe even goodbye to the playoffs).

Lose Bosh/Wade and keep Lebron and you still have a bit of cap space to go out and get someone like Lowry or Gortat plus an older vet like a Marion type.

Hey Spinner,

I believe the players should get payed what they get. When tv stations ( TNT, ESPN ) offer 10 billion for the rights, the Lakers and Knicks have their own broadcast stations, the Knicks own their building and make 100 million from ticket sales alone per season while paying no rent, it's easy to see that a salary cap of 60 million is pretty tame in the scheme of things.

We pay to see these boys entertain us, why should their over weight racist owner make all the dough?

I get how they are rewarded for the money they generate and not necessarily just what they actually do. The numbers involved are just crazy and in particular when compared to the relative coin of the NBL or any other sport in Australia.

Just doesn't seem right when compared to people that dedicate their lives to greater things than playing sport. Yes........I am saying that there is more to life than sport, but even as I do, I am shaking my head!!

@ Spinner....get a grip people are paid what they are worth....it is how the world works.

Your paid what your worth in your job it is the commerical reality.

LBJ brings in the cash for sponsors tv etc hence the pay....Brain Surgeons get paid what they are worth as pending the results if your good enough you command your own price! It is all open market forces.

Don't let the number of 0's distract from there true value/return to investor.

seriously does ANYONE really need to earn this much, take a look at the world guys its way bigger than you!!!

Have any of San Antonio's players actually taken a pay-cut?

Mills, Diaw, Green, Belinelli, Baynes, and Ayres were either discarded by previous teams or not seriously considered for a roster spot. They are all capable players that are probably payed at their 'market value': not to be confused with the value they add to a team.

A few years ago, Duncan was earning $20+ million. His current contract has him earning an average of $10mil a season - currently being 38 years old. Maybe he could've earned more elsewhere, but low 8 figures isn't exactly small change...

Ginobili was drafted as a 27yo, and Parker was relatively unknown when drafted, both of whom had to earn their place on the team. They have been fairly injury-prone, but could have certainly made more elsewhere. How much more though? Parker is also up for another sizable contract at 32yo: again, probably at his market value.

Kawahi Leonard is an interesting one, although I think paying him the max as a RFA could definitely be justified.

The Spurs do a great job of avoiding overpaying players, and making use of the talent they have. The idea that they have all taken 'pay-cuts' is a little dubious.

The 'superstar model' can work, particularly with a perpetually undervalued player like LeBron. Wade and Haslem were always overpaid, and amnestying a proven role-player like Mike Miller to bring in Oden, Beasely and Lewis was downright foolish from Miami's owner.

LeBron has somehow become a more elite all-round player and carried the team while ownership penny-pinched: he owes the HEAT nothing.

Can someone explain what 'max salary' is? It seems it's different for different players, why is this?

VC Fan, it's because the NBA's recent collective bargaining agreements have been ridiculously complex:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salary_cap#National_Basketball_Association

I can't give you a straightforward answer, as it varies from player to player depending on numerous factors and there are always exceptions and loopholes.

Check out Q16 & 17 if interested:

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q16

@Anon...always happy to take comment from Anon's!

Sounds like your angry and the world owes you something for nothing!

Your jealousy aside LBJ or anyone whom is earning money will only earn what they are rightfully worth in an open and free market place(even with restrictions around salary caps which probably limit his true value) otherwise they will get the sack or put demoted etc.

I know @Anon it is hard to believe but not everyone is equal in the big wide world & some people will have a capacity to earn more money due to any number of factors (i.e Education, Sporting Skill, Life skills, hardwork etc) so don't take pot shots at them for that.

I think Tiger Watcher and Anon are arguing different points really. Tiger Watcher is absolutely right that Lebron is worth the max to an NBA franchise.

But Anon and others are, correctly in my view, arguing that it is inequitable that so much money is spent paying players to play a sport.

Or, put another way, would society be better off if NBA owners chose to spend more of their vast fortunes helping those in desperate need, instead of paying sportsmen $20 million per year contracts?

On Lebron specifically, I got the impression he was simply saying to clubs other than Miami, not to bother calling unless they had the max on the table?

For Miami, he may still take a little less than the max if he sees what that money is buying in terms of talented help.

I really don't see him leaving Miami. They can afford to pay him the most and they can go over the cap to resign him, Bosh and Wade once they have brought in some help.

I think he waits to see who Riley can attract and if he's happy with the upgrades he sees, he'll have a handshake agreement to sign once the others do.

No problem drawing lines..............just the ridiculous gap between the lines that I don't think is right!

There are a multitude of reasons why LeBron is worth a max salary.
It's nice to think of the fact that Surgeons, Firefighters, those sort of people should be the highest paid people in the world. And in theory, yes, they provide the most critical service to the public of anyone.
BUT... you don't get 20,000 people paying an average of $50 per ticket to come watch someone do open heart surgery. You don't have people walking around in a pair of Nike Surgeons. You don't see people wearing surgical masks and gowns in the street.
You don't have the media covering every single second of a surgeon's life. Breaking down every move they make. Creating constant tv shows, news articles and the like on surgeons. One surgeon doesn't provide employment for a whole host of people to analyse that one surgeon.
LeBron is widely regarded as the best at basketball in the whole word. Something that millions upon millions of people do every week. There are a lot of surgeons in the world, and the very best probably get paid good money too (maybe not $20 mil, but there'd be some on $1 mil I'd imagine). Then as the tiers go down, people get paid less. Same deal with basketball.
LeBron took reduced money for 4 years to play for the Miami Heat. He was the undisputed best player for a team that made the NBA Finals every year of those 4 years. They won the Championship 2 of those years. He was Finals MVP 2 of those years. He was League MVP 2 of those years (and twice previously too).
If anyone is worth a maximum contract, it is LeBron James. Maybe he will take a reduced contract again, but he shouldn't be expected to. Hell, Eric Bledsoe of all people is requesting one. There's talk of Klay Thompson asking for one after his rookie contract expires. Yes, the EBA means that LeBron will earn more for his max contract than those 2, but it's still the maximum amount of money they can earn.
There's never been an issue before with any other legitimate superstar getting paid his worth. Kobe accepted one and he's 6 years older than LeBron and has been constantly injured the last 2 years and his team has been mediocre at best.
He moved to Miami to win Championships. He won 2 and was close to winning another 2. He took reduced money for 4 years, in the middle of his athletic prime for the good of the team. He didn't completely get the results he wanted for that investment. So now he's asking for what he's due. And good luck to him. Any team in the league wouldn't blink at offering him $20 mil if they had the cap. Not one team.
There's a salary cap in the league. An agreed amount of money that teams are to spend. So, that money is going to be spent one way or another. It's not like him taking less money means that less money will be spent. So him taking more money isn't affecting the common man, him taking more money is just affecting another multi-millionaire in the league who might otherwise get to line their pockets with extra money.

Yes it is obscene on face value that one sports person is paid millions of dollars @Spinner, especially when you look at it from your perspective.

But take into account some important facts before you get too angry about it mate.

Not all successful sports people get great media jobs after they retire, they will need the money for the rest of their lives and their families.

Many come from poor backgrounds, not blessed with educations and if not for their skill in sport may be on the unemployment line.

What's better, having LeBron pay 100,000's in tax or taking benefits from tax payers?

The sporting window is so narrow, doctors can earn more over a 40-50 year career than a hooper in 5-10 years, also one bad injury and it is all over!

Just some of many points you should take into account perhaps...

All good points and I understand the theory. Bear, I think we would all love to struggle on with only $20 million for the rest of our lives instead of $45++++ million!!!

The 'superstar model' can work, particularly with a perpetually undervalued player like LeBron. Wade and Haslem were always overpaid, and amnestying a proven role-player like Mike Miller to bring in Oden, Beasely and Lewis was downright foolish from Miami's owner.

Wade overpaid? The guy has been a gun & only now is slowing down.

Heat telling free agents they will have $12+ million to spend, indicating Wade & Bosh ready to take huge pay cuts, sources told ESPN.

But Spinner, it isn't easy being 6'8", a super athlete, possessing the skill to dunk over 7 footers, run like a deer, jump like an antelope and move like a cat...

Yes, they have a lifestyle you obviously envy, but if everyone could do it then it wouldn't be special, just as not everyone can be a doctor mate!

You seem to want utopia, good luck with that...

Interesting they are targeting Deng, i reckon it could work with LeBron, Deng is a decent shooter, versatile player, good defender and long and athletic i reckon you could find a role for him on any team. Im a huge fan and Deng would be high on my list if i was any GM.

LeBron spent alot of time defending PGs in the playoffs, could they move him to pg full time?? Magic Johnson style??

A line up of

PG LeBron
SG Wade
SF Deng
PF Bosh
C ?? at worse Andersen,i wouldnt mind seeing them go for Okafor on the cheap, assuming they cant afford a Gortat type

Could be scary

You could also still go with a more traditional line up, assuming you cant fit in a Lowry type with Deng, and take your chances starting Napier, knowing LeBron and Wade can help with ball handling and go with

Napier
Wade
Deng
LeBron
Bosh

Could be interesting i doubt they will get Deng though, i think Lowry is the more likely of the names they are targeting, one rumour i saw is they are going for Lowry and Gortat, to me that would be a great way to go if they can pull it off

Lowry
Wade
James
Bosh
Gortat

is a pretty good and well rounded starting unit imo.

Well scrub Gortat, not sure who next best option is Okafor on the cheap?? if you try and get say 15 mins each out of Okafor, Oden, Andersen, in the C rotation it could work.

@johnno, I can see LeBron guarding a point guard like Parker, but I don't see him playing point, or guarding guys like Kyrie, Rose, Wesbrook and Co.

They would be too quick for LeBron and although he has awesome skills, he would struggle to play point IMHO.

yea, i mostly agree, would be fun to see him try it but at pg isnt ideal as it would take alot out of him to chase quick pgs all the time,

if they were to get a Deng type id rather go with my 2nd line up with LeBron at PF

You can't blame LeBron for holding out. Athletes have short careers so they want to make the most out of them. Why should he sacrifice millions when there's no guarantee that his team will win a ring?
Like others have said athlets are only 'overpaid' because it's what the market is willing to pay them.

Look at Usain Bolt his 100m PB is 9.58 seconds and he can run sub 10 easy. As a result he gets paid about 10 million a year from Puma alone. If you're a sprinter with a PB of 10.08 and you can regularly run sub 10.50 you're an elite athlete. However, you'll be lucky to even have a sponser that will provide you an income (look at Josh Ross).
http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/the-fastest-man-youve-never-heard-of/283/

People really need to stop being so obtuse about the Kobe contract, it's getting pathetic.

The issue is not the amount of money Kobe signed for - it’s the timing of the contract that is the problem. And the responsibility for that lies mostly with the Lakers increasingly inept management group.

Kobe deserves the amount he signed for. He’s been terribly underpaid his entire career. Every superstar in the league is horribly underpaid when compared to the amount of money they bring in for team ownership and the NBA every season. If there was no maximum player salary – someone like LeBron would have been earning twice what he is now. Why? Because he could demand it, someone would pay it, therefore he’s worth it.

Kobe has been in that situation, along with every other superstar in the league, for 18 seasons now. No one should begrudge him from continuing to earn big money when he’s been underpaid his whole career.

Plus, it’s a good business move by the Lakers. It sends a message to the rest of the league that this team looks after its franchise players better than most other teams. That’s a good message to send to potential franchise players out there.

The Lakers have always done this too. They signed Magic Johnson to a one year $14.6 million dollar 1-year extension in 1992, a massive amount of money at the time. This was after he sat out a year because of testing HIV positive. He didn’t even end up playing but the Lakers paid him the money. Why? It was a good deal for the team. It sent the kind of message that’s important to send, even though it temporarily made re-building the roster more difficult.

The only issue is the Lakers should have waited, kept Kobe unsigned for as long as possible. The Lakers then could have spent the available cap on 2 max players (potentially) and then signed Kobe to his extension then. League rules would have allowed it and the Lakers would have maximised their purchasing power.

Signing Kobe when they did was utterly idiotic. It means the Lakers can, at best, offer 1 instead of 2 max contracts to free agents. The timing of the Kobe contract is terrible. The amount of the contract is inconsequential.

I think this roster problem may be insurmountable for Riley if LeBron has high expectations about his support cast. If they have $12m to work with and need to fill two spots, I can't see them getting both Lowry and Deng. Either of them will take up $10-12m alone. Is Lowry enough?

That all assumes that Bosh doesn't take too rude a cut. He could still get a max deal elsewhere, whereas Wade couldn't.

WindhorstESPN: Kyle Lowry will take some time to consider options. Raptors, Rockets & Lakers are bidders, sources said. Heat have not progressed talks.

24 hours into free agency, LeBron James has been quiet. Teams hoping to engage have been mostly unable. No doors closed but teams moving on

Heat were keen on Lowry and Gortat amongst others. Both have stayed with their respective teams. What do they do now?

Ariza or Deng?

Apparently LeBron is acting independently of Wade and Bosh.

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11170322/dwyane-wade-chris-bosh-unsure-lebron-james-plan

The ball is in Pat Riley's court: he's running out of options with Lowry and Gortat off the board and Wade and Bosh potentially asking for combined starting salaries of $25+ million.

@spinner....depending on your lifestyle people can struggle along on $20mil per year if the are locked into big time lifestyles...it happens all the time when guys blow the lot and end up broke 2 years remvoed from the game.

As other pointed out Lebron touches pretty much half the globes population with his image/game so he should be fairly compensated for it...if anything he should get paid alot more.

lmfao 'lifestyle'. You've got to be an absolute fool to blow tens of millions like Iverson.
It's sad coz a lot of players like Iverson all blow their money coz they from the ghetto and have no idea of money management.

Rich Paul, the agent for James, invited three teams - Cleveland, Dallas and Phoenix – to the offices of his Klutch Sports headquarters to listen to pitches.

@2fast4u - Seems like a number of guys blow t on lifestyle....as you point out they go froom rags to riches to rags pretty quickly!

It is all what relative....if you go from $100mil to $1mil it is hard to adjust your lifestyle.

Same as if i earn $900K and then expected to earn $200K i would struggle, so its all relative.