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How a hard cap could hurt the Thunder

by Royce Young on July 4, 2011 at 2:01 pm 53 Comments

Ronald Martinez/NBAE/Getty Images

One of the biggest sticking points in the current labor negotiations is the issue of a hard salary cap. Owners want, players don’t.

(If you’re asking, “Wait, what’s a hard cap?” basically it’s a system where there’s no give over whatever max salary number the league sets. Currently, the league has a “soft” cap meaning teams can go over in certain situations. A hard cap doesn’t allow that.)

Most see a hard cap as a help to small markets. And for the most part, I agree. The playing field financially is leveled as big markets can’t pile up $20 or even $30 million over the cap (hello Mavericks) while smaller markets fear the wrath of the luxury tax.

A hard cap would help out in most ways because New York, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles wouldn’t be able to flex their checkbooks and absorb bad contracts at quite the rate they do now. No denying that.

But at CBSSports.com today, I couldn’t help but wonder how a hard cap might actually hurt small market teams, especially one like the Thunder. Keep Reading…

Monday Bolts – 7.4.11

by Royce Young on July 4, 2011 at 11:26 am 6 Comments

Happy Freedom everyone. Enjoy your toasty Fourth of July wherever you may be. Here’s a video of KD and Russ representing the red, white and blue well.

Serge Ibaka might consider playing in Spain: “While vacationing in Spain, Ibaka recently told a radio station that he would be open to returning to Spain, where he played for two seasons prior to officially joining the Thunder. “If there is a lockout, and there are not many complications to play in the CBA, I would like to return here to play,” Ibaka is quoted as saying.” Keep Reading…

TGR 57: The Root of All Evil – NBA Lockout Edition

by Thunderground Radio on July 3, 2011 at 2:47 pm 16 Comments

OK, that may be a little harsh but still…in this week’s episode the guys from TGR review Presti’s recent moves, make their predictions about this year’s stock of rookies, and outline the real loser’s in the lockout.

Key Questions:

Does re-signing Nazr stunt Aldrich’s development?

Do any of the moves made by teams in the Northwest Division mean more competition for the Thunder?

Five years from now, who will be the consensus five best players from the 2011 draft?

Will the lockout result in a loss of games or even an entire season? If so, what will the fallout look like?

Download, listen and comment.

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Saturday Morning Cartoons: All together now

by Royce Young on July 2, 2011 at 8:13 am 24 Comments

Happy lockout everybody. Thank you for your support of DT. I’m ready for basketball.

Lockout FAQ: What’s going on?

by Royce Young on July 1, 2011 at 2:19 pm 21 Comments

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

The NBA’s owners voted to lock out the players on Thursday, meaning that officially, the league is operating under a lockout.

We’re all hearing that term being tossed around a lot. I overheard two guys talking about it at a restaurant yesterday in fact.

“You hear there’s a lockout? I can’t believe this!”

“Me either. So ridiculous. What exactly does that mean?”

“Something about a Collective Bargaining Agreement. And money.”

Pretty much, yeah. But there’s more to it than that. What is a lockout? What happens to the players? Why does the league do it? What’s decertification?

So I put together a little Lockout FAQ. Hopefully most of your questions are answered here. And in normal language, not lawyer talk that the two guys at the restaraunt would never understand. Keep Reading…

Friday Bolts – 7.1.11

by Royce Young on July 1, 2011 at 11:12 am 23 Comments

The NBA may be locked out, but life goes on. No games have been lost yet. We’re just not enjoying free agency right now, which isn’t that big of a deal. Don’t panic until September. Business as usual… for now.

KD played one-on-one with Reggie Jackson yesterday: “We played one-one and he was guarding me. He kind of spaced me a little bit but still was up into me as a defender. That’s rare,” said Durant, whose jump shot is hardly ever tightly contested coming from his lanky 6-9 frame. “His arms are very long and he’s very athletic. He covers ground quick. Most guys coming into this league go 100 miles an hour, especially guards. But he has a great pace to his game and I think he’s going to help us out.” Keep Reading…

Durant on the lockout: Players aren’t giving in

by Royce Young on June 30, 2011 at 7:56 pm 32 Comments

Kevin Durant is the Thunder’s union representative, however he hasn’t been present at any of bargaining sessions. He regrets that, but still said he’s been in the loop through email and teammate Nick Collison, who has filled in for him.

He spoke to reporters today following the wrap of his basketball camp and shortly after the league announced a lockout was coming and said the players weren’t about to back down. Via the AP:

“We’re going to stand up for what we have to do, no matter how long it’s going to take,” Durant told The Associated Press after the conclusion of his two-day youth basketball camp. “No matter how long the lockout’s going to take, we’re going to stand up. We’re not going to give in.”

[...]

Durant acknowledged “it might have to take all the way up until maybe December or January” — meaning the start of the NBA season in October would be jeopardized — but the players are committed to getting a CBA they feel is fair.

“The way the CBA worked before is something we really liked. There’s no need to change it,” Durant told AP. “Things have been going very well for us, as far as the league, revenue and things like that are concerned. We want to stick with that pace, but of course the owners want to go a different way with it.

“We’re going to stick with it until we come out with a good deal.”

The Thunder are opening their brand new practice facility soon, but players won’t get a taste of it. Durant said he toured it last night, but that’ll be the last time he steps inside for a while as the league will physically lock players out starting at 12:01 a.m. Keep Reading…

Owners vote to lock out players

by Royce Young on June 30, 2011 at 2:15 pm 49 Comments

Officially, it’s happened via Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Berger also said the union has no plans to decertify right now though.

So… yeah. We all knew it was happening, but it’s here now. Start growing your beards, ya’ll.

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