NBA Chat With Eric Pincus 11/8/11

Jerome G

Hi Eric its me again.. BIG FAN of your forum! is there any way the clippers have enough players to trade for dwight and have enough players to go around Dwight for him to stay with the clippers?? who would you rather have as your franchise player blake or dwight? more power to your forum!

Eric Pincus

Perhaps but I’m thinking you’re better off finding the right perimeter player to balance with Griffin. LAC has almost always suffered at point guard. That’s where I’d go if given the opportunity.

greg sailor

Eric, You seem to have a pretty good idea who the Clips don’t want to acquire for the 3. So who in your opinion is their ideal player they want for that spot, that can be acquired by signing or trading for, without creating another hole in the roster??

Eric Pincus

I would say the Clippers would like to trade to fill their spot at the three. That may or may not happen depending on what’s to come with the CBA and then offers. We’ll have to wait and see. Free agency is a possibility but trade appears to be the preferred route.

Brendan Graetz

Hi There Eric,
I’m 18 and I live in Australia and I’m thinking about my future. the one thing that I really want to do is have a career in the NBA like Becoming a GM or a scout. I have a massive passion for the game and everything that goes with it and I’m wondering if you can help me out with some information to point me in the right direction?

Eric Pincus

A lot of people break into the front office through scouting but it’s a difficult, long journey and one that relies a lot on who you already know. Good luck with it!

cj

nicolas batum for ed davis? who says no?

Eric Pincus

Jason Fleming sent in an answer saying the Blazers would like Ed Davis but they’re not ready yet to deal Batum.

cj

PHIL gets kaman and brewer
CHI gets igoudala and aminu
LAC gets speights and deng
seems fair

Eric Pincus

Clippers don’t want Deng. I don’t believe the Bulls are looking to move Deng.

Lee

We’re not having a season, i’m convinced. My question is, why do players think we want to hear them say things like, “We’re going to stand firm,” or, “We won’t accept anything short of a fair deal”??? FANS DON’T CARE. They need to accept this proposal, but they won’t, and they’ll end up getting an even worse deal in October of 2012 and end up having lost millions of dollars each.

Eric Pincus

Maybe. From my experience fans are fickle. They come back.

Joe

Playing the part Clint Eastwood none other than MJ complete with cigar stub hanging from his mouth ” Go ahead and make my day!” The Union would be best served excepting what they can get now rather than post nuclear Thursday with someone as competitive and self absorbed as MJ on the other side?

Eric Pincus

I think you’re making some assumptions there that I don’t necessarily agree with. The players may get a better deal by waiting it out.

Andrew

Do you see Monta Ellis moving sometime before the trade deadline (if there is a season)? why or why not?

Eric Pincus

The Warriors really sound like they want to try the Monta/Steph backcourt under Mark Jackson. Does it work? If you can say definitively that it doesn’t, then it would be Monta on the block over Curry.

Andrew

Will CP3 stay with New Orleans even if David West goes? I’d think they’d pour all the money on him, but–again–CP3 is looking to win.

Eric Pincus

I don’t expect Paul to stay in New Orleans but stranger things have happened.

Andrew

What do you think about draftee prospects for the GSW: Klay Thompson, Charles Jenkins, and Jeremy Tyler (if you have any insight on them)?

Eric Pincus

I saw Klay play in Vegas and he’s a really nice pickup for the Warriors. I haven’t gotten a real look yet at Jenkins or Tyler.

Steve

Eric,
The owners seem to make good money selling their teams though the teams are not very profitable annually (with a few exceptions). If the teams become much more profitable in their annual operations under a more favorable CBA, could we see a great rise in team values?

Eric Pincus

Absolutely.

Steve

Eric,
Does the players willingness to play charity games for very modest wages, or free, hurt their bargaining position that they will only play for high salaries and that there are others who will pay them high salaries? Same with accepting cheap wages in Turkey, for instance, like D-Will?

Eric Pincus

I would say it’s completely immaterial to the negotiation. There’s not enough money overseas to pay for the 400+ players who are waiting for the lockout to resolve.

Steve

Eric,
If the NBA was starting from scratch but new a great market existed for basketball fans, sponsors etc., would they be offering to players anything close to the terms they are now offering? I think maybe 40% BRI at best and other reduced terms.

Eric Pincus

That’s a really abstract question. You can argue that they are starting from scratch. Why would the players take 40%? They’d go play overseas instead for more.

Chris

Why exactly is this deal so objectionable for the players? They still have a soft cap they wanted. Still have mid-level exceptions. They have a 50% BRI instead of the 39% the owners originally wanted. And they’ve spent months negotiating to this point, so it’s not like the owners are forcing the worst deal possible down their throats. So, again, why is it so objectionable?

Eric Pincus

The teams most willing to spend money (tax teams) don’t have their Mid-Level. Instead they have a half MLE every other year. Additionally the tax teams can’t sign and trade. So if a team is too close to the tax, Bird Rights become meaningless (especially for non-stars but good players) and if the tax teams can’t bid on them, where do they go to get paid? Their leverage would be limited and they’d have to take whatever deal their own team will give them or a lesser deal with another team. Additionally the players are yielding already so much on BRI percentage, they don’t believe it makes sense to give on system and split. It’s a mess. It’s not the worst offer the owners have made, but it’s still a lousy deal based on the history of the league.

Doesn’t mean players shouldn’t take it but there may be ways to get a better deal still, especially if the players are willing to chance further losses with cancelled games.

Aristotle

Hey Eric,
What would it be like for the city of LA if there was no season? What impact would it have on the people to have no Lakers, Clippers, and pro basketball?

Eric Pincus

It’s not good. LA Live downtown relies on that income. The Lakers are a huge money-maker for the city. The Clippers play their part as well, on a smaller but necessary scale. Bummer for all, absolutely.

Brian

I asked this to Bill as well, but want to understand what I’m missing? The players had the OPPORTUNITY to make 57% of BRI, something that they did only ONCE in the last CBA. Effectively they were guaranteed 49% of BRI and that’s what they earned until this last year. Why is no one explaining this to them or talking about it more? Also, I understand that they are the talent, but the fact is that it is the marketing of the talent that has made the NBA a global brand and therefore the league successful. This was accomplished bc of the Stern’s NBA and the owners. Before Magic, Bird, and Jordan the NBA had talent like Dr. J, but was nowhere near the success of the league today. Yes their talent played a role, but again, it was building the Brand and marketing the talent that allowed their personal and league success to reach these levels.

Eric Pincus

They were guaranteed to make 57% of BRI last year and earned 57% of BRI last year.

Gil

Wondering if there is any scenarios where all current contracts are voided and, once an agreement gets worked out, teams somehow fill their roster from scratch, kind of like a new fantasy bball season. Lebron in Dallas, Kobe in New York, KD in Orlando… ?

Eric Pincus

Not really.

Gil

How is decertification gonna make the owners give up more than they want to give today?

Eric Pincus

The owners would be looking at a long legal battle in the courts. They’d be subject to a third-party controlling their destiny (a judge) and there’s no way to guarantee a win for the owners. At some point a deal with the players will make the most sense – we just may not be at that point yet.

Dwayne

If Baron Davis is bought out is he a good choice for Lakers? And if so who gets the Amnesty Blake or World Peace (assuming Walton retires)?

Eric Pincus

I don’t like Baron for the Lakers. He needs the ball. He can’t shoot. He gives inconsistent effort. If Walton retires, his money is still counted against the tax (unless the rules change) for a full years so I’m thinking they use the amnesty on Luke.

Ricky Flores

What does Decertification mean? im really confused with all that talk. Does that mean all contracts get voided and owners have to start from scratch to build a team?

Eric Pincus

The league would try to void the contracts but I don’t believe they’d have success. Basically the players would no longer be working together as a group but individually negotiating with the NBA. Then there would be anti-trust lawsuits from the players that could prove significantly damaging to the NBA. It’s a mess if it goes all the way but normally the players start to go down that road and it’s resolved before it gets there.

Aevi

Hi Eric. Do you think decertification will put any kind of scare into the owners enough for them to bring better terms to the negotiation table?

Eric Pincus

Eventually yes.

gus26

i’m going to be optimistic and say this thing goes through…. season opens on christmas day… not putting into account the monetary concerns… what players are the lakers going to target in free agency?… i know jeff foster, are they going to try to resign brown?..

Eric Pincus

You’re optimistic but the union isn’t taking the deal as is.

gus26

so they’re calling the “no extend and trade” rule the carmelo rule… but i think this is the howard rule. i hate to even think it but could howard end up signing with boston in 2012? what % do you put to howard ending up on lakers? boston? ny? nets? or staying in orlando?

Eric Pincus

It’s the Melo rule because owners don’t want a player forcing a trade midseason like Carmelo did. No extend-and trade opens up a can of worms in itself. Will teams give up the necessary pieces in trade if they don’t know 100% for sure that player they get will stay long term? Like if the Clippers traded for Chris Paul, do they give up the Minnesota 2012 pick if there’s a chance Paul walks as a free agent immediately after the season? As far as Howard and the like, let’s wait on the new rules to truly speculate. So much variability, any guess now is just spitting in the wind. I would say there’s a very good chance that Howard leaves Orlando but the new rules may make that difficult in and of itself.

gus26

what do you remember about the whole magic announcement? i remember i was 7 and had no idea what hiv was just remember being sad cuz a friend told me that meant he was going to die.

Eric Pincus

It was just a sad, sad day – mostly because it was assumed that HIV was a death sentence and that we’d be losing Magic for real (forget basketball) in short time. Fortunately that wasn’t the case and while it was a loss for basketball itself, I’m happy Magic is still Magic.

gus26

will both sides meet before the wed deadline? i’m hoping so.

Eric Pincus

Nothing scheduled yet but hope springs eternal.

gus26

what player, when added to this current laker roster, could put them right back in the finals?… iyo

Eric Pincus

Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant . . . it’s a long list. Did you mean realistic players? In truth, the Lakers may already be there with the extended rest and talent already on the roster. The question at hand to me – will there be a drop-off from Phil Jackson to Mike Brown? Certainly there will be in some areas but how much will that manifest on the court?

T J

Hey what about grant hill with the bulls? Is it a good fit? Also when its all said and done what will, you remember about Steve Nash

Eric Pincus

Sure re: Hill and the Bulls but then Chicago has small forward pretty well filled with Luol Deng, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. None are really guards, including Hill. Two-guard is where they need help but Grant, in his prime would be a brilliant fit with Derrick Rose. Nash made/makes the game unpredictable in a very positive way for his team.

gus26

i think the mle at 3 million for tax paying teams and being able to use it every year would be fair, let the extend and trade be leagal, and outlaw sign and trade. no player options on final years and no team options. add the stretch amnesty like you expalined it and there is your new fair CBA… oh and 50/50… did i miss anything?

Eric Pincus

I think you’re more likely to see sign and trade legal and extend and trade not. If the owners said $3 mil per on MLE, every year plus S&T – you might have a deal at 50/50.

robert howard jr

Why is it taking so long for the union to bring a vote to the players so they can decide if they want to take the deal.

Eric Pincus

Union leadership hates the offer. It would take a groundswell of support from the players to force that and so far it hasn’t come. Maybe today is the day.

Blaze

Suppose the Blazers decide to use the anticipated amnesty provision on Brandon Roy. What player do you envision them going after with the potential cost savings from his long term deal.

Eric Pincus

Let’s get into that once we know the rules. There’s kind of a big question mark beyond that, no? I’ve done some what-if articles and will continue to do so but I’m afraid there’s not enough time in the chat format to break down Portland’s full set of possible choices.

Mark

Interesting article this morning, but I got the impression you were arguing on behalf of a side (reject the deal) that you don’t fully agree with. Do you think the players should take the deal, reject it, or perhaps offer a counter proposal with a 49-52% band?

Eric Pincus

At this point I don’t believe BRI is the issue but system. I’m not entirely sure what I’d do if I were in the position. It would depend on who I am individually as a player. Am I still waiting for my first big payday? Am I at the end of my career and playing on the vet min? A superstar? There’s not a clear answer across the board and that’s part of what the difficulty is. I don’t like the owners’ offer though it’s the best one they’ve given to date, so yes . . . I am of a mixed opinion.

Shahin O.

Hey E! What’s your feeling about writers’ sense of today’s ‘deadline’? Are we going to see the players fold and take it, or are Billy Hunter/D-Fish going to hold back the worrying baller masses? And if they take it, does that mean all the other terms get sorted out today too?

Eric Pincus

My gut is the players don’t take the deal but that there is a last minute bargaining session before the so-called deadline. I’m not sure it’s fruitful but we’ll have to just wait and see. If the players take the deal, we could have basketball within the next 30-35 days.

tony

Cris kaman for Jeff green …it works out for both team who data no?

Eric Pincus

I’m not sure the Clippers really want to pay for Jeff Green. He’s good but not great. He’s not an awful option but from what I understand, he isn’t the highest on their list. Things change as opportunities come and go, so I wouldn’t cross it out entirely.

kirk wallace

hey eric,

how do u see the lockout ending and apprx when?

Eric Pincus

Before we lose the season but when exactly? Hard to say. I know the owners want games starting by Christmas, so there’s that.

Mark

Do you think Fisher’s outright rejection of the latest offer has more to do with it being an unacceptable proposal, or with loosing face if relenting to Stern’s ultimatum?

Eric Pincus

Zero to do with losing face – entirely with the proposal.

Josh

Eric,

with the “minor tweaks” to the latest ultimatum do you think the league accepts? If a deal goes down today or tomorrow when will we see the game?

Eric Pincus

There aren’t minor tweaks. The players want a deal that allows tax teams to use their MLE in full and S&T. I’m not sure the owners give on that but if they did, I’d think you’d have a deal.

Faizan

Every time ive been optimistic, ive been shot down and been dead wrong so now I could just say that players will decline but ive just got this gut feeling that theyre too stupid too not accept…will I be wrong again?

Eric Pincus

I don’t agree with the “stupid” part – you can argue very clearly that it’d be “stupid” to take the deal.

Brian

Hey Eric, why do some beat writers feel so strongly this lockout will come to an end in the next 36 hours? Do you share the same optimism?

Eric Pincus

I can’t speak for other writers. We’re certainly at a transition point. Either we’ll see resolution or a possible turn to decertification and some longer, more difficult paths. The last lockout ended around early January so there’s room to work with, sadly.

Clutch

We hear a lot from the hardline owners and what they want. What are the big market/tax paying teams saying, and how do they feel about this proposed system that will make it impossible for them to sign good players? Are they pushing back at all against their fellow owners?

Eric Pincus

The big market owners aren’t entirely happy with the new deal but are out-numbered.

Steve

But Eric,
Teams under the cap would be able to hire the free agents if their own teams can’t or won’t. Players want freedom of free-agency, well, they can move on then. The way LBJ, Bosh and Carmelo jerked their teams around was BS.

Eric Pincus

This isn’t about the stars. It’s not about the rookies. It’s about everyone else, fighting and clawing to reach the average salary.

Scott

So why aren’t there going to be extend and trades? I understand all the Melo nonsense that Denver went through, but they ended up a lot better than the Cavs did.

Eric Pincus

The owners don’t want players have that kind of power and frankly I see there point. That drama can really torpedo an entire season – regardless of how it actually played out in Denver.

kirk wallace

hey eric,

y’d it take so long for players to bring up decertication? would the lockout have ended already if it was brought up in july/august?

Eric Pincus

You can argue they should have gone to decertification earlier. They tried to make a deal this way and may still make a deal this way. I don’t fault parties for making choices under difficult circumstances. This is no easy process.

jaimeson Trocheck

Don’t think Kobe was “babied” by Phil like Mike Brown did with LeBron. Is Brown going to take control? Or better yet, will Kobe let him take control?

Eric Pincus

Mike Brown, in my opinion, doesn’t have the kind of personality that will be able to take control of a player like Kobe.

Shahin O.

One last q from me; if/when the terms are finally decided–likely heavily favoring the owners– will this lead to Billy H. and/or D-Fish having to fall on their swords? Possibly even seeing D-Fish ‘asked to retire’?

Eric Pincus

I don’t get it.

Lee

Reagarding Mark’s question, i entirely disagree with you. It is totally about losing face. If the proposal were so atrocious, there wouldn’t be so much buzz about putting a vote on it. I think the union is divided between guys who don’t want to lose to the owners, and guys who just want to play and accept this proposal. I’d say there are more players willing to accept than not.

Eric Pincus

This has nothing at all to do with losing face. This is an economic issue. This is about getting the best out of a collective negotiation that could impact the next 10 year directly and all to follow. This is not about bruised egos at all.

D

Do you agree that the NBPA went into these negotiations all wrong? They went from 57% to 53% right off the bat. As soon as they did that, Stern and the owners knew there was more to take and took an even harder line. Negotiating in “good faith” with the owners is like chum negotiating with sharks. Bad move.

Eric Pincus

You can make the argument the players came down too quickly but then they didn’t really have a lot of leverage to begin with in this scenario.

Earl

The owners haven’t negotiated in good faith and have issued an ultimatum. The players should just vote for the union desertification and get it over with. I don’t believe that some owners will make money by missing the season, what do you believe?

Eric Pincus

It could go this direction. The ultimatum is really a hollow threat though. We shall see.

D

Do you also have a sick feeling in your stomach about Jimmy Buss being in over his head running the Lakers? Reminds me a lot of Frank McCourt in some ways.

Eric Pincus

Perhaps. He’s unproven and he’s being asked to follow arguably the greatest owner in league history. Naturally there’s some skepticism and I would say to date his interpersonal/media savvy has come into question. That doesn’t mean either way that he’s the right or wrong guy for the job. But it’s absolutely a possibility that he doesn’t have the knack his father has.

gus26

were coach kuester and mcgrady on good terms? how bout prince? i think you know where i’m going with this…
if the alternative to davis is fisher and blake on a more traditional style offense (not the triangle), you still say no to davis?

Eric Pincus

My sense is that the players in Detroit were not on great terms with Kuester. Would that keep them from becoming Lakers? I’m not sure it would. I say no to Baron at this point based on what he’d be able to do when players like Bynum, Gasol and Kobe need the ball – and a shooter at the one to space the floor.

Dong of Dayton

stopping tax teams from using the full mle and s&t seems seem like small things as there are only 5-6 over the tax teams. why should the players fight so hard over these things?

Eric Pincus

It’s not a small thing at all. It takes the biggest spenders out of the free agency equation.

Charlie

In a chat a few weeks ago, Jason Flemming stated if the Chicago Bulls had to trade Noah + filler for Dwight Howard. Chicago “wouldn’t be much better and shouldn’t bother.” This is a statement I am surprised more people didn’t bring attention to. Do you agree with Jason’s premise (even if Chicago had to give up Noah, Gibson, Brewer, and future 1rst)?

Eric Pincus

You can argue that Noah is one of the league’s top defensive centers. He’s not Howard, there’s no question, but the Bulls might be better off finding other ways to improve. I’m not going to say they shouldn’t get Howard given the chance but I fully understand Jason’s point.

Dominic

Hey Eric,

What do you think DWill is doing? He’s made some strange comments the past few days.

Eric Pincus

Very undetermined. New Jersey/Brooklyn still a very long-term possibility but there’s no guessing yet.

VC15

Eric, what do you think would have happened to the Magic if they stand pat on their 2010 roster and held on to myself and Rashard. My guess is we’ll get past Atlanta and probably get through the Bulls.

Eric Pincus

I’m not sure that Shard was up to the task. He seems to be slowing. I don’t think they would have gotten it done either. It’s rare for a team to get back to that same level. Often it’s one-and-done.