Re: NBA Regular Season Discussion Thread
When teams aren't making profits and you are having to bail them out I see a problem.
If LA's market was the sole factor the Clippers would make way more than they do even though they have always been somewhat profitable in LA. Quality of product also comes in to play and makes the higher ticket prices, advertising revenue, television rights, and merchandise sales what it is.
If you are a team like the Hornets who admittedly over spent on Peja and Chandler years ago just to appease Paul or like the Cavs who over spent on Hughes, Varejao, Gibson, and others to appease LeBron you should be willing to live with the consequences of your decisions. The same goes for Minny when they gave KG the dubious honor of being the highest paid guy in the league and couldn't bring in any talent or generate the revenue that they wanted to excuse all the first round exits and lotto years.
It is bull shit to LAL, Toronto, NYC, Orlando, Boston, SA, Chicago, and so on to foot the bill in two ways for teams who aren't willing to spend to put out a good product (Bobcats) or who spend more than they have and can generate (Hornets). Either give them the profits from the luxury tax or abolish it all together with a hard 100 mil cap if you are just going to use the finances of winners who spend money, win, and make a good profit to fund other squads as well. There is no need for teams to bankroll them twice
* Memphis actually has made a profit since dealing Pau, whereas they couldn't afford his deal years ago because he wasn't putting asses in their seats