ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski shared on Friday that the NBA is seeking “an upper salary limit” in its negotiations around the new collective bargaining agreement.
To no surprise, this has been immediately discounted by those in the National Basketball Players Association, who view it as a “non-starter,” per Woj.
The move comes after multiple teams have dove deep into the luxury tax in recent years, with the Golden State Warriors being the prime example. Owner Joe Lacob has treated the salary cap as non-existent, most recently handing extensions to both Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole that will set up an unprecedented tax bill.
Meanwhile, franchises like the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets have also built a reputation for completely ignoring the salary cap threshold. Wojnarowski named all three teams as reasons why the NBA wants to pursue this league-altering change.
Obviously, this will be a storyline to watch as the NBA looks toward constructing a new CBA, but I can’t imagine it even making it to the table. Why would the NBA want to penalize owners for investing in their teams? In the interest of parity? While I completely understand that big market franchises may have more spending power than others, when have we seen this ability significantly impact the competitive landscape?
Sure, the Warriors have won four of the last eight championships, but they also had one of the best players in the world on their roster (not to mention, they just happen to be an incredibly well-run organization). Many of the other teams who have poured money into the tax haven’t yet received a championship banner. So it’s not like I would say that paying the tax necessarily guarantees that you’re the most competitive team.
I also wouldn’t say that we should reward those teams that have chosen to be historically cheap. And I type those words as a devoted follower of the Chicago freakin’ Bulls. My preferred path forward isn’t to help owner Jerry Reinsdorf spend less money, but rather force him (or a new owner) to act like they own a big market team. Again, at the end of the day, this should be a league that has governors who care about winning and investing in the players they drafted. Those who choose not to do those things are rightfully at a disadvantage.
Oh, and as a reminder … the Chicago Bulls remain one of the most valuable teams in the NBA.