Will the league get it's age limit restriction?

[Guest_Randy]

It looks as if the Union is preparing to cave on this issue (if I were a player, I would want a MUCH better representive than Hunter -- what an idiot!).  

In a world of troubled economy, I think the NBA (i.e. management and players) are smart enough to see that Hockey has just shot itself in the head (duh, an organization that is hurting BIG TIME financially squables over greed) and may never recover) and they aren't looking to see that happen to the NBA.  In a time when most fans struggle with the cost of tickets, the NBA and it's players don't to hurt their image more than it already has been (i.e. "my children have to eat").

But I find it quite interesting that the Union is willing to cave on the age issue when they have LeBron James as a their current posterchild for the issue.

Stern has done a great job with reigning in salary contracts.  While there are a few clubs that have made some really stupid signings and contracts, I think Stern has been able to limit the ceiling fairly effectively through the salary cap.  

I REALLY would like to see them add a length cap to contracts as well (4 or 5 years) -- this would also keep players from being locked up to longterm deals that, in many cases, they aren't able to play out (at least to the ability of their contract price).  Face it, the free market system doesn't work in the NBA -- as long as there is an option for a longterm contract -- there are really stupid GM's willing to make the idiotic kind of deals (see Allan Houston, etc.).  And while many would argue "it's their choice to be stupid if they want to be" -- it also hurts the overall product of the NBA, IMO.

[westkoast]

Since we are speaking about the age limit  there is one thing I want to talk about and it happens to be one of the cons that ive seen brought up when people speak about the NBA letting HS players join the ranks once they grad.

This talk of teams taking gambles with younger players should be something the team is concerned with, not the league.  Good management and good decisions by management is what helps keep a balance in the league.  Not every team can be a good team or else there wouldnt be stand out teams like we have this year.  These scouts know a difference between a Lebron James and a Kwame Brown.  Why does the league need to put a rule up because teams like the Wizards and Bulls, who are known to have poor management in the past, cannot do their job?  You dont see the Spurs going crazy over HS players.  You dont see the Kings going crazy over HS players.  What you see is alot of desperate teams wishing on a star that this 18 year old is going to develop into a superstar.  If the scouts were doing their job the right way then there would be no reason to put up a rule.

[rickortreat]

As far as contract lengths- There's two ways to deal with this: either limit contract lengths, or change the rules so players who can't play get disability and the team is free to replace the player without any salary cap violation.

The problem with a long-term contract is a team can get stuck paying injured players full salary and is unable to get another player of equal value on the market.  Why should a team be injured because a player is?

Long term contracts depend on the future play of the player.  It could be based on player performance, but players really don't want to link their pay to their play.  If players were paid on a scale according to their stats, then you'd have a really fair pay system!

But why should NBA players get paid, instead of being released like in the NFL?  The players could acquire disability insurance to protect themselves.

It's a really stupid system they have now, isn't it?

Age limits-  I don't think a player of 18 is usually capable of playing in the NBA.  But there are some rare talents that are.  I don't think a team should be able to draft anyone in High School unless they declair themselves eligible, and I think they should not loose NCAA eligibility unless they are drafted.  The NCAA rule is completly unfair to the players and would make a good class-action suit!  

[westkoast]

As far as contract lengths- There's two ways to deal with this: either limit contract lengths, or change the rules so players who can't play get disability and the team is free to replace the player without any salary cap violation.

The problem with a long-term contract is a team can get stuck paying injured players full salary and is unable to get another player of equal value on the market.  Why should a team be injured because a player is?

Long term contracts depend on the future play of the player.  It could be based on player performance, but players really don't want to link their pay to their play.  If players were paid on a scale according to their stats, then you'd have a really fair pay system!

But why should NBA players get paid, instead of being released like in the NFL?  The players could acquire disability insurance to protect themselves.

It's a really stupid system they have now, isn't it?

Age limits-  I don't think a player of 18 is usually capable of playing in the NBA.  But there are some rare talents that are.  I don't think a team should be able to draft anyone in High School unless they declair themselves eligible, and I think they should not loose NCAA eligibility unless they are drafted.  The NCAA rule is completly unfair to the players and would make a good class-action suit!

I dont think most 18 year olds are ready mentally or physically to play the pro game.  There are certain things that KG, Amare, Kobe, and most recently Lebron have shown when teams were watching them that said 'hay these guys are really special.'   These teams benefitted big time from there being no age restriction.  They also didnt just go after any high fly high school player.  They made good decisions.  

Then there are teams who take HS players because maybe, just maybe, they MIGHT be a good player someday.  Look at Darius Miles for example.  IMO he is one of the hay-maybe-hopefully-wish upon a star kind of players that teams SHOULD get screwed for gambling on.  Why should the league setup a rule that hurts smart teams and keeps the dumb teams from well, being dumb.

 

[rickortreat]

That's a pretty good point.  But my concern was to protect the players.  Most HS players aren't ready, and even those who can play the game may be too immature to handle the opportunites that open up to anyone with that kind of money.

Many of the ones that graduate from college still lack the maturity, but at least they can make a living.

A kid out of HS won't have the education to get a decent job in the real world and will basically have a warped sense of reality if he gets so much money he never needs to work again.