They are popping the champagne corks in Orlando this week, celebrating the signing of Rashard Lewis (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3275) to a six-year, $113 million deal.
Congratulations, Orlando. Good luck with that.
History doesn't look kindly on this type of contract. The NBA salary cap can be brutally unforgiving. Manage it well, as the Detroit Pistons (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=det) and San Antonio Spurs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=sas) have done over the last five years, and your team has a shot to remain relevant and competitive year after year. Mismanage it, as teams such as the New York Knicks (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=nyk), Los Angeles Lakers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=lal), Houston Rockets (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=hou) and Minnesota Timberwolves (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=min) have done, and you have painted your team into a corner.


A very good overview of signing of Lewis and the situation in Orlando which looks like just screwed itself for the next forseeable future.

ESPN - Ford: Five rules for managing the salary cap - NBA (http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&id=2934997&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba %2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dford_ch ad%26id%3d2934997%26lpos%3dspotlight%26lid%3dtab2p os1)
You don't bid against yourself. Let me repeat: you don't bid against yourself...You don't offer max deal to a player who is not a superstar. Let me repeat...

Regarding Rule 4, "Keep your options open".
It is a coincidence that Joe decides to not use the MLE for the first time in I don't know, how long? By doing so he leaves enough $$ under the lux tax threshold to take back roughly an additional $3-4 mil in salary on any trade that becomes necessary later on. A $3-4 mil (25% penalty) take back translates into roughly $12-16 mil in trade value (Sheed sized dollars).

Hummmmm
Is Joe hedging his bets in case someone isn't with his NEW program.

That's a great article by Ford...Smith should be pulling his hair out right about now. I don't know who owns the Magic, but they are equally to blame.

That's a great article by Ford...Smith should be pulling his hair out right about now. I don't know who owns the Magic, but they are equally to blame.
That would be DeVoss family (does Amway ring a bell?)

That would be DeVoss family (does Amway ring a bell?)Thanks. Unfortunately for them, their hope for an NBA pyramid is eroding much faster than they can build it.

Thanks. Unfortunately for them, their hope for an NBA pyramid is eroding much faster than they can build it.
IT'S NOT A PYRAMID!!!! Maybe Otis gets a percentage of the contracts of all the players he can recruit to the team, like in Amway.

I think Otis missed the memo, which a lot other teams seem to have gotten this year.

It's better to pay a lot less money for a slightly less player. Gerald Wallace ring a bell?

Dummy

Another Chad Ford, "I am still right about Darko" article.

You gotta love how he continues to protect the Pistons and make the Magic his whipipng boys though.

Another Chad Ford, "I am still right about Darko" article.

You gotta love how he continues to protect the Pistons and make the Magic his whipipng boys though.

Who ever said that Pistons mishandled Darko?

Kelly Dwyer on Truehoop.