What makes you think that? He owns two of the best basketball teams in America. How many winning and successful professional basketball franchises do you own? Have a nice evening.
This thread should be called "And you thought Isiah Thomas was bad..." Do you think this was a bone-headed move by Steve Kerr? Do you think this was necessary or at least justifiable? And what do the trade exceptions mean for Phoenix? How do they work?
They got rid of $8 mil worth of salaries to get closer to the cap. They were more than $10 mil over the cap, that's why the move. Purely financial reasons.
Thomas was a spare part. Mid-to-late first rounders can be bought for around $2 million each. This is a good deal for both teams. If we joke about the Knicks payroll and applaud Joe for managing the Pistons so well, you have to respect that Kerr is "trimming the fat" now to protect the owner's interest.
Maybe I should have been less glib but I was referring to the reluctance of the owner to go over the luxury tax threshold which is what this move was about as well as the last couple of years when they have sold the rights to first round picks. People give Davidson a lot of grief for some sort of perception fo being "cheap" or not being willing to spend past the threshold to get closer to a championship. Sarver has spent years pissing away valuable assets (especially for a team with a notoriously thin bench) and their window is only open as long as Nash's back and legs allow. Thomas may have been a spare part to the Suns, but they have played their best defense when he has been healthy and an $8 million expiring contract sure could fetch some useful bench players. Not only did they get nothing in return, but they also gave away more first rounders. I understand Kerr's pressure to get under the cap, but it seems like it is self defeating to give away first round picks and turn around and overpay for guys like Marcus Banks and Boris Diaw. PS: I personally have no problem with the Pistons staying under the tax, I was just poking fun at the long-standing meme in Detroit circles.
Here is what I don't understand about the "Davidson is cheap" theory. He has donated over $130 Million to charity. This is why I subscribe to "the owners are acting in collusion" theory. They know that if they go over the tax threshold, then others will do it and all it will do is inflate the price of the players. In the end, it would drive up the cost of labor and all teams would be relatively the same.
TaShawn normally I think you be in some straight crazy uNoWhat, but that right there was some insightful stuff. I never looked at it like that.
When you have that much money, it's not the amount you give away, but who you give it to. Davidson will reluctantly pay the players, but it has to drive him crazy to pay a luxury tax that goes back to the other owners. No way a successful businessman like him, can stomach giving money to his competitors.
Thats probably the whole thing there. Plus those old Billionairs don't mind spending their money as long as they are getting something. Paying tax is throwing money away to him. I think he would be willing to spend a little if it came down to losing an important player and he actually did end up spending some back in 04. 65 mil is what you have to work with to stay under. Thats an avg of 5mil for the 1st 12 players and 5 more to keep 3 projects around. One would think that would be enough. Just have to avoid those KG/Shaq type contracts if you can. Whats going to happen when Davidson is no longer with us? Will his family sell the team, take over it. I have no idea.
He may be an old scrooge, but I have never seen the evidence of that. Does he reveal his personality at all? You don't own an WNBA team to make money, do you?
Yeah, I'm with you. The cost of paying the lux tax is much bigger than the number on the actual bill. If you throw money around, it becomes harder and harder to keep the team profitable.
It's a fantastic asset to own. There are only "X" professional sports teams to buy. Combine that with the fact that PS&E owns the Palace, now they have summertime tenants, which help generate those lucrative concession sales. It's likely that not everyone with a WNBA team is making money, but I am pretty darn confident that Bill Davidson is.
Here is a good article concerning this. It looks like it is pretty cheap to run a team. Also, when you look at the profitability, you have to look at how much rent is being charged. HoopsHype - Columns - Should the WNBA survive?
The WNBA just lost a franchise last year when the owner of the Charlotte Sting disbanded the team. Usually when a league de-expands its not a good sign. I am not sure if any teams are making a profit or not. But with a team salary cap of 720k its less than what an NBA team would pay for a scrub to ride the pine for a season. When you think about it like that its not a bad PR move for the money. Even if the Shock did not make a dime it still would have costed Davidson less money than what he owes Flip Murry next season.
One more on the WNBA. I will tell you why I think it will survive. Right now its mainly a family orientated event and they even market it that way. Its a very inexpensive way for someone to take their kids to a sporting event without having to worry about drunken fans or vulgor language. Its totally different than a Pistons game. Everyone gets along, no one swears at the players or gets too rowdy. In creating this family atmosphere they are also exposing the next generation of the ticket buying public to WNBA games.
