Dukies in the NBA 2019-20

[SouthernDukie]

This gets sporks. NBA fans seem to have at least 15 top five players, and 30 top ten players.

Gotcha covered on the sporks.

[JasonEvans]

I'm gonna guess that the frustration that Tatum ($6.7 mil salary), Brown ($5.1 mil), and Rozier ($3 mil) were frustrated at the high salaries of Hayward ($31.2 mil) and Irving ($20.1 mil) then I suspect they may have also been frustrated with the salary of Horford $28.9 mil). So, Horford fleeing Boston may not have been about getting away from Kyrie, it may have been about getting away from Tatum and Brown.

Just guessing... but sure seems to make some logical sense.

-Jason "the Celtics 5 best players next year will be Tatum, Walker, Hayward, Brown, and Smart... now that would be one crazy small ball lineup... Tatum at center!" Evans

[bundabergdevil]

Boy, I hope RJ really, really loves playing for the Knicks because the Knicks don't appear to be getting more functional any time soon.

This is the first I've heard of any of this but I'm not in NYC.

[NSDukeFan]

Excuse me, Kyrie is easily one of the 20+ Top-ten players in the league.


I am one of the 80% that considers himself an above-average driver.

This gets sporks. NBA fans seem to have at least 15 top five players, and 30 top ten players.

I don’t think there are more than ten top five players, but agree there are about 30 top 10 players . 😀

[budwom]

Boy, I hope RJ really, really loves playing for the Knicks because the Knicks don't appear to be getting more functional any time soon.

This is the first I've heard of any of this but I'm not in NYC.

RJ can work hard, get better, then get out when his contract expires...it's become the Go Somewhere Else League anyway...

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

RJ can work hard, get better, then get out when his contract expires...it's become the Go Somewhere Else League anyway...

Gee, he hasn't played a game yet.

[budwom]

Gee, he hasn't played a game yet.

I don't see how that matters. The Knicks will be dysfunctional as long as Dolan owns them, and that will be for a long time.

[UrinalCake]

I'm gonna guess that the frustration that Tatum ($6.7 mil salary), Brown ($5.1 mil), and Rozier ($3 mil) were frustrated at the high salaries of Hayward ($31.2 mil) and Irving ($20.1 mil) then I suspect they may have also been frustrated with the salary of Horford $28.9 mil).

Those three were all on rookie contracts, so I’m not following how they would be frustrated by the higher salaries of the older players. That’s just how the league works. Unless you’re suggesting that they were looking ahead to their upcoming second contracts and felt that the team wasn’t keeping enough cap space clear to be able to reward them when their time came?

[tbyers11]

Those three were all on rookie contracts, so I’m not following how they would be frustrated by the higher salaries of the older players. That’s just how the league works. Unless you’re suggesting that they were looking ahead to their upcoming second contracts and felt that the team wasn’t keeping enough cap space clear to be able to reward them when their time came?

I could see frustration coming from the POV of "I'm better than Hayward. I should be getting more playing time than he is. The only reason he is getting more playing time is because the team gave is paying him $30 million/yr."

[JasonEvans]

Boy, I hope RJ really, really loves playing for the Knicks because the Knicks don't appear to be getting more functional any time soon.

This is the first I've heard of any of this but I'm not in NYC.

Deadspin has a bit more on all this: https://deadspin.com/the-new-york-kn...dia-1836451863

The Knicks are a comical embarrassment. They will continue to get second or third tier free agents by hysterically overpaying them. I hope RJ is the next Porzingas (ie: a player who is really, really good who will not put up with the insanity in NY Knick World and forces a trade to a better situation).

[cato]

Those three were all on rookie contracts, so I’m not following how they would be frustrated by the higher salaries of the older players. That’s just how the league works. Unless you’re suggesting that they were looking ahead to their upcoming second contracts and felt that the team wasn’t keeping enough cap space clear to be able to reward them when their time came?

Have you never worked in a situation where a colleague gets paid a lot more, and gets more time in the spotlight, despite producing less? It can be very galling, even if (or perhaps particularly) that is just how the comp structure works.

[AZLA]

Have you never worked in a situation where a colleague gets paid a lot more, and gets more time in the spotlight, despite producing less? It can be very galling, even if (or perhaps particularly) that is just how the comp structure works.

Well stated

[UrinalCake]

Have you never worked in a situation where a colleague gets paid a lot more, and gets more time in the spotlight, despite producing less? It can be very galling, even if (or perhaps particularly) that is just how the comp structure works.

When I was at Duke I did a summer internship at a local corporation. I won't say which one, but they were big and blue. Anyways, there were many times I felt like I was producing as much as the full-time employees. I was getting paid much less than them, but I never felt like it was unfair because it was just the position I was in and I had to pay my dues. And oddly enough this corporation actually had a set salary for their interns based on what year you were in college. It was like I was on a rookie contract 8-)

Obviously an NBA locker room is a very different environment, guys have big egos and their insanely competitive natures are part of what got them to that level. But when you have a set salary structure in place, I guess it doesn't make sense to me how players would see that as a source of frustration. There were many problems on the Celtics team last year, but I don't think salary allocation to veteran players was one of them.

[brlftz]

I guess it doesn't make sense to me how players would see that as a source of frustration. There were many problems on the Celtics team last year, but I don't think salary allocation to veteran players was one of them.

I don't think you can assume such perfectly rational responses at all times. I can definitely imagine that despite knowing my contract is not negotiable, I might be angry about the unfairness of it all. I'm even able to imagine focusing that irritation on Hayward and his crazy contract, even though it would be silly to blame him for taking it. I might suspect that he was super overpaid because he's an overrated white guy that's close to the coach. I'm not saying that I've heard that about how the players feel, but I can picture it. That's just the way people are sometimes.

[sagegrouse]

Those three were all on rookie contracts, so I’m not following how they would be frustrated by the higher salaries of the older players. That’s just how the league works. Unless you’re suggesting that they were looking ahead to their upcoming second contracts and felt that the team wasn’t keeping enough cap space clear to be able to reward them when their time came?

Due to the Celtics' and their success in the 2018 playoffs, there may have been resentment not only because of salary but also in having to move aside for the return of injured players Kyrie and Gordon Heyward. While Kyrie earned his minutes this year, Gordon had not fully recovered from a gruesome injury. By the way, I don't see these resentments as floor-stomping behavior of 5 YO boys but rather the natural jealousy over pay and understandable frustration at getting to play fewer minutes.

[JasonEvans]

There were many problems on the Celtics team last year, but I don't think salary allocation to veteran players was one of them.

Just so we are clear, my fine smelling friend, this salary friction on the Celtics is not something we are just making up here on the DBR. Both Yahoo and NBA sports have reported on it in the past 48 hours. So, while you may not find it likely, it appears to be pretty solidly in the media narrative at this point.

[cato]

When I was at Duke I did a summer internship at a local corporation. I won't say which one, but they were big and blue. Anyways, there were many times I felt like I was producing as much as the full-time employees. I was getting paid much less than them, but I never felt like it was unfair because it was just the position I was in and I had to pay my dues. And oddly enough this corporation actually had a set salary for their interns based on what year you were in college. It was like I was on a rookie contract 8-)

Obviously an NBA locker room is a very different environment, guys have big egos and their insanely competitive natures are part of what got them to that level. But when you have a set salary structure in place, I guess it doesn't make sense to me how players would see that as a source of frustration. There were many problems on the Celtics team last year, but I don't think salary allocation to veteran players was one of them.

Different strokes, I guess. But keep in mind that these are not internships, and we are talking about things that can have a huge impact on career earnings.

In my field, disgruntlement about pay is the number one driver in law firm partners moving firms. In so many instances, it is because the partner(s) making the move felt underpaid compared to underperforming colleagues.

[rsvman]

I don't understand that world at all. I'd be more than happy to make, say, $3 million a year even if somebody else was making $30+ million. Honestly, what difference does it make? I mean, I understand wanting to make as much as you can, but I've been working as a physician for 30 years and (although I'm not going to stop and do the math) I honestly don't think I've made $3 million gross income yet, even with 30 years of hard work as a professional. (You may think that's impossible, but I happened to choose the lowest paying medical job in the world, and for the first 12 years of my professional life my highest salary was $65/year, which I only made for the last three years of that 12-year period.)

I guess what I'm saying is that it's hard to feel sorry for somebody who "only" makes $3 million a year, even if other teammates are making 10 times more and not producing as much. In the grand scheme of things, what do you need that you can afford on a $30 million salary that you can't afford on a $3 million salary? I mean, seriously. /rant

[jimsumner]

I don't understand that world at all. I'd be more than happy to make, say, $3 million a year even if somebody else was making $30+ million. Honestly, what difference does it make? I mean, I understand wanting to make as much as you can, but I've been working as a physician for 30 years and (although I'm not going to stop and do the math) I honestly don't think I've made $3 million gross income yet, even with 30 years of hard work as a professional. (You may think that's impossible, but I happened to choose the lowest paying medical job in the world, and for the first 12 years of my professional life my highest salary was $65/year, which I only made for the last three years of that 12-year period.)

I guess what I'm saying is that it's hard to feel sorry for somebody who "only" makes $3 million a year, even if other teammates are making 10 times more and not producing as much. In the grand scheme of things, what do you need that you can afford on a $30 million salary that you can't afford on a $3 million salary? I mean, seriously. /rant

In at least some cases I'm not even sure it's about money. These guys don't get where they are without being highly competitive and salary is at least in part of measurement of where you stand in the pecking order.

[cato]

I don't understand that world at all. I'd be more than happy to make, say, $3 million a year even if somebody else was making $30+ million. Honestly, what difference does it make? I mean, I understand wanting to make as much as you can, but I've been working as a physician for 30 years and (although I'm not going to stop and do the math) I honestly don't think I've made $3 million gross income yet, even with 30 years of hard work as a professional. (You may think that's impossible, but I happened to choose the lowest paying medical job in the world, and for the first 12 years of my professional life my highest salary was $65/year, which I only made for the last three years of that 12-year period.)

I guess what I'm saying is that it's hard to feel sorry for somebody who "only" makes $3 million a year, even if other teammates are making 10 times more and not producing as much. In the grand scheme of things, what do you need that you can afford on a $30 million salary that you can't afford on a $3 million salary? I mean, seriously. /rant

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