The NBA Pushing For A Hard Line On Pay Cuts

The NBA wants across-the-board pay cuts. How far will it go to get them? CBSsports.com’s Ken Berger seems to think pretty far: “‘The union’s response to all of our proposal has been, ‘No,’ [NBA deputy commissioner Adam] Silver said. ‘And as you know, they countered with a proposal that looks a lot like the existing deal.’ Seeing as how Silver, Stern and I were about to watch the home-court debut of Miami’s three-headed, max-player monster, I thought it appropriate to ask: What would happen to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh under a hard-cap system in which they’d bring with them contracts totaling $42 million in 2011-12—likely about 75 percent of the hard cap the league envisions? After teaming up to create a title contender in Miami and launch the NBA into a revenue and exposure stratosphere never before seen in its history, would they all be expected to take a pay cut? ‘That’s what they did in the NHL,’ Silver said. ‘That was the system they had. All existing contracts were cut a certain percentage.’ Yes, 24 percent. After an entire season was lost to a lockout that may have permanently crippled the sport. So, this is going to go really well, as you can see.”