Is the Future of the NBA in Jeopardy?
Monday, February 23, 2009, by Isaac Merwin
It may be, according to David Falk, one of the league’s most influential agents. This time, in the New York Times article, he warns against the players greed and proposes radical measures:
- Eliminate salary cap for the superstars
- Abolish the midlevel exception which enables role players to sign $30 million contracts
- Raise the age limit to 20 or 21
He also believes there will be a standoff in 2011, when the collective bargaining agreement expires, and says:
“I think it’s going to be very, very extreme,” Falk said, “because I think that the times are extreme.”
How extreme? Falk said he believed Stern, the commissioner, would push for a hard salary cap, shorter contracts, a higher age limit on incoming players, elimination of the midlevel cap exception and an overall reduction in the players’ percentage of revenue. And, Falk said, Stern will probably get what he wants.
“The owners have the economic wherewithal to shut the thing down for two years, whatever it takes, to get a system that will work long term,” he said in an extensive interview to discuss his new book. “The players do not have the economic wherewithal to sit out one year.”
Read the whole article here…
