I think the NBA needs to give teams the MLE regardless of cap space. Seems kind of unfair for a team to be able to spend $15mm in cap space on a player and not be able to do anything else, while a team that is $20mm over the cap can go and sign a player with the MLE. Punishes the team that has cap space to not spend more than the cap amount while other teams go hog wild. They can make a rule where they can't combine cap space and MLE so if you have $6mm in cap space you can't offer someone a deal starting at $11mm. Would speed a lot of teams rebuilding plans and make the league more competitive. Thoughts?
I think the rule makes sense. It also rewards teams in certain situations. If the goal was to make acquiring players easy, why not offer the LLE yearly, and 3 or 4 MLE deals? -Petey
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Petey @ Jul 10 2008, 02:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think the rule makes sense. It also rewards teams in certain situations. If the goal was to make acquiring players easy, why not offer the LLE yearly, and 3 or 4 MLE deals? -Petey</div> 3 or 4 MLEs would allow teams in big makets over the cap to pile up talent. If you start giving multiple MLEs it defeats the purpose of the cap and the current system, which is a somewhat even playing field. Since most teams at the cap are allowed to go the MLE over, why not let teams under the cap go over by the same amount? They're punishing teams below the cap. Unless I'm missing something. MLE is about $5.5mm. Cap is $58mm. Together $63.5mm. Well below the luxury tax.
If a team doesn't have the use of an MLE, they aren't being punished but they are allowed the benefit to offer a player more than teams with the MLE. I get what you are saying, but the current system works well, and don't see any GM with cap space complaining about not having their MLE to use. -Petey
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Petey @ Jul 10 2008, 03:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If a team doesn't have the use of an MLE, they aren't being punished but they are allowed the benefit to offer a player more than teams with the MLE. I get what you are saying, but the current system works well, and don't see any GM with cap space complaining about not having their MLE to use. -Petey</div> I think they are punished. They are kept at $58mm while other teams well over can spend an additional $5.5mm. I would venture to guess that both Philly and the Clippers wish they had the MLE in addition to the cap space. Even the Magic last season could of used the MLE to get a SG. They have to wait a whole additional year to add another piece that still wouldn't put them near the luxury tax, at which point a player they may have wanted is gone. In 2010 the Nets may have the room to get a big free agent, but after that will not be able to add help for that player. Takes awhile to clear the cap space and then you have to wait to gain an MLE to add the final pieces. Would make the system better and help turn some franchises around sooner, which is good for the league.
