Altitude Sickness

[Otto]

OK, it's a little off the subject (NBA instead of college). Maybe it's the thin air at high altitudes, but can someone explain to me the financial plan of the Utah Jazz? The team claimed it lost money went Karl Malone went to the Lakers and John Stockton retired.

The league claims economic solvency.
TV ratings indicate otherwise.
Yet the Jazz see fit to throw $50 million (!) at Mehmet Okur, and $68 mil (are you kidding?) at .... CARLOS BOOZER? Nice player, good teammate last year for LeBron, etc., but PUH-LEEZE1 These two should be on veterans' exceptions.

[DallasDiehard]

And Orlando just threw $50 mil at Hedo Turkulu.
Yikes.
If any owner ever pleads poverty or financial pressure again, David Stern should force them to sell their teams. They clearly let their hearts (instead of their heads) govern their checkbooks. Nobody forced them to buy a team, and nobody guaranteed them a profit. Next time the labor agreement is up, they'd damn-well better not lock the players out.

[Pony_Fan]

The Clippers have stunk for years and they apparently make $$ somehow

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

That's because Donald Sterling is one of the cheapest SOB owners around. They make money because they don't spend any money on players. All he and his genius GM Elgin Baylor do is go out and spend as little as possible and then because they manage to stay below the salary cap and not hit the luxury tax threshold, they get a "rebate" for not spending. That amount is roughly 15 mil. That money plus the TV revenues,which is about 26 mil plus whatever they get for 41 home games,say maybe 15k a game for at least 40 a ticket and that adds up. Guys like Sterling hurt the league more than anything because it's not about building a quality franchise, it's all about making a buck. Of course, if any one knows about Donald Sterling's reputation in LA, then this would not come as a surprise.

[Thumper]

That's because Donald Sterling is one of the cheapest SOB owners around. They make money because they don't spend any money on players. All he and his genius GM Elgin Baylor do is go out and spend as little as possible and then because they manage to stay below the salary cap and not hit the luxury tax threshold, they get a "rebate" for not spending. That amount is roughly 15 mil. That money plus the TV revenues,which is about 26 mil plus whatever they get for 41 home games,say maybe 15k a game for at least 40 a ticket and that adds up. Guys like Sterling hurt the league more than anything because it's not about building a quality franchise, it's all about making a buck. Of course, if any one knows about Donald Sterling's reputation in LA, then this would not come as a surprise.

You're absolutely right. With the exception of Elton Brand, who's making good cash, Sterling pays nobody. This talk of Kobe Bryant crossing over from the Lake Show to the Clip Joint is comical - I can't even imagine Sterling maxing out Bryant. If you have no interest in winning, why bother paying players what they're worth?
Of course, if the fans just stopped showing up altogether .... never mind.