Good for Hump but the money is staying crazy

We will never begrudge athletes for getting paid, if they can command big salaries all the more power to them.

But sometimes you just have to shake your head a little bit and wonder where things are headed.

Kris Humphries, a pretty good NBA player who had a couple of solid years on gawdawful New Jersey Nets teams – no playoffs, no contention, no fans, nothing really special – is going to earn $12 million in each of the next two years after getting free agency contract done yesterday.

I like Hump quite a bit, as you may recall, but, come on!

Twelve million?

That’s about a $4 million-a-year raise on the one-year deal he got last fall; somewhere close to a 50 per cent increase in salary. Crazy.

So, no, I don’t think anyone can complain about the Landry Fields salary or the third year of Jeremy Lin’s contract or anything else being signed these days.

Obviously, the price of average has gone through the roof.

Good for players, shame on the owners.

We spent most of last fall without basketball because the nitwit owners shut the game down over financial matters, they wanted to be saved from themselves, it seems, fully on the backs of the employees who were doing nothing other than going out and finding out what the market would pay.

And if the market’s going to pay Hump $12 million a year or Roy Hibbert about $14 million a year or Nic Batum almost $12 million a year or pick one of the other “ridiculous” contracts out of the air then why in the world did the game get shut down a year ago?

This is about owners and GMs doing exactly what they said they wouldn’t do, spending like drunken sailors (my apologies to drunken sailors, it’s the only old-time cliché I could come up with) and rewarding people who’ve really done nothing in their careers with contracts bearing no semblance of sense.

And when this CBA is up, or the first time you hear some owner crying poor or a GM lamenting the cost of player, remember these last couple of weeks and know where the blame should be placed.

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These are my people.

An e-mail arrives and it’s simply titled “commit to memory.”

Done.

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I can’t really recall which of the various tip sheet things I use – twitter, the newspapers, the radio, what have you – pointed this out to me but today is the anniversary of Billie Holiday’s death and, no, they don’t make singers like they used to, do they?

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Well, we’ve got at least on television network in this country that can find scheduling time for some basketball these days.

And by basketball, I don’t mean Summer League and the house organ that’s NBA TV.

The Score is going to broadcast the final three exhibition games for the USA Olympic team – Thursday at 2 p.m. against Great Britain, Sunday at 3:30 p.m. against Argentina and the biggie, Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. against Spain.

We’ll do more on the Olympic tournament next week when we get settled over in London but I’m really wondering if the Americans are big enough to win the gold.

Talented? No question. But so are Spain, Russia, Argentina, France, Brazil. Maybe not as talented one through 12 but there are only five guys on the court at a time and depth in a one-game quarter-final or semifinal won’t matter all that much; in 40-minute games, starters can go a long, long time.

Anyway, haven’t looked all that closely at the other rosters and haven’t even seen the Americans or Spaniards play yet so we’ll have to wait a bit before there’s any wild prognostications.

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Couple of more full-page features on Olympians to go before I can go into some kind of semi-shutdown mode to get organized for a 3 1-2 week trip. And that means if I want to cool it a bit this weekend, I’m going to have to get started on the mail.

Help a fella out, would you?

Drop a note, say hi.

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I’ll tell you this, not sure exactly how Kyle Lowry and Landry Fields are going to play, but they do give a good press conference.

Not that it matters but they were kind of engaging, entertaining, honest and genuinely happy to be here when we got to chat with them yesterday.

Now, let’s see what they do in the thing that really matters: Playing.

Bryan did hit on an interesting point when he was going over his summer and the team that’s here now when he said the biggest thing is that there’s going to be genuine competition at pretty much every position.

“There’s things happening with this roster and competition in practice leads to performance in games.”

You’ve got Calderon-Lowry, DeRozan-Ross, Fields-Kleiza, Bargnani-Davis and Valanciunas-Johnson-Gray and at least that means there should be some good sessions in the gym.

And it reminded me of a thing a guy said to me the day they had Ross and Quincy Acy in to say hi right after the draft.

We were having a private chat about their potential and what they would bring and while no one expects Acy to jump and grab significant minutes as a rookie, the guy I was talking to made one very valid point:

“He never quits; he’s going to kick Ed’s ass every day in practice. And Ed better be ready.”

That’s not a huge knock on Ed Davis by any stretch, it was simply a statement of fact. If a young, hungry, physical guy fighting for his professional life can make things miserable for someone in the practice gym, there’s nothing wrong with that at all.

And seeing how they’re going to have about 10 times more practice sessions this season than they did a year ago, it’ll be interesting to see how everyone handles it.

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Comments

[Sam]

Hi Doug: to make our sf stronger do you think B.C has any interests in bringing T. Prince with his championship experience? the guy may be on his downside a bit but man he can defend with his long arms? maybe Vet min!!!!
Also, what other pg's are available to back up KL3? are we ok with Ben U.?

Blogger's note: No interest in Prince I've ever heard; they're more likely to do Alan Anderson; and they have two PGs, kid named Calderon.

[Sam]

but J.C wants to be traded. Right?

Blogger's note: No, wrong. If they can find a mutually beneficial deal, they'll do it. There is nothing on the market now that would make sense either way. Bryan said yesterday he fully expects them both here in October. End, for now, of story. Thanks

[Sam]

thank you for your prompt reply.

Kind regards
Die-Hard Raptors Fan from Montreal.

[chris]

By my count Landry's got a 700-800% jump.

[Deaner]

Ed Davis is going to hate Acy. He is going to push Ed for sure. Like the pickup, just watched some highlights, did see him in the tourney, but so many games it gets muddled.

I get this eerie sense that the Raps might just be done, and that the Organic Growth speeches might be getting warmed up. There is no cap flexibilty, so thats out of the speeches, so its back to OG, changing the culture, sticking with the plan(whatever that may be) and asking for patience from fans. Will it work this year? Not sure, if they come out losing, the fall off in fan support might be very noticable.

SF has always been a weak position for the Raps and i really have no idea how it gets negelcted so badly. It is mnd boggling that one team cannot effectively fill one of 5 positions on its team consistently for the better part of two decades. Odd.

Enjoy the day Irregulars, it feels about 20 degrees cooler today than yesterday, thank goodness it rained overnight, and not today followed by sun. Ugh !!

[Mos High]

People always blame the players in the pass and probably will continue to do so in the future.

However Doug I like the fact that you are reminding the not so in touch fan, that its the Owners who out bid each other with even drawing a line. Humphries was productive with rebounds, points and general defence, but Wow he is making 12mil a yr for next 2? I guess its a short term contract so its not terrible.

I Think Batum is getting a huge huge pay upgrade.

I like the fact there is open competition on the Raptors squad, I have a feeling Ed Davis will be moved by the trade dead line, Some team needing a Big will make a pitch for him. Thats if he doesnt improve.

I have a better feeling with this team, feels like more hunger. Question Doug is Maglorie retiring, havent heard any news on him.

Blogger's note: Neither have I; will ask next chance I get

[doug]

like I said and think the strike was not about the owners saving money, balancing the playing field or whatever it was just about them getting a bigger chunk...that's why

[doug]

sorry sent it to early (darn keyboard typing)...I get a kick out of Stern saying about players respecting the game..come on owners disrespect it far more....it's the entertainment business players get paid large amounts of money some justifiable some not....but here is something to bring it into context, look at these earnings of under 30's in the entertainment business and try to justify what they are getting for one years work...

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Swift who made $59 narrowly edged out 18-year-old Justin Bieber, who came in second place with an estimated $55 million in earnings for the same time period. The success of Bieber's concert movie "Never Say Never" could have contributed to led to an uptick in album sales.

Meanwhile, fellow singers Rihanna ($53 million), Lady Gaga ($52 million, significantly down from the $90 million she pocketed last year), Katy Perry ($45 million) and Adele ($35 million) round out the top six. Who said the music industry was dead?

The only actors who made the cut were the three stars of "The Twilight Saga" -- Kristen Stewart ($34.5 million), Taylor Lautner ($26.5 million) and Robert Pattinson ($26.5 million) -- while rapper Lil Wayne, 29, ranked at No. 8 with $27 million.

[Ben]

Hi Doug. John Hollinger posted an article essentially attributing Hump's salary to the Nets still wanting to be in the mix for Howard. Have you gotten a chance to read it yet, and if so, any thoughts?

Blogger's note: Read it, lots of extrapolation and presumption, makes sense at some levels, still silly money

[Derek]

Morning Doug,
Have to laugh at some of the posters who can't understand why the Raps didn't run out and sign a marquis SF right away. It's not like you can just go to a catalogue and pick out the one you want. They apparently had interest in Batum, but once they saw the kind of money he was getting, it didn't make sense to pursue - smart decision on their part. Is Landry Fields a stud SF, or their long term solution at the 3? Probably not, but is it better using a combo of Fields/Kleiza at the 3 for a year, rather than drastically over-paying an average SF if that's all that's available at present - absolutely. If it was easy to address ALL your needs every year just because you know what they are, every team would do so, and every team would be competing for the title every year. Its a process, and it typically never happens as quickly as you like. If the Raps continue to improve this year, then hopefully when the opportunity arises to lure a stud 3 at a reasonable price, the Raps (as a team) will look more appealing to that player, so it should be an easier sell.
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Agree with you that the contracts are insane, but don't think for one second that will impact the owner's approach at the next CBA. Look at the pucks - locked out hockey for a year to ensure they could "fix the finances" of the league. Then you have a team like Minnesota run out and spend $196 million on two players (on a combined 26 years of contract), then two weeks later, in the opening salvo of CBA renegotiations, the league asks players to take a severe cut in their % because the league needs to fix it's finances again. No matter how stupid the contracts get in the NBA, you can rest assured that the owners will still try to jam the players in the next negotiation to take less.

[joeu]

Good morning Doug,

I see that G Hill signed in LA for what looks like a pretty reasonable stipend, for a veteran that can still play.
I think he would have been a good pickup for the locals, so ... lack of mutual interest ?

Blogger's note: Yeah, something like that

[Mike D.]

Doug, I assume the Raptors will be taking a long look at Andray Blatche to fill out their big man rotation now that he's been waived by the Wizards? Intriguing physical tools, relatively low mileage....could be another James Johnson-style bargain.

Blogger's note: Absolutely! Who wouldn't want an under-achieving big man with conditioning issues who's never made an impact and comes from one of the more dysfunctional organizations of recent years? A dream pickup! (I keed, as do you, I presume)

[sam]

I'm happy for Hump - He's had an interesting year with some ups and downs, (most of it his own doing though) but agree - $12 million a year for 2 year is extreme -

The Jeremy Lin saga appears to have ended - A track record of 25 games nets him about 25 million. I've read that most scouts consider him at best a back up and there are some who consider him a fringe NBA player. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Good for him....The Knicks were right not to match, however, with Woodson spouting off they were going to match - didn't help thier casue. Lin's 25 million - makes the Landry Fields contract acceptable. At least he's had more of a track record.

@Doug, I'm heading off to your old stompin grounds of St Johns, NFLD tomorrow for Vacation - Enjoy the Olympics - Safe Travels.

[Jerry]

The lockout was never about individual player salaries, it was about defining, and then slicing the whole BRI pie... to a lesser degree it was about "competitive balance". But it was never about preventing guys like Hump from getting paid. If anything the lockout worked, he only got two ridiculous years, not four or five.

[Jamie]

I read yesterday that Allan Anderson will be back next year...is this not definate?

Blogger's note: Not signed, nothing's definite; Bryan mentioned his name yesterday as a possibility. He is well thought of

[van city]

Doug do you see Ben Uzoh being picked up as our 3rd string PG or does BC have anyone else in mind?

Blogger's note: Possibility; hasn't been too impressive in Vegas, I'm told. He'd be on a list

[Dave B]

I don't think you can blame all owners for the ridiculous contracts. It only takes a couple of rogues to drive the market up. I don't see Jordan driving the market to new heights.

Can anyone explain what Houston is doing? On one hand they give away players and then pay Lin 25 million.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Wow, Hump, that's Steve Nash money. That's Kardashian money. Good for you!!
Cheers. And go Gose!

[Peter]

Hi Doug, thanks for the blog!

Do you think at some level when they drafted Quincy Acy, having seen him in a workout or two, that more than trying to get a player for the court, they saw how he could be valuable in practices, for the point you mentioned in particular of pushing guys like Ed Davis to get better? Or is that just a nice side benefit, and he was simply the best player at the time.

I'm just trying to get a bit of insight into how a GM might approach a later pick and what kind of intangibles they might be looking for in a guy who probably won't play big minutes.

Thanks Doug.

Blogger's note: Probably a bit of both; they hope he can develop into a rotation player but his work ethic will make him valuable even as a rookie. It's all part of the decision-making process

[Marius]

Any interest in the Birdman around here?

Blogger's note: Less than zero, rightfully so

[Bill]

Some sport writers are writing that the Nets to be the 4th or 5th best team in the East next year. But the reality is that they only retained their players from last year plus added Joe Johnson. How does that make them such an improvement from last year?

Side note: Is the government going to wait until someone dies from the concrete falling off the Gardener before it does something about it?

[Rob.V]

The owners did good. They took back what 6-7% from the last CBA. We won't see the full effect of the new CBA for another 12 months however the Knicks losing both Fields and Lin is always a really great start.
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In about 24 months both the Net's and Knicks may be regretting those large contacts. Yes, I agree any contract can be moved (today) however maybe not so much in a couple of years from now when the screws are tightened for every team in the league with the super tax.
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Hey, wouldn't it be great if Jeremy Lin goes on to have a season for the ages and becomes an All Star... while the Knicks flounder.
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Andray Blatche? Andray Blatche is to Basketball... what Roseanne Bar is to Basketball.

[Sean]

The Nets overpaying Humphries does not justify the Raptors overpaying Fields. Different organizations, different owners, different situations. Nets have an owner that is willing to pay the tax, there is possible Dwight trade implications, and the Nets already have a superstar to build around so they are overpaying role players to fill out the roster. None of that applies to the Raptors.

[Jacques]

Doug, Do you think they wait until the Olympics are over before they consider any trades with Jose. If they do trade him, do you see them getting a draft pick and a back up pg in the 2 million dollar range. This will leave them with enough money to bring in AK47.

Blogger's note: No clue

[SY]

I really don't understand why people keep on saying that Raptors are overpaying for Fields. At 6.3 million a year, that amount is just slightly above the average NBA salary (@ around 5.x million) so as long as Fields is (or becomes) an above average player, the Raptors will get its $$ worth. In addition, if you look at the overall picture, we have a pretty good team + a lot of financial flexibility going forward and w/ some luck we can probably absorb a disgruntled (or expensive) star later using some good pieces we have + the financial flexibility. I would rather have Fields for 6.3 million than Batum at 12 million a year.