Basketball Wiretap

NBA Considering Launch Of Standalone Europe League

Mar 12, 2024 10:42 AM

The NBA is considering creating a standalone NBA Europe league.

The league has been approached by stakeholders on several ways to expand the European business outside of a EuroLeague partnership.

Any new property would be launched in cooperation with FIBA.

The NBA currently generates a few hundred million dollars a year in Europe, a blip in its overall $13 billion business. The NBA thinks that the basketball ecosystem in Europe and Middle East could be worth as much as $3 billion in annual revenue.

Kurt Badenhausen/Sportico

Tags: NBA, NBA CBA

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Mat Ishbia: We Made A Calculated Decision On Second Apron

Mar 8, 2024 12:05 PM

Mat Ishbia assumed ownership of the Phoenix Suns shortly before the NBA instituted a new collective bargaining agreement with a punitive second luxury tax apron. The second apron was designed to keep teams from maintaining a high payroll over an extended period of time, but the Suns responded by going deeply into it to maximize their chances of winning a title with a core of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

"I understand all the rules that come with the second apron. I understand exactly what the CBA tried to do," Ishbia told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "I read it, I know it inside and out, and we made a calculated decision that we think the team with the best players wins. Would I rather have Brad Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker than just having two of those guys? I'd rather have all three a hundred times out of a hundred, and I don't think there's another GM or owner or CEO that wouldn't say that exact same thing.

"So now how do you maneuver around that? Well, you have to differentiate yourself. ... I have to create an environment where [we're] trying to be the best franchise in sports where the players want to come play."

Durant endorses the strategy of Ishbia.

"That's what you're supposed to do as an owner," Durant told ESPN. "It's about swinging for the fences every year.

"What else are you supposed to do? Sit back and hope that you get a draft pick that turns out to be Victor [Wembanyama]? No."

While the Suns made a number of bold moves over the past year, they have been uneven on the floor as Beal and Booker have struggled with injuries. The Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder are a fairly firm top-4 the Suns are trailing.

"If we don't win this year ... which is possible... then we'll say, 'OK, what can we do better to try to win next year? Do I need to adjust? Do we need to run different plays? Do we need different players? Do [we] change something? What do I do?" Ishbia says. "All I'm focused on is how do we win right now. I'm not thinking about what our 2031 draft [is] going to look like. I'm excited about the 2024 playoffs."

"Everybody here is on the same page," Booker told ESPN. "We're in win-now mode. We want excellence. We know it's not going to be easy. It's a new team, but when you give up that much, we're trying to win this year and years to come."

Ramona Shelburne/ESPN

Tags: Phoenix Suns, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA CBA, NBA B-Ball IQ

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NBA Players Represent 12 Of 50 Highest-Paid Athletes Of All-Time

Mar 8, 2024 11:29 AM

Michael Jordan is the highest-paid athlete of all-time, according to a study from Sportico. Jordan's inflation-adjusted earnings put him at $3.75 billion.

LeBron James ranks fifth at $1.76 billion or $1.36 billion when not adjusted for inflation. 

Ahead of James in the top-5 are Tiger Wood, Cristiano Ronaldo and Arnold Palmer.

Behind James in the top-10 are Jack Nicklaus, Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Roger Federer and Floyd Mayweather.

Earnings include salaries, bonuses, prize money, purses, endorsements, licensing, royalties, memorabilia, book deals, media, appearance fees and golf course design fees. The salary components do not include deferred compensation until it is paid out.

Out of Sportico's top-50, 12 are current or former NBA players (all totals below adjusted for inflation): 

• Michael Jordan (1), $3.75 billion
• LeBron James (5), $1.7 billion
• Shaquille O'Neal (13), $1.21 billion
• Kobe Bryant (14), $1.09 billion
• Kevin Durant (17), $955 million
• Stephen Curry (21), $770 million
• Magic Johnson (34), $645 million
• Kevin Garnett (39), $635 million
• Russell Westbrook (42), $620 million
• Chris Paul (44), $575 million
• James Harden (45), $570 million
• Dwyane Wade (47), $565 million

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: NBA, NBA CBA

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TNT Will Remain 'Disciplined' In Negotations With NBA On Extending TV Contract

Feb 26, 2024 3:39 PM

TNT remains interested in extending its broadcast contract with the NBA. The current deal expires after the 24-25 season with Warner Bros Discovery paying $1.2 billion per season.

“We have been able to strike profitable [sports rights] deals and we’re always going to be disciplined,” said WBD chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels. “It’s very easy to lose control over sports rights investments. That’s not what we do. We’re going — we know exactly what value we assign and we stay disciplined during our discussions.

“On the NBA specifically, we’ve had a very, very strong partnership for 40 years, and I certainly hope that we’re going to be able to continue that in the most positive way.”

TNT and ESPN will soon enter an exclusive 45-day negotiating window with the NBA.

Steve McCaskill/SportsProMedia

Tags: NBA, NBA CBA

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