Mavericks owner Mark Cuban: NBA should look at removing max deals
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says that the league should consider getting rid of maximum contracts, but added that players must be willing to give up something in return.
Oklahoma City forward and NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant suggested the abolishment of those contracts, saying that players today are worth a lot more than what they are making. Durant is set to make almost $19 million this season and $20.1 million in 2015-16, the final season of a five-year, $89.16 million deal.
"If you give up guarantees, it's a trade-off," Cuban said, according to the ESPN.com.
Players will likely make more money after the league announced a new nine-year television contract that will pay the league a reported $2.66 billion every year. Cuban said that getting rid of maximum contracts is a discussion the league’s owners are willing to have when the next collective bargaining agreement negotiations take place.
"It was discussed during the lockout time among owners but never got anywhere," Cuban said. "So it was just one of those trial balloons. I'm not offering this as a negotiation, I'm not suggesting it.”
Cuban did not say if the new television deal will help avoid a lockout. The owners and players association can opt of the CBA after the 2016-17 season.
"I have no idea, it's too early," Cuban said. "Who knows? Things change so rapidly in business that you can't predict two years from now."
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