Raptor fans have accepted what the Raptors have been pitching to you. The Raptors are right at the cap. That is true they are right below the tax threshold of the NBA Salary Cap. But they still could have used the full mid-level exception of 5.5 million dollars. Yes, by using it the Raptors would go into the tax, but all of the impacts of that are ones of a money nature. What does that matter for you? Does anyone think MLSE does not have the money to pay the Tax? If you are going to go for it let’s go for it right?
What could the Raptors have done with the money? There are two likely options they could have addressed. An experience back-up point gaurd just in case Roko Ukic does not work out as well as you might have thought. Raptors could have tried to get a Damon Stoudamire or someone of that type.
You could also have looked to address the search for the need for a slashing scoring wing man. Many thought Raptors would perhaps be looking to deal for Cory Maggette but in the end they went with J.O. But even with that Raptors could have used the 5.5 Million to find someone that could be added to the fold.
If the Raptors decided that they were not able to get a player they felt was worth going into that exspensive business of going over the tax level that is fine. But to say that they couldn’t is not correct it was a choice they have made. That choice was a money one and if it was a basketball one we should know about it. But because the Raptors have successfully sold the fact that they are at the Cap and that is that we will never know the answer from a basketball point of view.
If there are reasons other than saving MLSE money I want to hear them. This may not matter to most people but I just hate when it is just accepted that team’s in any sport choose to save money or not spend money and people just accept it.
If the reason is the Raptors don’t feel there was anyone in the Free Agent Pool that was worth going into the tax that is fine I am willing to accept that. Doug Smith said in his blog that the Raptors are not going into the tax and to not even think about it awhile ago. Well sorry but I do think about it and so should you. Do you care how much MLSE spends? If they say they did this to help fans in some way by being able to keep ticket prices lower it would. But that is not happening is it? It really as far as we know is about the bottom line of MLSE. If that is not the case let’s hear about it. But if all we are going to hear, is well they would go over the cap and they are not going to do that doesn’t tell us anything.
I want to hear the reasons why and not having the money to do so is not the answer MLSE has the money and everyone knows that. So if there is another reason behind not spending the extra cash to help this team have a better chance to win I want to hear what it is. This is not a knock on Will Solomon or Roko Ukic. But if we had more options that we could have explored why didn’t we?
Truth be told the answers to these questions are not going to come. But I still wanted to vent my frustration. Don’t say the Raptors didn’t have the money to do it because in the end they did. There are teams in this league far over the cap like the N.Y Knicks not to say they are a model franchise but they are one of the other teams that do go over the cap. Ask yourself this question as well if we were talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs and they could spend more money than what they had would not people be asking why they did not use every possible dollar they could? I think we know the answer to that as well.
So maybe today was just me venting but I think there is a point to all this. We as fans and the media will only get answers if we ask the questions. But it seems like no one is asking the questions. We accept what we are told and hope for the best. The Raptors left about 3.3 million dollars that they could have spent on the table. Yes they would have had to pay a dollar for dollar tax on that money. Making it 6.6 million dollars in real terms. That is a lot of cash for you and me. But to the company that is MLSE it is not a huge amount. If that extra spent money leads to more playoff dates it would pay for itself. So I am thinking Richard Peddie is not going to be a guest anytime soon so I am not going find my answer. What do you folks think am I right? Do you care? What do you think about this? I would like to know.
Tags: MLSE, NBA Salary Cap, Raptors 08/09, Richard Peddie
August 26, 2008 at 4:18 pm |
“The Raptors left about 3.3 million dollars that they could have spent on the table. Yes they would have had to pay a dollar for dollar tax on that money. Making it 6.6 million dollars in real terms.”
apparently that also includes the distribution of luxury tax dollars from other teams going over the cap (Mavs, Knicks…etc) which inflates the 6.6 million dollars some more.
August 26, 2008 at 4:53 pm |
If my math is off on the amount that is cool. But I still think MLSE has the cash and I just want to hear a reason why they choose not too beyond the standard answer. This Franchise has stated more than a few times they want to WIN an NBA CHAMPIONSHIP. So if this is true I just want to hear the answer as to why the TAX stops them from going out and seeking talent to improve. If they have a good reason that is fine but being at the CAP is not good enough for me. When You and I and everyone knows thay have the money.
August 26, 2008 at 7:55 pm |
ahh i didnt like this blog. the roster is set so live with
August 26, 2008 at 8:19 pm |
I don’t think we should ever just “LIVE WITH IT” Bryan Colangelo has said he always is working to improve this roster and I think we as fans should also be engaged enough to ask questions and demand more. You only get what you demand in this life. If you are willing to accept the status quo that is what you will get.
But I value the feedback good or bad thanks Omar
August 27, 2008 at 12:27 am |
Good read once again. It’s great to see another fan so passionate about our team; someone who cares and wants to see the Raptors win.
I understand where you’re coming from, from a fans’ perspective. But I might be able to give explanations to why going over the luxury tax is not a smart move at this stage in time (from MLSE’s point of view).
Firstly, considering only the basketball operations side of MLSE, they don’t make as much as alot of people tend to think they do. No one knows for sure the exact dollar amount profit they made because it’s a privately owned company. But looking at operating income it’s surprisingly not that much. And taking into account this coming year the Raptors will be paying out the highest total salary in franchise history, profits for the upcoming year are going to be highly treasured.
Secondly, using your $3.3 mil example in your blog, not only would that amount double while going over the luxury tax, but going over also means lost luxury tax revenue the league gives out to non-tax paying teams. The Raptors made approx $3 million last year alone on tax sharing, which is an amount they would pretty much lose out on next year of they’re over the tax.
Lastly, fans have to consider the 2010 off season. By that I mean it’s no secret Bryan Colangelo wants cap room by then. So consider the following and ask: Is there any player on the market (who would be interested in signing with Toronto) that’s worth paying the luxury tax for? And if so, would this player agree to sign for no more than two seasons? That narrows most of not all players that could sign for the mid level exception.
So really in the end the Raptors are just playing it safe; there really isn’t a need to go over the tax bracket at this point in time. See how and where the team is at during the season, and if there’s an opportunity to go over the top by trading for a player, and going over the luxury tax is justifiable, then by all means go for it. But right now as fans we shouldn’t really think about it.
Hope this sheds light on why BC is done with the roster
August 27, 2008 at 8:01 am |
[...] – Dino Nation Blog [...]
August 27, 2008 at 8:43 am |
Using Brian’s numbers – do you actually think that there is a player out there, available for 3.3 million who would be worth 9.6 million in revenue? (3.3 in salary, 3.3 in tax, 3 in lost tax sharing). I don’t think that player is out there – they would only be a slight upgrade to what we have now, and likely wouldn’t be that difference maker that would take the Raptors an additional round or two into the playoffs.
August 27, 2008 at 11:31 am |
I am just saying that we has fans deserve to hear that question asked and answered. If MLSE says the goal for this franchise is to WIN a Championship than I want to hear the question asked and answered. The amount of money is not the issue. MLSE has the money and can easily afford it. If they feel there is not a player out there that can be that difference maker and that is why they are not doing it as it says I am cool with that. But I want to hear that said by someone.
I don’t feel that I should be concerned or you or any other fan needs to be concerned with what MLSE has to pay to get the job done. I listen to the show Prime Time Sports on the Fan 590. Bob McCown has said several times on that show why should fans care what teams spend to win. It is not their money and I agree with that.
August 27, 2008 at 3:47 pm |
Why should teams care what they spend to win? First and foremost the economic structure of the NBA bargaining agreement forces us to. Handing out large contracts like the Knicks have in order “to win now” have set the franchise back years. Equating the expenditure of money to the success of a franchise would frankly be false. If you look at all of the successful franchises in the NBA you will find a couple things in common. Signing key players for long and reasonable cap-friendly deals at or slightly below market price and patience to develop young talent. Then often there is an aquisition using these younger players for a bonified stud to put the team over the top. Spending additional money in the NBA when your against the cap for a player of marginal talent does nothing but weaken the financial situation of the team as well as the company and make future moves more difficult to make.
Don’t you think that there is a reason that this question hasn’t been asked? There are absolutely no players that we could sign that would be an sufficient upgrade for the amount of money we are looking at. Lets be realistic. Yes. I agree, if there was a move that would turn this team into a championship contender this is a valid question. But that isn’t the case at all. From a basketball perspective, any move to put us over the cap would have to be a move to put us over the top. What your proposing here is not just a bad business but a bad basketball move.
For the record, I do think you have a good blog here and it is the end of August. We are all grasping at straws for things to talk about at this point.
Cheers.
August 27, 2008 at 3:56 pm |
Yeah I hear what your saying I just was making a general comment about how we tend to accept the answers we are given. I was not trying to suggest the Raptors should have made a move to do this just opening up the door to the fact they could have.
I do think it was a weak free agent pool and there was not a lot out there. I don’t think going over the cap is always a wrong move basketball wise. I am pleased this blog has sparked up a good conversation which is sometimes the point of a blog.
Glad you enjoy the blog and thanks for the well thought out comments.
August 27, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
Its funny, I was just reading an article on SI comparing us and Philly in this regard so lets use them as an example. The players they locked up were players that were A)Young and B)Talented. They locked both of them up with a deal that was at market price. In my opinion, these deals HAD to be done for those two reasons and would have been done regardless of Brands arrival. That would mean that Brand’s arrival was one that i would describe as an “over the top” move. To call the Raptors cheap (which was the feeling i got from the SI article) annoys me. We just spend 40M on O’neal and there is nothin else worth persuing FA wise.
I do agree that people accept answers at face value too much. Although this is not a problem with just sports. Its everywhere, its at the office its at home its in politics and so its not surprising its in sport. Education is supposed to reveal this to us and show us to think for ourselves but it seems as though that is often the first thing forgotten.
August 29, 2008 at 4:20 pm |
The answer to this question is easy. Just research who the majority owners of MLSE are.
August 29, 2008 at 4:42 pm |
I’m well aware of who they are and I am also aware they are the ones who said they are looking to WIN a NBA TITLE so all I am saying is if that is the case they need to be accountable to the fan base. Sure I am dreaming but I don’t think it is unreasonable to make issue of it now and in the future.