Good morning, the NBA’s new TV deal will blow your mind
That and more in Monday’s NBA newsletter.
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
CUT THE CHECK: We’ve all been waiting to see how the NBA’s next TV deal would shake out. Right now, the league pulls in $930 million a year from ESPN/ABC and Turner. Rich Sandomir of the New York Times says the next deal will pay an average of $2.6 billion a year for a nice 180 percent increase. Most recent estimates had come in around $2 billion. So ... yeah. This will kick in for the 2016-17 season.
We’ll have more later on the consequences of this deal.
FIXING THE HOPPER: Meanwhile, Zach Lowe reports that lottery reform is going to happen ... soon. The Board of Governors could vote on a proposal drastically changing the odds for the worst teams in the draft lottery within weeks, and those changes are expected to go into effect for the 2015 derby. The Sixers are angry.
MANIMAL: Kenneth Faried and the Nuggets have agreed on a five-year, $60 million deal, says Woj. Of that, $52 million is guaranteed. Team USA really does pay off.
NEAT! 5-on-5 scrimmages will return to the NBA Draft Combine. Expect every top-20 prospect to decline.
UH, NIK? Just gonna leave this Nik Stauskas quote here and grab my coat, thanks.
HMM: Hardwood Blues writes a defense of Sam Hinkie and the Sixers that’s been getting favorable reviews from a number of writers. The argument is that the Sixers aren’t actually tanking, they just avoided wasting stupid money on mid-rung players. The problem is that the argument glosses over the obvious impact of trading 23-year-old All-Star Jrue Holiday for an injured rookie and a future draft pick. It’s intellectually dishonest to argue that that move in combination with no action in free agency and a trade deadline firesale didn’t intend to leave Philly with a high draft pick. The argument is just outside the realm of reality.
DWIGHT’S BACK: Apparently Dwight Howard had an amazing offseason and looks like the Orlando version of himself. Good Woj column on the topic.
WADE ON FUN & BRON: Good Ethan Skolnick Q&A with Dwyane Wade.
BALLMER ON THE KINGS & CRAZY: Neat Sam Amick Q&A with Steve Ballmer.
Happy Monday. See you next time.
