Lebron James Opts Out...and comedy ensues

[bounce]

For as "selfish" and "me-first" of a player as Lebron is, he has NEVER been the highest paid player on his team. The four-time MVP, two-time champ and Finals MVP has never been the highest paid player on his OWN TEAM.

 

[khiladi]

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/mia.../lebron-james-miami-heat-wants-maximum-salary

LeBron James wants max salary

 

[khiladi]

For as "selfish" and "me-first" of a player as Lebron is, he has NEVER been the highest paid player on his team. The four-time MVP, two-time champ and Finals MVP has never been the highest paid player on his OWN TEAM.

He was the highest paid player in Miami...

 

[khiladi]

Because there were better ways of going about it.

That doesn't seem to be the reason for it in his apology... He seems to say it was about ego, which he apologized for.

 

[khiladi]

BTW, not taking a max salary in Miami to get players is not the same thing as a 'pay-cut'. Lebron probably cashed out way more than when signing a max deal with teams in California and New York, considering the tax implications. In Florida, there is no state income tax and considering endorsement deals as well and the 40 plus games one plays at home, that amounts to millions. He didn't sign for max deal in Miami, 2 million less at the time he signed, but his salary increased every year, plus the contract gave him a lot of flexibility in the end as well as the tax benefits surely compensated for everything.

This is why speculation was rampant in 2010 that he was already headed to Miami because of tax benefits, as opposed to other places, before the decision even happened.

 

[khiladi]

There is a difference between highest paid player and SINGLE highest paid player. Lebron has not been the SINGLE highest player on his team. But he is about to get that title.

 

[bounce]

He was the highest paid player in Miami...

He was tied with Bosh down to the dollar.

There is a difference between highest paid player and SINGLE highest paid player. Lebron has not been the SINGLE highest player on his team. But he is about to get that title.

Just saw this followup. Yes - is it semantics? Perhaps, but relative to contributions to that team and those titles, there's no way Bosh should be on the same planet as James in salary.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

BTW, not taking a max salary in Miami to get players is not the same thing as a 'pay-cut'. Lebron probably cashed out way more than when signing a max deal with teams in California and New York, considering the tax implications. In Florida, there is no state income tax and considering endorsement deals as well and the 40 plus games one plays at home, that amounts to millions.

You seem to be ignoring the possibility that he could've signed a max deal in a state with no income tax. No matter how you spin it, he left several millions n the table.

He didn't sign for max deal in Miami, 2 million less at the time he signed, but his salary increased every year, plus the contract gave him a lot of flexibility in the end as well as the tax benefits surely compensated for everything.

This is why speculation was rampant in 2010 that he was already headed to Miami because of tax benefits, as opposed to other places, before the decision even happened.

He gave up far less than 2 million. I'm not going to go into all the CBA Jargon, but the most he can make in 2014-15 is $20.2 million (may be a bit more, but only by a few 100k). Had he excepted a max deal in 2010, he would make up to $26 million now. And every year, that lost money will continue to grow, because of the silly way the NBA salary cap works.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I don't blame him for trying to get the max deal. The guy is one of the absolute best players in the world at what he does so I don't begrudge him trying to get all he can while he can.

 

[khiladi]

You seem to be ignoring the possibility that he could've signed a max deal in a state with no income tax. No matter how you spin it, he left several millions n the table.

I'm not ignoring anything. What I said is calling it a pay-cut is disingenuous, which it is. He could have gotten a max deal with Miami, but that would have affected his ability to work something out with the three guys he wanted to play with and get a ring. If he signed with other teams at a max deal, he would have been hit with a state income tax and not had the help he needed, meaning he would lose money and be in a worse spot. That is the reality no matter which way you spin it.

What I'm objecting to is that it was some type of noble gesture on his part. Yeah, he 'sacrificed some' but in the big scheme of things, he didn't sacrifice much.

http://taxfoundation.org/article/state-jock-taxes-lebron-better-miami
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07...lion-taxes-fuel-lebron-james-miami-heat-pick/
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/lebron-james-and-taxes/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

It was a smart business move and I never denied it. Like I said, there was already speculation before he made his decision, he was going that route:

http://www.taxgirl.com/will-money-pull-lebron-to-miami/

He gave up far less than 2 million. I'm not going to go into all the CBA Jargon, but the most he can make in 2014-15 is $20.2 million (may be a bit more, but only by a few 100k). Had he excepted a max deal in 2010, he would make up to $26 million now. And every year, that lost money will continue to grow, because of the silly way the NBA salary cap works.

And he could have lost without the players he wanted and it could have been a failed experiment, because he did not get the roster he needed. Which was what the opt-out was for. Now he's demanding a max deal with roster upgrades.

 

[burmafrd]

I'm not ignoring anything. What I said is calling it a pay-cut is disingenuous, which it is. He could have gotten a max deal with Miami, but that would have affected his ability to work something out with the three guys he wanted to play with and get a ring. If he signed with other teams at a max deal, he would have been hit with a state income tax and not had the help he needed, meaning he would lose money and be in a worse spot. That is the reality no matter which way you spin it.

What I'm objecting to is that it was some type of noble gesture on his part. Yeah, he 'sacrificed some' but in the big scheme of things, he didn't sacrifice much.

http://taxfoundation.org/article/state-jock-taxes-lebron-better-miami
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07...lion-taxes-fuel-lebron-james-miami-heat-pick/
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/lebron-james-and-taxes/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

It was a smart business move and I never denied it. Like I said, there was already speculation before he made his decision, he was going that route:

http://www.taxgirl.com/will-money-pull-lebron-to-miami/



And he could have lost without the players he wanted and it could have been a failed experiment, because he did not get the roster he needed. Which was what the opt-out was for. Now he's demanding a max deal with roster upgrades.

amazing how some people want to swallow anything the mediots put out....