White smoke in the offices of the most important basketball league on the planet. The NBA officially announced that it had reached an agreement with the players union (NBPA) for the new collective agreement. A negotiation that lasted for a year and that will lay the basis of the rules until 2030.
And it is that this agreement addresses issues as diverse as the distribution of contracts, the substances that are considered doping and the financial rules that franchises will have to abide by.
This new agreement will last until 2030, but there is the option that a year before (in the sixth season) both parties can leave unilaterally to advance new changes, in favor of modernization and the new realities of the game.
A situation that undoubtedly calms the NBA, which is usually the most complicated to reach an agreement in these negotiation processes. The “lockouts” that were experienced in 1995, 1996, 1998-1999 and 2011 are still remembered, for not having joined the positions. These periods are characterized by the union’s refusal to continue playing games, which causes an absolute stoppage until their intentions are heard. The longest (98-99) came to last 204 days.
As far as the field is concerned, the biggest novelty by far is the creation of a mini-tournament in the middle of the season. This will consist of a series of matches during the month of November in which the eight teams with the best results will go to a single-match knockout draw. The semifinals and the final will take place in a neutral venue, with Las Vegas being the favorite venue at the moment.
What is striking is that these matches will count within the regular season, causing the finalist franchises to close the season with 83 games instead of 82. Another prize will be monetary, since the winners will receive $500,000.
The other novelty, although confirmed a few weeks ago, is that the players who qualify for the individual awards (Most Valuable Player, Defender of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man and Player with Best Progression) will have to play at least 65 games in the regular season.
It is the change that has achieved the most covers. The NBA informs that no player will be penalized for using marijuana recreationally. A substance that was punished, but that had already found a bit of flexibility since the organization of the league. Without going any further, it was allowed within the “Bubble” of the 2020 season.
Of course, until this year the players had to undergo four annual controls and could receive sanctions of up to five games if a positive was repeated. Now, that is history.
Change that will be well received by several players, since the latest estimates said that almost 50% of the players in the league consume it sporadically. One of the stars who has spoken the most about the subject is Kevin Durant, who has always admitted his closeness to the substance. “If you love her, you love her. If you don’t, you won’t even try it. Marijuana is just marijuana, it doesn’t hurt anyone. Help and make things better. It’s not a debate”, explained the MVP of the 2014 season a few years ago.
With a new deal, there will always come new financial rules, mainly because over the years the NBA market grows and grows. In fact, one of the most significant changes that will come with this new contract will be the increase in the percentage of maximum salary that extensions will have.
Until this season, players will be able to sign a contract extension for 120% of their previous salary. Now, on the other hand, this can be increased up to 140% depending on whether the basketball player manages to be MVP, All-NBA, All-Star or another recognition of that style.
Along these lines, new spending options will also be allowed at medium levels, although how this will be achieved has not been fully explained. The most logical thing is that new ones be added to the current exceptions to sign free agents.
But, although the options to sign increase, there will also be punishments for the teams that spend the most. This is because the NBA announced a second salary cap for teams that reach the luxury tax (when the salary limit is exceeded by 17.5 million)
Finally, another modification is that the number of two-way contracts that the teams have will be increased. Currently they could only have two players participating in the G League, but from next year it will be increased to three.
