Washington Wizards
fromThe New Yorker
14 hours agoThe N.B.A. Has a Tanking Problem
Tanking remains a strong incentive for teams, despite league efforts to combat it.
K'Lavon Chaisson kept plugging away after a rocky start in the NFL, eventually breaking out with the New England Patriots in 2025, helping them win the AFC Championship.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been clear: 'We are convinced that for the good of European basketball, the best course of action would be a joint solution with the Euroleague, reaching an agreement on a systemic approach to growth.'
The 'Home Team Act' would require that any sports team owner looking to move their franchise, or sell to a new owner with the intention of relocation, first be required to offer the sale of the franchise to a group keeping it in its current location.
In every CBA negotiation, the goal of the league and teams is to divide the players. These negotiations are no different. We remain united and focused on delivering a transformational CBA for all members of this Union, and are committed to negotiating for as long as it takes.
When things are intense and you feel like you've gotten in a rhythm and you may get it done and you might get to conclude it, you want to keep going. You don't want to lose the momentum, because the pause you take allows people to go into another dimension. They'll go back home, or they'll get into other meetings, and you don't keep that momentum going.
MLB is the only one of the four major American sports without a minimum and maximum limit to spending, and some owners may be looking to change that. According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the early projections from the league suggest a salary cap of around $260-280 million, along with a salary floor of around $140-160 million.
Many in the industry expect a lockout and some even worry about the potential for lost games in 2027. Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of The New York Post report that the league has put aside a war chest of about $2 billion, roughly $75MM per team, from a central fund to help weather a potentially lengthy stoppage. The MLBPA has made similar preparations but the report doesn't provide specifics for that side.