With all the talent they have. It’s no surprise that the Los Angeles Clippers have some financial issues in terms of the NBA luxury tax. They’re already over the limit and with the possible max deal for DeAndre Jordan. It’s set to stay over the limit and then some.
The LA Times have accounted for this possibility as the Clips gear up to re-sign DeAndre 3000.
A maximum five-year contract for Jordan projected at $103.5 million would probably nudge the Clippers over the luxury tax threshold for a third consecutive season in 2015-16, triggering the dreaded repeater tax the following season.
That’s an additional dollar-for-dollar charge tacked onto existing penalties under the league’s more punitive luxury tax system adopted in the most recent collective bargaining agreement.
It’s impossible to know exactly how much the Clippers would have to pay in penalties until the makeup of their roster and the salary cap figures are known. But a third maximum salaried player in addition to point guard Chris Paul and forward Blake Griffin could give even a billionaire such as Ballmer some sticker shock.
Damn right sticker shock! But as it turns out. Steve Ballmer can take the punch, as he knows that if he wants to keep that star core, he’s going to have to make some financial commitment above the $2 Billion he’s already paid to own the team.
“I want the Clippers to be better than they’ve ever been and better than anybody else has ever been,”
“What that means explicitly, it’s not simple, of course, because of the NBA, the cap, the this, the that. I mean, I know they exist, but it’s kind of a labyrinth that you have to know how to navigate and Doc and his staff do.… We want to be the best we can be and I’m going to support Doc to go do that.“
The Clippers have finally decided to start winning games after a really weird month in terms of play. But securing the core is clearly number 1 priority to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
