There was a not-too-long time when Joe Lacob, one of the owners of the Golden State Warriors, congratulated himself on generating more revenue than the Knicks and Lakers, the two most valuable franchises in the NBA. With the construction of the new pavilion, the Chase Center, right across from the old Oracle, just across the Bay and changing Oakland for San Francisco, bonanza times were coming like the Warriors had never seen. The calculations were to enter 100 million more a year thanks to that building that is 100% owned by the franchise. Everything that was held in the new pavilion, and it was going to be much more than basketball games (concerts, congresses, celebrations, etc.), would leave money in the coffers, as well as the sale of tickets and, especially, that of the private boxes, many of them rented for more than a million per season.
Days after Lacob’s words, the coronavirus made its appearance in the United States. Life changed, basketball stopped, mass shows were stopped and the Warriors’ ultimate weapon to storm the NBA’s economic sky, the Chase Center, their jewel in the crown, stopped giving money. The more than $ 1 billion invested in raising it no longer seems such a good investment in the short term. And all this, obviously, can have an impact on the sporting level. We all had Warriors galloping back to reclaim their place among the league greats in 2020-21. With healthy Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green they can do it, but they may not look as well surrounded as they thought.
With the money that they have committed right now in salaries, the luxury tax to pay for the Californian franchise is 69 million. This calculation is based on the salary limit that had been projected for next season and that has yet to be revised, probably downward, but that the NBA has already warned that it does not intend to change too much. The room for maneuver the Warriors have to sign players is not great. Between Curry, Thompson and Green plus Andrew Wiggins they have already signed 121 million for next year. Transfers aside, that leaves room for them to add small contracts, either from players who are new to the league (they have number 2 in the draft) or from veterans.
But there is an exception, one that was created in the summer of 2019 when Andre Iguodala was traded to the Grizzlies. 17,185,185 million extra to pay to distribute as they want. Everyone thought that the Warriors would use this money to prop up a new assault on the ring with a great secondary, but now it is not so clear that they will spend it. The accounts are as follows:
- If you use 10 million of the 17, your luxury tax would increase by about 38.
- If you use 15 million of the 17, your luxury tax would increase by about 64.
- And if you use the 17,185,185 million, your luxury tax would increase by about 76.
All these figures must be added to the 69 who are already going to have to pay more yes or yes. Without the revenue from the Chase Center, use the trade exception by Iguodala, which by the way will expire about a week after the transfer market opens, It doesn’t seem like such a good idea anymore. In fact, Anthony Slater, a journalist for The Ringer, commented a few days ago that several sources with whom he spoke increasingly insist that They will only use those 17 million if a “special opportunity” is available..
In line with this, NBC’s Monte Poole analyzed the possibilities of spending that money realistically. The clearest options for him were three: Reggie Bullock and Wayne Ellington (Knicks), Rudy Gay (Spurs) or Kelly Oubre Jr. (Suns). A list of candidates that you wouldn’t exactly throw a party with. Perhaps Oubre Jr., who is barely 24 years old, can give a little more excitement. But generally they are not the best examples of “special opportunity” that would come to mind.
Whatever happens to the trade exception, the Warriors will be candidates for the ring. But the coronavirus can make them go from the category of Candidates with capital letters, to a few more candidates. In about a month we will have the answer.
