On Friday, the NBA and the NBPA ratified the next collective bargaining agreement, which will run through the 2023-24 season. That's great news for basketball fans in general. A lockout was averted.
It's the specifics of the deal, as detailed by Basketball Insiders, that will both help and hurt the Los Angeles Lakers in the long term.
The advantage for L.A. is clear when it comes to keeping its young, talented players. A normal rookie-scale extension was limited to four years, but the new agreement will allow teams to utilize two five-year designated player extensions instead of just one.
Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram all have the potential to become All-Star-caliber players. Randle is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, followed by Russell and Ingram one and two years after that, respectively.
As added incentive to stay with their incumbent franchises, designated players are also eligible for a higher salary scale if they qualify by earning awards like Most Valuable Player or Defensive Player of the Year or make an All-NBA team.
Recent examples of players who signed five-year deals coming off rookie contracts include Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis.
So, the Lakers will have to decide which two of Randle, Russell and Ingram will get the more lucrative offers, assuming all three emerge as stars. Regardless, the team will still have the advantage, as all three will become restricted free agents if they aren't extended first.
On the other side of that coin, the Lakers aren't likely to steal another team's star who's coming off a rookie-scale contract since the new deal only increases the likelihood that young talents will stay home.
Rule changes could also make it significantly more difficult for L.A. to land an established star via free agency or trade...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
