Claiming that these are flush times for the NBA would be like saying LeBron James is a capable player. Franchise values are growing at the rate of Jack’s Beanstalk. Television ratings remain strong—a feat in this wobbly media landscape—and the NBA remains a leader in digital strategy and global reach. Thanks largely to TV deals that run close to $3 billion a season, the salary cap is north of nine figures. So it is that a marginal player like Timofey Mozgov can make $16 million this season, while a modest starter like Memphis’s Mike Conley— who might be among the NBA’s top quartile of point guards—will make $31 million.
Michele Roberts: 'I Wouldn't Mind Routing The League'
