NBA: No Sure Answer To League's Resting Controversy

NBA Free Agency Tracker

There's an old saying about basketball: "Ball don't sleep".

As of late, those words have come to fruition.
Within a span of twelve days, we've crowned a new champion, welcomed a new draft class, and have now started free agency. In the heart of baseball season and football season inching closer and closer, what fantastic scheduling for the NBA to keep basketball on the minds of people across the sports world. Not to mention, NBA Summer League starts July 2nd. 

However it's time for the circus of basketball: NBA Free Agency. You have the traditional clowns that shell money out to players who don't deserve it with teams jumping through hoops in hopes of landing their championship piece, all in the midst of chaos. 

Will Kevin Durant bolt and leave the Thunder? Is this the year LA and New York regain momentum as prime destinations? Who can jockey their team back into serious title talk? Every question deserves an answer, and the summer of 2016 will speak anytime now. 

NBA Free Agency is officially underway, and here's what you need to know:

• The Salary Cap- For 2016, the cap for the league is at $94.1 million, a $24 million jump from last year's $70 million cap. This means teams like the Lakers, who have $60 million in cap space, could essentially sign two players to a max-deal. In comparison, a team like the Clippers, who have a mere $15 million in cap space, will struggle to lure any big name players worth those pennies.

• When Can Deals Become Official?- Although Free Agency technically started at 12:01 AM eastern time on Friday, deals cannot become official until July 7. Although most times deals are verbally agreed and kept well before the deadline, it is important to note that a deal is not official until ink hits the dotted line (i.e. google search DeAndre Jordan during last year's free agency). 

• What is a max deal?- "The maximum amount of money a player can sign for is based on the number of years that player has played and the total of the salary cap. The maximum salary of a player with 6 or fewer years of experience is either $9,000,000 or 25% of the total salary cap (2013–14: $14,670,000), whichever is greater. For a player with 7–9 years of experience, the maximum is $11,000,000 or 30% of the cap (2013–14: $17,603,700), and for a player with 10+ years of experience, the maximum is $14,000,000 or 35% of the cap (2013–2014: $20,537,650).^[14] There is an exception to this rule: a player is able to sign a contract for 105% of his previous contract, even if the new contract is higher than the league limit." - Wikipedia 

  For this offseason, the max contract for a veteran of 10+ years will be starting at $30.8 million per year.

• Players WILL be overpaid- Basketball money is ridiculous, and the contracts show it. Every year, there's always a handful of players that receive more money than the general managers of social media believe they should've gotten. Teams need to spend their money, and when you have an excess of cash with fewer options (let's just pick a random franchise: The Los Angeles Lakers) you're forced to pay more than other teams would. 

Signed Players:

These are players who have officially signed contracts with their respective clubs. Unsigned players and players with a current offer-sheet that can still be matched are not included. This list is organized by position, and followed by total dollar amount of contract.

Point Guards
Mike Conley- Memphis Grizzlies- 5 years, $153 million
Matthe Dellavedova- Milwaukee Bucks- 4 years, $38.4 million
Jeremy Lin- Brooklyn Nets- 3 years, $36 million
Austin Rivers- Los Angeles Clippers- 3 years, $35 million
D.J. Augustin- Orlando Magic- 4 years, $29 million
Rajon Rondo- Chicago Bulls- 2 years, $28 million
Jerryd Bayless- Philadelphia 76ers- 3 years, $27 million 
Ish Smith- Detroit Pistons- 3 years, $18 million
Ramon Sessions- Charlotte Hornets- 2 years, $12.5 million
Deron Williams- Dallas Mavericks- 1 year, $10 million
Langston Galloway- New Orleans Pelicans- 2 year, $10 million
Seth Curry- Dallas Mavericks- 2 years, $6 million
Brandon Jennings- New York Knicks- 1 year, $5 million


Shooting Guards
Demar Derozan- Toronto Rapters- 5 years, $139 million
Bradley Beal- Washington Wizards- 5 years, $128 million
Evan Fournier- Orlando Magic- 5 years, $85 million
Allen Crabbe- Portland Trail Blazers- 4 years, $75 million
Kent Bazemore- Atlanta Hawks- 4 years, $70 million
Eric Gordon- Houston Rockets- 4 year, $53 million
Jordan Clarkson- Los Angeles Lakers- 4 years, $50 million
Tyler Johnson- Miami Heat- 4 years, $50 million
Courtney Lee- New York Knicks- 4 years, $48 million
Dwayne Wade- Chicago Bulls- 2 years, $47.5 million
Jamal Crawford- Los Angeles Clippers- 3 years, $42 million
Arron Afflalo- Sacremento Kings- 2 years, $25 million
Joe Johnson- Utah Jazz- 2 years, $22 million
Gerald Henderson- Philadelphia 76ers- 2 years, $18 million

Manu Ginobili- San Antonio Spurs- 1 year, $14 million Leandro Barbosa- Phoenix Suns- 2 years, $8 million


Small Forwards 
Nicolas Batum- Charlotte Hornets- 5 years, $120 million
Lebron James- Cleveland Cavaliers- 3 years, $100 million
Chandler Parsons- Memphis Grizzlies- 4 years, $94 million
Harrison Barnes- Dallas Mavericks- 4 years, $94 million
Luol Deng- Los Angeles Lakers- 4 years, $72 million
Evan Turner- Portland Trail Blazers- 4 years, $70 million
Marvin Williams- Charlotte Hornets- 4 years, $54.5 million
Kevin Durant- Golden State Warriors- 2 years, $54 million
Solomon Hill- New Orleans Pelicans- 4 years, $52 million 
Jared Dudley- Phoenix Suns- 3 year, $30 million
Wesley Johnson- Los Angeles Clippers- 3 years, $18 million
Festus Ezeli- Portland Trail Blazers- 2 years, $15 million
Jeff Green- Orlando Magic- 1 year, $15 million
Matt Barnes- Sacramento Kings- 2 years, $12 million
Richard Jefferson- Cleveland Cavaliers- 2 years, $5 million

Power Forwards
Ryan Anderson- Houston Rockets- 4 years, $80 million
Jon Leuer- Detroit Pistons- 4 years, $42 million
Meyers Leonard- Portland Trail Blazers- 4 years, $41 million
Dirk Nowitzki- Dallas Mavericks- 2 years, $40 million
Dwight Powell- Dallas Mavericks- 4 years, $37 million
Pau Gasol- San Antonio Spurs- 2 years, $30+ million 
Mirza Teletovic- Milwaukee Bucks- 3 years, $30 million
Darrell Arthur- Denver Nuggets- 3 years, $23 million
Trevor Booker- Brooklyn Nets- 2 years, $18 million
Jason Smith- Washington Wizards- 3 years, $16 million
Jared Sullinger- Toronto Rapters- 1 year, $6 million
Derrick Williams- Miami Heat- 1 year, $5 million
David West- Golden State Warriors- 1 year, $1.29 million
James McAdoo- Golden State Warriors- 1 year, $980,000


Centers
Andre Drummond- Detroit Pistons- 5 years, $130 million
Al Horford- Boston Celtics- 4 years, $113 million
Hassan Whiteside- Miami Heat- 4 years, $98 million
Joakim Noah- New York Knicks- 4 years, $72 million
Dwight Howard- Atlanta Hawks- 3 years, $70.5 million
Bismack Biyombo- Orlando Magic- 4 years, $70 million
Ian Mahinmi- Washington Wizards- 4 years, $64 million
Timofey Mozgov- Los Angeles Lakers- 4 years, $64 million
Al Jefferson- Indiana Pacers- 3 years, $30 million
Cole Aldrich- Minnesota Timberwolves- 3 years, $22 million
Boban Marjanovic- Detroit Pistons- 3 years, $21 million

Jordan Hill- Minnesota Timberwolves- 2 years, $8 million Roy Hibbert- Charlotte Hornets- 1 year, $5 million
Nene- Houston Rockets- 1 year, $2.9 million
Zaza Pachulia- Golden State Warriors- $2.9 million
Marreese Speights- Los Angeles Clippers- $1.4 million

Final Four Preview

After the usual crazy upsets and bracket busting, the Final Four has finally arrived. We've seen teams from every walk of life make it in 2014, from Wisconsin and Florida (Wisconsin a respectable two seed, Florida a common national favorite to win it all) to the unexpected in UConn and Kentucky (UConn lost to Louisville by 33 a mere three weeks ago, UK has beaten three teams from last years Final Four on it's run so far.)

 As the old saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas. On Saturday, the anticipation, pressure and nerves will be super-sized among other factors. One simple question remains: Who will be cutting the nets one more time on their way to the national championship game next Monday? Let's take a look: 

Battle of the Bluegrass: Why Louisville vs Kentucky is the Greatest Rivalry Today

Chaos is approaching. All systems are a go with sirens blaring and the sun setting. The ultimate showdown between good vs evil (who's good and who's evil all depends on who you ask) will be watched by millions of spectators on Friday night.

Sleep safe viewers, it is not Armageddon. However, in the state of Kentucky, it's the closest thing to it.

Kentucky and Louisville will battle for a spot in the Elite Eight on Friday night. The two teams have met once this season, with the Wildcats edging the Cardinals 73-66. Although some experts are predicting UK to sweep the series, UL could easily send John Calipari and his young squad packing home.

No extra hype needed for this rivalry game, yet the fact that Friday's game is a huge NCAA tournament match-up for a potential Final Four appearance doesn't hurt the notoriety. Forget your brackets, gambling odds and other outside interests. When it comes to this game, what really matters is the pride within the borders of the bluegrass state. After all, it is the greatest rivalry in modern day college basketball.

I learned the hard way. As a 12 year old moving to Kentucky, I had no idea what I was in for. Football was second to hoops, and half of the people couldn't grasp the concept of hockey. Basketball had no importance to me, that is until the annual Battle for the Bluegrass rolled around. That's all anybody talked about, and on game day, all attention was fixed on the television screen as Edgar Sosa blasted a three point shot in the final seconds to lift Louisville over Kentucky. The excitement from the kids at school, the disappointment on family member's faces, the meaning this rivalry carried was new to me, and I loved it.

See in Kentucky, you're either born a Cardinal or Wildcat. Outsiders coming in are properly baptized. Switching allegiances is nearly a sin in churches throughout a state. This rivalry has broken up partnerships, friendships and yes, even relationships. For 364 days a year, fans of both teams participate in ferocious trash talk, and on the day of the game, the intensity multiplies. Hate is a strong word to use in any context, but boy oh boy, do these two sides hate each other.

Maybe it's the fact that the two universities are within nearly 75 miles of each other? Or perhaps the constant power struggle between UL and UK to get not only top recruits to participate in sports programs, but the cream of the crop students for academics as well? All the above are true, yet one man was able to add an already big quantity of fuel to the fire in this rivalry.

Rick Pitino has built an impressive resume.The only head coach to lead three different schools to a Final Four appearance (Providence, Kentucky and Louisville), and the only coach in the NCAA to lead two different schools to a national championship(You guessed it, Kentucky and Louisville). Among the many impressive feats on his resume includes a brief stint with the New York Knicks, and a short tenure with the Boston Celtics. Pitinio, however, is notorious for one decision. The decision to cross over to the dark side, to switch blue for red. Forget about any Benedict Arnold, Rick Pitino was far worse in the minds of Wildcat fans.

To Cardinal faithful, he's a savior. Leading Louisville to its first Final Four appearance in 19 years in 2005, and winning it's first national championship in three decades in 2013. He resurrected the Cardinal program after legendary coach Denny Crum retired, and Louisville alumni and fans could never be so gracious. However, in Lexington, Pitino is synonymous with the words "traitor", and "villian" among many things. Once a highly respected man for leading UK back to the promise land in 1996, ditching big blue for the big stage of the NBA and then coaching the sworn enemy certainly is no way to go out.

 Forget about burning bridges, Rick Pitino might have burnt every bridge, road and trail on his way to Louisville.

Since then, John Calipari has stepped up majorly and made Wildcat fans forget about the woes of the 2000's. Coach Cal has led UK to it's first national championship since Tubby Smith left in 1998, and continues to produce NBA talent since his arrival. A major upgrade from the last coach (we're looking at you, Billie Gillispie) Calapari has made Kentucky into a shade of it's former self, a powerhouse in modern day basketball.

Combine the proximity of the two schools, the past endeavors of a certain Italian man, the overall success of both programs and the intense hatred towards the opposition and what do you get? Simply a day in the State of Kentucky. I'm sure a rivalry like Duke vs North Carolina is similar, yet I don't believe the fans trade intense Facebook posts and tweets every, single, day. Some say it's unnecessary, others say it's too much. I say, it's beautiful.

The last time these two met in the NCAA tournament was in the 2012 Final Four. After Kentucky upended Louisville to go on to the national championship game, the people of Lexington took to the streets. Couch burning, shotgun shooting and car spray painting were the main activities for the next few hours. Outsiders call it inhumane and crazy, but they'll never understand. For the whole state, it's an intense passion that is unparalleled to anything else. Babies are named after players, and homes become divided.

So on Friday, before tipoff at 9:45 ET, battle stations will be ready. Families will make the necessary viewing adjustments within the household, as sports bars across the state are thankful for a second day of this battle. A 40 minute fight between friends, co-workers and family members will be the only thing that matters for the next week, perhaps even the months coming. Whoever comes out victorious, Louisville or Kentucky, will advance to the Elite Eight and an entire fan base will claim it's rightful place on the throne of it's kingdom. After all, basketball does belong in the bluegrass state.