Don't Be Mad About Inflated NBA Salaries

I have to admit, seeing a guy averaging less than three points a game get $48 million is annoying. I have to admit that seeing Evan Turner get $75 million is infuriating. I have to admit that seeing Mike Conley become the highest paid player ever is downright funny. The first day of NBA Free Agency was amusing at least. For some, it was infuriating.

Don't be mad at these high salaries, this is how a rational and fair economy works. The salary cap is a result of a collectively bargained contract between the players and teams that insures a percentage of the profits goes to the players, the actual product you pay to watch. It rises because the revenue, created by the on-court product, rises. The salary cap is going up from $70 million to over $90 million ($94 million is my understanding). The increase in salaries is due to a better league. The "salary floor" of 90% of the cap insures that the players receive their chunk of the revenue that they create. Those producing product should get a larger share of what they create. This is true in sports as much as anything else.

Does this seem ridiculous- yes. Is it wrong? No. The NBA's increasing salary structure is a good thing, and represents how a rational, fair economic system works. That this means the Sixers will have to pay out $84.6 million is totally fine by me.