Double TAX? Canada's Hidden Problem?

[Buddahfan]

I was just joking on the curse part, but maybe they are, who knows.

Well right now, even pick 58 Caracter is better than Davis. Because Davis hasnt played a single NBA game. Lets get back to this topic after Davis is fully healed and playing at his full speed.

EJ? or did you mean EG? Yeah Gordon is a beast.

EJ is his nickname. It stands for Eric Jr.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

You are parroting the Clipper bashers.

Yes Sterling may be the problem if he refuses to have their head trainer fired and replaced with someone who is competent. Sterling doesn't design the strength and conditioning programs, the Clippers head trainer, Jason Powell does. The guy in my opinion just needs to go.

People love to bash Sterling and I can't say a lot of it isn't warranted. I for one would have loved to see him sell the Clippers this last summer to a group of investors led by David Geffen. Alas, he did not.

However having said that the Clippers have lost a a lot a players games to injury under Powell's watch and he needs to go before the Clippers will ever become a success. You can't win in the NBA no matter what kind of talent you have on the roster if that talent is way to excessively injured and and out of uniform as a result.

Are you saying that Portland needs to fire their head trainer as well? Or the Raptors since Kleiza, Davis, Barbosa are all injured? How bout the Lakers with Kobe always banged up?

[Bendit]

From: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q66

"66. Are teams really competing on a level playing field? Since the tax rate is different in the different states and Canada, don't the teams in a more "tax friendly" state have an advantage over the other teams?

Yes they do. For example, since Florida has no state income tax, an offer from Orlando will offer a higher net income than the same offer from Los Angeles. However, the league added a regulation to help neutralize the tax disadvantage of Canadian teams. All teams are permitted to offer a signing bonus of up to 20% (see question number 65). For U.S. residents in Canada, this bonus is taxed at just 15%. Using this bonus, Canadian teams can nearly achieve tax neutrality."

Shaq should consult a proper accountant. This subject just gets beaten to death a couple of times a year at least. The team in Orlando just "down the road" from the Atlanta team enjoys a larger take home packet. The tax rates in NYC are higher than Toronto.

[Matt52]

From: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q66

"66. Are teams really competing on a level playing field? Since the tax rate is different in the different states and Canada, don't the teams in a more "tax friendly" state have an advantage over the other teams?

Yes they do. For example, since Florida has no state income tax, an offer from Orlando will offer a higher net income than the same offer from Los Angeles. However, the league added a regulation to help neutralize the tax disadvantage of Canadian teams. All teams are permitted to offer a signing bonus of up to 20% (see question number 65). For U.S. residents in Canada, this bonus is taxed at just 15%. Using this bonus, Canadian teams can nearly achieve tax neutrality."

Shaq should consult a proper accountant. This subject just gets beaten to death a couple of times a year at least. The team in Orlando just "down the road" from the Atlanta team enjoys a larger take home packet. The tax rates in NYC are higher than Toronto.

Great post. Thank you.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

From: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q66

"66. Are teams really competing on a level playing field? Since the tax rate is different in the different states and Canada, don't the teams in a more "tax friendly" state have an advantage over the other teams?

Yes they do. For example, since Florida has no state income tax, an offer from Orlando will offer a higher net income than the same offer from Los Angeles. However, the league added a regulation to help neutralize the tax disadvantage of Canadian teams. All teams are permitted to offer a signing bonus of up to 20% (see question number 65). For U.S. residents in Canada, this bonus is taxed at just 15%. Using this bonus, Canadian teams can nearly achieve tax neutrality."

Shaq should consult a proper accountant. This subject just gets beaten to death a couple of times a year at least. The team in Orlando just "down the road" from the Atlanta team enjoys a larger take home packet. The tax rates in NYC are higher than Toronto.

Same here, great post. Ive been really stuck on the notion we have higher taxes.

But the problem is, players dont know this. They go by word of mouth, i mean if shaq said it, other players are probably thinking it too. Education is the key.

I guess if cold and taxes are really not the problem, then winning is. Like the Clips, great weather, low tax, but still no great players. Nobody wants to join losers, bottomline.

Im hoping there will come a time when a superstar realizes, hey, i can create my legacy with a team like the Raptors. If i get this team to contend, this will be my legacy. So far, nobody seems to man up. They all want to join the "other good guy".

[Buddahfan]

Are you saying that Portland needs to fire their head trainer as well? Or the Raptors since Kleiza, Davis, Barbosa are all injured? How bout the Lakers with Kobe always banged up?

I don't know the Portland situation that well because I don't follow them as closely as I do the Clippers. I rarely if ever miss a Clippers game and haven't over the last several seasons. Portland I only know about from what becomes national news. So I can't comment on why Portland has had a rash of injuries. Do they have the same trainer as when Bowie and Walton played for them?

I do know that Oden was considered by many to be a major injury risk even before the draft. He had been significantly injured every season already at that time going back to his high school days. So he seems to me to be most likely a bad draft day decision unless Portland management and ownership were willing to take the known risk for the possible upside.

Kobe has won NBA titles the last two seasons playing most of the games over those two years. He plays and helps his team win. The Clippers injured players do not play and only hurt the Clippers by not playing due to their injuries.

As far as Kleiza, Davis and Barbosa go here is my assessment.

1. Barbosa - I posted at the time of the trade based upon about 30 minutes of internet research that the injury that Barbosa sustained, i.e. cyst in the location that he sustained it, could negatively affect his ability to play going forward. That it may become non-correctable or chronic. The Raptors made a management decision to trade Hedo for him, I think primarily because it was a chance to move Hedo and his contract and Barbosa's contract was only for one season. I would hope that they knew the medical risks involved at the time of the trade.

2. Davis could very well have an Oden type body. I don't know Davis injury history in high school. I do believe that he played the full schedule in his freshman season at NC. In any case those two injuries that he has had this calendar year could be due to him having an injury prone body like Oden. Only time will tell. In any case if he does then this one again has to go on Raptors management though again in the Barbosa case I would think that they knew the medical risk.

3. Kleiza has just played too many damn minutes for him over the last 12 months. Basically non-stop competitive basketball over that time. Again the Raptors management took that risk when they signed him. Could the Raptors head trainer have done anything once Kleisza showed up in Toronto after the FIBA games, to prevent the injury? Heck, we don't even know, to my knowledge when Kleiza incurred the injury. I don't anyway. Do you?

[Matt52]

Same here, great post. Ive been really stuck on the notion we have higher taxes.

But the problem is, players dont know this. They go by word of mouth, i mean if shaq said it, other players are probably thinking it too. Education is the key.

I guess if cold and taxes are really not the problem, then winning is. Like the Clips, great weather, low tax, but still no great players. Nobody wants to join losers, bottomline.

Im hoping we there will come a time when a superstar realizes, hey, i can create my legacy with a team like the Raptors. If i get this team to contend, this will be my legacy. So far, nobody seems to man up. They all want to join the "other good guy".

Regarding education, I'm sure if the Raptors put together some success on the court when it came to free agent time or trade time agents/managers/lawyers/accountants of said player would be able to explain this to them. I'm sure the Raptors would have a powerpoint or some sort of package to explain any myths and get the facts straight - AT LEAST I HOPE!

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

Regarding education, I'm sure if the Raptors put together some success on the court when it came to free agent time or trade time agents/managers/lawyers/accountants of said player would be able to explain this to them. I'm sure the Raptors would have a powerpoint or some sort of package to explain any myths and get the facts straight - AT LEAST I HOPE!

Seriously, i think they should. They probably do that when they make a pitch to FAs. And they should to draftees too.

[Tim W.]

From: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q66

"66. Are teams really competing on a level playing field? Since the tax rate is different in the different states and Canada, don't the teams in a more "tax friendly" state have an advantage over the other teams?

Yes they do. For example, since Florida has no state income tax, an offer from Orlando will offer a higher net income than the same offer from Los Angeles. However, the league added a regulation to help neutralize the tax disadvantage of Canadian teams. All teams are permitted to offer a signing bonus of up to 20% (see question number 65). For U.S. residents in Canada, this bonus is taxed at just 15%. Using this bonus, Canadian teams can nearly achieve tax neutrality."

Shaq should consult a proper accountant. This subject just gets beaten to death a couple of times a year at least. The team in Orlando just "down the road" from the Atlanta team enjoys a larger take home packet. The tax rates in NYC are higher than Toronto.

This was something I had never heard. I'm surprised it's not more well known considering how many American sportswriters have apparently contributed to this myth. Good find.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

This was something I had never heard. I'm surprised it's not more well known considering how many American sportswriters have apparently contributed to this myth. Good find.

Or, American Sportswriters are really doing this on purpose so that talents will stay away from Toronto. Not sure if this was legit but I read somewhere that Stern was wary of Toronto getting too much publicity and attracting big name free agents. He doesnt want a Canadian team contending over an American Team. Is it like if the Raps get to the playoffs, then the NBA doesnt have a share on ticket sales? If thats the case then the NBA prefers having an american team go to the playoffs rather than a canadian team coz at least money stays in the states and contributes to the economy...I have no source so take it for what its worth.

Its a conspiracy!!!!

[Tim W.]

Or, American Sportswriters are really doing this on purpose so that talents will stay away from Toronto. Not sure if this was legit but I read somewhere that Stern was wary of Toronto getting too much publicity and attracting big name free agents. He doesnt want a Canadian team contending over an American Team. Is it like if the Raps get to the playoffs, then the NBA doesnt have a share on ticket sales? If thats the case then the NBA prefers having an american team go to the playoffs rather than a canadian team coz at least money stays in the states and contributes to the economy...I have no source so take it for what its worth.

Its a conspiracy!!!!

Do you make your own tinfoil hats or do you buy them online?

[Tim W.]

I just had an interesting exchange with a writer of Business Insider that reprinted the part of the interview where Shaq discusses both that Toronto is a top 3 city but has double tax issues.

Here's the link to the article...

http://www.businessinsider.com/shaq-...oronto-2010-11

And the (short) exchange...

Tim,

Great point. That fact completely slipped my mind, even though I remember when the NBA instituted that. I'll add that to the story right now. Thanks for the heads up.

-Adam

On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 5:01 PM, Tim W. [email protected]> wrote:

Adam,

Apparently Shaq doesn't quite understand his own CBA or Canadian tax laws....

From: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q66

"66. Are teams really competing on a level playing field? Since the tax rate is different in the different states and Canada, don't the teams in a more "tax friendly" state have an advantage over the other teams?

Yes they do. For example, since Florida has no state income tax, an offer from Orlando will offer a higher net income than the same offer from Los Angeles. However, the league added a regulation to help neutralize the tax disadvantage of Canadian teams. All teams are permitted to offer a signing bonus of up to 20% (see question number 65). For U.S. residents in Canada, this bonus is taxed at just 15%. Using this bonus, Canadian teams can nearly achieve tax neutrality."

It's nice that Shaq likes Toronto, but he's not doing the city any favour by contributing to the economic myth about playing in Toronto.'

Tim

--
Adam Fusfeld
646-391-4181
Business Insider
119 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10003

[Craig]

17 other NBA franchises have similar or WORSE climates than Toronto.

I did a study.

Its a farce, as is the tax thing. Your accountant can re-coup it all.

NBA players are controlled by lazy ass greedy Agents. They keep um dumb.

[PapiJulio]

If you were so inclined, I am not, you could probably find the treaty if there is one, in some kind of summarized form by searching for something like "Tax Treaty U.S. Canada"

Cool. Good idea. Thanks!

[PapiJulio]

I was being sarcastic. I thought it was pretty obvious, personally.

Ha ha ha!!! I was starting to wonder man. My bad.

[Bendit]

Same here, great post. Ive been really stuck on the notion we have higher taxes.

But the problem is, players dont know this. They go by word of mouth, i mean if shaq said it, other players are probably thinking it too. Education is the key.

I guess if cold and taxes are really not the problem, then winning is. Like the Clips, great weather, low tax, but still no great players. Nobody wants to join losers, bottomline.

Im hoping there will come a time when a superstar realizes, hey, i can create my legacy with a team like the Raptors. If i get this team to contend, this will be my legacy. So far, nobody seems to man up. They all want to join the "other good guy".

I'd like to go on a long tirade/rant about worldview, literacy, historical perspective, shallow ideals/goals seemingly....and being spineless regarding the "greater good"...but I wont....weeelll maybe a short one .... It is but a manifestation of the quickfix and me-iswhatmatters attitude so prevalent. Unfortunately it's become systemic and I blame our political & business leaders mostly. No leadership.
End of rant.

[Bendit]

I just had an interesting exchange with a writer of Business Insider that reprinted the part of the interview where Shaq discusses both that Toronto is a top 3 city but has double tax issues.

Here's the link to the article...

http://www.businessinsider.com/shaq-...oronto-2010-11

And the (short) exchange...

Well done. Wish the league offices did a bit more about the "wild accusations" as well like a refresher note to the main news agencies.

[Beaverboi]

The other "hidden problem" for NBA players is dealing with customs/border crossings...they absolutely dispise it.

Especially players like Damon, Rasheed, Josh Howard and Gilbert!