The NBA's salary structure is a relatively complicated part. Before Min Congda had time to do his homework, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was over 400 pages long, all in English, and he couldn't read it at all.
According to the labor agreement negotiated during the 1999 lockout, the contract amount and length of rookie players are clearly stipulated. The contract length of first-round rookies is four years, including two years of full guarantee and two years of team options.
The contract amount is determined based on the draft pick. The contract amount for rookies before 1999 is calculated as the weighted average of the annual salaries of rookies with the same pick in the previous seven years.
Starting from 1999, the contract amount for the 1998-99 season will be increased by 5% every year.
(ps, it is not an annual increase of 5%, but an increase of 5% of the contract amount for the 1998-99 season, which is a fixed value.)
For example, the standard contract amount for the No. 1 pick in the 1998-99 season is US$2.67 million in the first year, and five percent is approximately US$134,000.
The standard contract amount for the No. 1 pick will increase by $134,000 per year.
By 2009, the standard starting amount of the No. 1 pick's contract had become $4.15 million.
The starting amount is 4.15 million, and can be increased by 10% every year. In the last year of team options, the maximum increase can be 26.1%.
Therefore, the standard contract amount for the No. 1 pick in 2009 is 19 million for four years and $4.15 million in the first year.
However, this amount is a standard amount. In actual operation, it can fluctuate between 80% and 120%. The annual increase can also be negotiated, but it does not exceed 10%.
In most cases, teams sign players at 120% of the standard amount, especially the No. 1 pick.
Since the implementation of the new labor agreement in 1999, no team has signed a contract with the No. 1 pick at 120% of the standard amount.
Because first-round picks, especially high-ranking picks, are potential rookies that the team values and must be trained intensively.
The contract quotation given by Olshey on behalf of the Clippers is exactly the standard amount, which is 100% free of fluctuation.
"Stephen Curry is indeed the No. 1 pick, but Dell, you know, this is an accident. He should have been selected by the Knicks at No. 8. In that case, he could only get a 4-year, 10 million contract, which is only ours. Half of the contract.”
"Anyway, you still made a profit, didn't you?"
Olshey's explanation was full of arrogance. Of course, he did it on purpose. He did not discuss the contract amount with Min Congda at all.
After all, Min Congda did not discuss the choice of Curry with the management and made the decision in five minutes, negating all the team's previous work.
Therefore, he wanted to embarrass Curry and even more so Min Congda on this matter.
Dell Curry shook his head and was so angry that he almost pulled his son out of the venue because the Clippers' offer was really unacceptable.
Curry also had an angry look on his face. He is a very high-spirited player. Although he does not think he will be selected with the first pick, he knows that it is not a question of his strength, but a question of the team's vision.
"If you are not prepared to treat my son with the same treatment as the No. 1 pick, then you should not select my son with the No. 1 pick!"
Olshey almost blurted out, "We never planned to choose him!" Fortunately, Rosser held him down to calm him down.
The atmosphere in the conference room was tense for a while.
Min Congda, who had been observing calmly from the sidelines, quickly realized the problem.
Olshey, this kid, manipulated the contract to humiliate Curry, right? Just because I chose someone you don't want?
The mood is understandable, but this kind of behavior is not worth promoting. The leader has already made a decision, how can he stumbling upon it casually?
Min Congda stood up at this time, closed the door of the conference room, patted Dell Curry on the shoulder and asked him to sit down.
He used up all his Level 6 vocabulary and said to Dell Curry:
"Mr. Curry, this is just a misunderstanding. I just arrived at the team and I don't understand the management situation. Mr. Olshey doesn't really recognize Curry's talent, and I don't have that much time to explain to him, so I chose you on my own. Son, he is a little unhappy."
"This contract is just a joke made by Mr. Olshey. As the general manager of the team, I guarantee that the contract given to Mr. Curry will not be less, and will never be discounted! Ada, go right away. Prepare a new, fully paid contract!"
This is the longest sentence Min Congda has said in one breath since arriving in Los Angeles, and his meaning is still very clear.
After hearing Min Congda's words, the faces of Curry and his son softened, and they both looked at Olshey.
Min Congda walked up to Olshe and whispered: "Shut up and stop talking, or you will be fired. I will keep my word."
With the support of the system, Min Congda has to be as tough as he wants. He doesn't care how senior Olshey is with the Clippers and the NBA.
I only keep you because the system does not allow me to lay off people at will, but if you mess with the contract, there is every reason to get rid of you.
Olshey tensed up after hearing this. The toughness of the new general manager was beyond his expectation. Sterling insisted on supporting this person. Olshey's rhetoric was all rotten in his stomach, so he could only shut up and acquiesce.
Olshe's first pair of shoes was not put on by Min Congda.
The contract negotiations between the two parties passed without any danger. Min Congda didn't care about the subsequent contract details. Saving money was not part of his job.
After handling Curry's contract and watching him sign the contract, Min Congda breathed a sigh of relief and then thought:
"I give others a contract of five million a year without blinking an eye, but what about myself? I only get two hundred yuan?"
The new season won't start until the end of October, and there are still four months left in between. Min Congda feels that he doesn't have to do anything and just let the Clippers continue to suck.
Now he is more concerned about his salary. The latest game will not start until next month. Before that, he has no income.
The system only gave him a start-up capital of 200 US dollars, and he spent more than 20 US dollars on breakfast and lunch. How will he live in the future?
Do you have to eat at work every day? I wonder if the Clippers have a cafeteria, and whether meal expenses can be reimbursed, are there transportation subsidies, and will there be subsidies for business trips?
These things are the top priority and must be understood.
So when he came to the general manager's office, Min Congda asked Ada to bring him the team's rules and regulations and financial statements for a look.
At this time, Olshey was moving personal belongings out of the office to free up the room for Min Congda.
Olshey said directly to Min Congda: "Smart, I don't know why Sterling trusts you so much, but if you keep messing around, the Clippers will be finished sooner or later."
Min Congda was delighted when he heard this. Isn't this the result I want? It seems I'm on the right path.
"Maybe in three more seasons, there will be no more Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA!" Olshey issued a "curse."
Min Congda frowned, it would take three seasons to finish, which is a bit slow.
It seems that I can't do nothing, I have to do something to speed up the progress.
He is still waiting to get 300 million US dollars to carry out the next mission.
Sitting in the packed office, Ada sent Min Congda the team's rules and regulations and financial statements.
Min Congda took a look at the regulations. Needless to say, it was all in English. He could understand it but it was very difficult.
"It seems that there will be a rule in the future that all documents must be provided with a Chinese version for me to see."
Min Congda put down the rules and asked Ada some questions directly.
"How is the employee's diet solved?"
"Of course you have to deal with it yourself, but there will be special food supplies for players training."
"where?"
"There is a players canteen right at the team's training facility. Do you want to check it out?"
"No, no, no rush, I'm just trying to understand."
Ada thought that Min Congda was going to inspect the players' dietary conditions, but she didn't expect that the manager just wanted to eat every day.
"When will the players start training?"
"The training camp usually starts in October, but many players will start training in the summer. Because the summer league will start in July, rookies and some undrafted players will participate in the training camp."
"That's right, I'll go and observe it then."
Min Congda has decided to go for a meal.
Later, Min Congda asked about various rules and regulations. Generally speaking, Clippers owner Sterling is not generous and even stingy.
In addition to basic salary and bonuses, employees have very limited subsidies and benefits. It is said that Sterling has to find ways to deduct the food subsidies for players and staff when going to away games to save the team's costs.
Min Congda couldn't help but think of the miserable situation of paying for reimbursement invoices at the bank without signing, and picking at the strings, resulting in his credit card not being able to eat instant noodles.
"Now that the system has taken control of this stingy boss and needs me to help him go bankrupt, wouldn't it be nice if I could simply increase the wages of the employees and increase the team's operating expenses?"
As soon as I had this idea in my mind, a system prompt appeared in front of me [Employee salary increase must not exceed 20%, otherwise it will be a violation and will be vetoed by the boss. At the same time, you are not allowed to hire employees at will to increase the team's expenses, and you are not allowed to pay yourself a salary. 】
"Damn! There are still restrictions in the system, and I can't pay myself yet! It's like dancing in chains, but a 20% increase is not bad. A 20% increase in human capital expenditure is not a small expense."
So, Min Congda said to Ada: "Pass it down, starting from today, everyone's basic salary will increase by 20%, including janitors, cleaners, and outsourced employees! Including you, Miss Ada."
Ada was surprised when she heard this and said: "Is this... is this really okay? I'm just an intern."
"Intern? Very good. From now on, you have become a regular employee. You are a regular employee of the Clippers."
Ada couldn't believe her ears. She was still worried about being terminated if she didn't do a good job.
"Thank you, thank you Mr. Smart!"
"It's okay, by the way, I don't know your full name yet, Ada."
"My full name is Ada Grazia Andolini."
"Oh, not bad, a good name. Garcia, give me a raise, haha..."
