A little after 10pm MST last night, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement that would stretch over the next six to seven seasons. There are a number of changes in the upcoming deal, which both sides seem very positive about.

But that’s about as much as I plan on near-plagiarizing ESPN’s well-written article on the same subject, by Marc Stein and Ian Begley. Instead, I will copy and follow the most Nuggets-applicable points in order, so they will line up if you decide to go check that one out side-by-side. Either way, here’s how the new CBA could impact your Denver Nuggets…

ESPN: "The league's average salary is expected to jump from the $5 million range to nearly $9 million annually in the new CBA, with significant jumps — approximately 45 percent — planned for rookie-scale deals, minimum-salary contracts and some free-agent exceptions, including the midlevel exception."

This should be a long-term positive for Denver, though they won’t see much impact for over a year with most of their deals already locked down through the 2017-2018 season. That factor allows them even further flexibility if they end up looking to make any deals this year. Otherwise, just like the recent salary cap increases, results will be muddied by everyone seeing the same glut of spending/spent money.

ESPN: "…teams will have the ability to offer designated veteran star players contract extensions up to five seasons in length (and in some cases six seasons), greatly enhancing the ability of small-market teams to retain their best players."

This may be the biggest Nuggets-positive news of the set. Though the Nuggets have been labeled a mid-market team for years, we’re certainly squarely in the crosshairs of who this new rule is designed to help; markets where keeping a star has proven to be a challenge. As Denver’s current youthful core matures, hopefully a star or two emerges from the bunch and Denver has good leverage with which to hang onto that player, similar to the very successful rookie extension rules the league has enjoyed.

ESPN: "There will be no amnesty clause in the new CBA"

No surprise here, players had been clear this exception would not be acceptable to them for the long term. If you’re unfamiliar, the ‘amnesty clause’ allowed teams to waive a single player and remove that salary from their cap. Sort of the ‘oops’ clause. Denver has structured their contracts well with solid players on relatively inexpensive deals, without any real albatrosses amongst the group. If anything, this CBA change helps the Nuggets. They are not currently in need of the clause, which could help them against teams who are forced to hang onto a bad decision.

ESPN: "Maximum roster size will rise from 15 to 17 players, with the extra slots earmarked for players on "two-way contracts," as seen in the NHL, which stipulate that a player's salary is based on NBA minimums when the player is "up" and an estimated $75,000 when the player is on assignment in the NBA Development League."

An expanded roster might have been to the Nuggets advantage over the last two injury-filled seasons, but a decent portion of the Nuggets bench only sees the court in case of injury or blowout anyway, so this one seems of minimal-to-slightly-positive consequence to our fortunes.

ESPN: "…significant changes to the regular-season schedule are forthcoming that are designed to reduce the number of back-to-back sets and four-games-in-five-nights stretches that teams currently face."

Easy to argue that this will be to the Nuggets disadvantage over the long haul. Denver has broken with tradition this season, in that they typically have enjoyed great success against opponents coming in to Denver on the second night of a back-to-back. Giving opponents another night’s rest before coming in to altitude removes one of the Nuggets best historical advantages, and certainly doesn’t assuage their current home woes, either.

The rest is of little effect to the Nuggets specifically, but other points of interest in the new CBA: (if you didn’t read the ESPN article)

These things stay the same: BRI (basketball-related income) split percentages remain 51/49. Early-entry age stays at 19. American players still have to have a post-high school year before being eligible to play.

These things do not stay the same: This is commissioner Adam Silver’s first CBA as the man in charge. This also seems to have been one of the smoothest negotiations in the last several, a credit to both sides understanding that the league’s current growth can ill afford a hiccup.

Happy/Sad quote of the day: from the same ESPN article, the words of DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors:

"It just shows you how big the NBA, how popular the NBA is, that it can't afford a lockout. People love the game too much. It's great.''

Happy because he’s right. The league’s fan base is growing rapidly in size and scope. Sad because our favorite team has watched their fan base and interest level decline against the rest of the league’s good fortune.

What say you, Nuggets Nation? Do I have my reads on these new CBA changes right, or have I completely missed the boat? How will this impact the Nuggets? How did the league and players fare in the deal, respectively?

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