KCC is the winner of the offseason. The KBL’s version of a super team was completed when KCC, which was already considered a championship contender, brought in Choi Jun-yong, the biggest free agent signing.
Even without the naturalized Ragan-ah, the lineup of Heo Woong, Lee Seung-hyun, and Choi Jun-yong has no gaps. In November, they’ll be joined by Song Gyo-chang, who will be retiring from the Korean Armed Forces. “We’re a national team lineup,” Heo said proudly.
The scales tipping in KCC’s favor were made possible when the KBL introduced a soft cap three years ago instead of a hard cap.
The 10 teams have to pay a luxury tax (youth development fund) if they go over a pre-agreed salary total (salary cap). This year, Anyang KGC Ginseng Corporation broke the preconceived notion of saving money and realized their dream of winning the unified championship.
KCC, which had already paid the luxury tax for two years in a row, decided to challenge for the title by betting a total of 600 million won on Choi Jun-yong. Guard Lee Ho-hyun, who was acquired from Samsung, will be paid 240 million won in the first year. A KCC official said, “It’s difficult to calculate because we haven’t yet negotiated the salaries of the players except for free agents,” but added, “We’re determined to pay the luxury tax.”
According to the KBL regulations, if a team’s total salary exceeds the upper limit, the size of the luxury tax depends on the percentage. Teams under 10 percent pay 30 percent of the excess, but those over 10 to 20 percent and 20 percent pay 40 percent and 50 percent, respectively.
Basketball circles are predicting that the total salary will be around 3.3 billion won, as Lee Jong-hyun (110 million won → KGC) and Park Kyung-sang (35 million won → retirement) are the only players who have left KCC.
A club official said, “The salary cap has increased to 2.8 billion won compared to last season (2.6 billion won), but KCC also spent 108.65% of the total last season. With the addition of Choi Jun-yong and Lee Ho-hyun, and the departing Song Kyo-chang prorating his existing salary (750 million won), we’ll easily exceed 110%.”
There is one variable in the bill that awaits KCC. If Choi’s original team, SK, takes the player in exchange for compensation (200% of the previous year’s salary), the total salary will be lower and the luxury tax burden will be less.
“SK needs reinforcements at the guard position,” said a KCC official. There is speculation that Jung Chang-young and Kim Ji-wan could leave. Both players were paid a total of 250 million won.메이저놀이터
However, SK said, “We are not in a hurry for money (1.1 billion won),” but also said, “Bringing in Jung Chang-young or Kim Ji-wan will not cause KCC’s power to plummet. We will make a careful decision by tomorrow.”
There are also predictions that the luxury tax burden will be a problem for KCC starting next year, not this year. If the team performs like a super team, it will trigger a salary increase. If the players’ egos are taken into account, the amount of luxury tax could be much higher. That’s why there’s talk that Choi Jun-yong is indispensable to the United States, another reason for his decision to join KCC.
KCC coach Jeon Chang-jin said, “Even if we win the championship, or even if we don’t win the championship, we will help Jun-yong go to the United States.” The situation surrounding Super Team KCC has become interesting in many ways.