Before the new CBA, The HaveNots budgeted tightly how they were going to ice a fairly competitive team while the ultimate goal is to try to somehow survive for another season without huge losses. Many teams had the JHO principle as the core belief – “Just Hang On” until the new CBA arrives. Bidding for free agents never came to these owners as dreams, but only as nightmares in seeing their better players leaving town for more money elsewhere... more »