Franchise Notes

In San Antonio, Mike Monroe cited NBA data showing that "nearly half the league's 30 teams are on track" to be over the $69.92M luxury tax threshold this season. The Lakers have the league's highest salary cap figure at $91.35M, while seven teams are at least $10M over the luxury tax line. Of those seven, only the Knicks failed to make the playoffs last season. Only five teams "have money available under the salary cap" of $57.7M, with the Thunder featuring the league's lowest payroll at $48.39M. The NBA's highest-paid players are listed below (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 11/8).

LOST BAGGAGE: In K.C., Adam Teicher writes RB Larry Johnson, who was released by the Chiefs yesterday, "appeared an odd fit with the Chiefs' new administration, which demands players who put the team first." Perhaps the "surprise was that he lasted as long ... as he did" with Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and coach Todd Haley. Haley said every decision he and Pioli have made since arriving this past offseason "has been to do what we thought was best for the football team." Haley: "Each and every one was made in the best interests of the Chiefs at the time it was made, as this one is right now" (K.C. STAR, 11/10).

TIME TO PACK UP: In Minneapolis, Paul Walsh reported the Twins have started airing their "first television commercial for the 2010 season," featuring C Joe Mauer and other players "being moved to the new stadium in much the way a family moves into a new home." The "Twins-portation" ad celebrates the team's first season at Target Field, and includes cameos by P Joe Nathan and former Twins manager Tom Kelly, among others (STARTRIBUNE.com, 11/9). Meanwhile, MLB.com's Kelly Thesier noted the Twins on Saturday held a "massive garage sale to unload items" at the Metrodome. There were "thousands of fans" on hand for the event, which spread "across 15 sections of the Metrodome's concourse" (MLB.com, 11/7).

LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG? In Daytona Beach, Godwin Kelly noted Jacksonville is one of the NFL's smallest markets, and now that the Jaguars' "honeymoon is long over," it is "time to let them go." The city is "just too small to maintain a losing NFL team in a sour economy." Kelly: "Open the cage door and let the Jaguars loose. It's been fun, but it's over" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 11/7).