Interesting question

by Devenex on Oct 21, 2011 12:50 PM PDT

As I understand FIBA rules on professional contracts a player can change leagues after sitting one year without playing professionally, even if it was a year that would fall under the old contract. This understanding comes from discussions about international prospects under contract. Even if a NBA team has the NBA rights to a player they must either have the international contract bought out or expire before being brought over, or the player has to not compete for a year.

Now if the lockout lasts a year does this count as that non-competitive year? So can NBA players start signing multi-year contracts in other leagues? Would this require some sort of official renouncement of the NBA contract? And if so, could the player sign a new contract upon returning to the NBA?

Imagine the lockout drags a year, and continues along through the summer. Now could a player (say, LaMarcus) sign a contract for the ACB, play a year in Spain then hit the open market in the NBA? He received a sub-max offer on his current contract, but I'm pretty sure he'd get maxed if he hit the market in two summers, so losing his current deal would be to his benefit (as would be the case for other players outproducing their contracts).

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hmm.. Good question

by vullkem116 on Oct 22, 2011 9:58 AM PDT reply actions

European Leagues tend to enforce NBA contracts (and vice versa)

My guess is that even though a cancelled season might count as a non-competitive year, if an NBA player is still under contract to an NBA team, then European leagues wouldn’t be able to sign him to a contract.

by tingeyga on Oct 22, 2011 1:32 PM PDT reply actions

I don't think they can have it both ways

I would think if the NBA contract is still in force after a full year, then that year that was missed doesn’t count against the length of the original contract, i.e. if LMA was about to start the second year of a 5 year contract, he’ll still be on the second year of a 5 year contract after a year-long lockout.

It is an interesting question.

by superfly05 on Oct 25, 2011 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions