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Lin/Novak & Bird Rights


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Anyone else been following this situation? The NBAPA is arguing that a player who is waived and does not negotiate a new contract, but rather is claimed and continues with his old contract, should be treated the same as a player who is traded and retains their bird rights. This would allow the Knicks to re-sign both Lin and Novak to max allowable length contracts for players of their tenure in the league, and would open up the ability to sign other players with their MLE and mini-MLE. It would allow us to chase Felton/Hinrich/Kidd/Miller/Dragic etc as well as some other bench pieces.. to be quite honest, most of the Knicks success next year can ride on the outcome of this.

 

Billy Hunter:

'Bird and Early Bird rights are among the most valuable rights that players have under the [collective bargaining agreement]. These rights simply cannot be extinguished in the absence of an affirmative decision by a player to select a team through free agency. We will ask the arbitrator to resolve this dispute on an expedited basis.'

 

Anyone have any opinions on whether the twosome should retain their Bird Rights?

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I can understand the rational behind the NBPA's logic since they really didn't have any real say in the matter. If a player is able to retain his Bird rights when traded to another team, couldn't you argue that they should retain them when they are waived and picked up? I certainly agree with the logic since it isn't like they are a free agent choosing to go to another team. They don't have any real control over being waived.

 

However, I have to wonder how much of this is because of the high profile situation. If it wasn't Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks, how big of a deal would this really be? Nobody is making a big deal about JJ Hickson or Chauncey Billups not having Bird rights anymore (although they are mentioned briefly near the bottom of the article). I don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but if Lin was picked up by, say, Minnesota (or some other small market team like that) and played the exact same way as he did with the Knicks, would this still be a major issue?

 

It has also been a rule in place basically forever. If you were waived you lose your rights. It has been like this for as long as they've been a part of the CBA, at least as far as I know. It specifically states in the CBA, a CBA that the NBPA signed off on less half a year ago, that when a player is waived they lose their Bird rights.

 

Really though, I can see both sides of the argument and really don't care either way.

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From the CBA:

 

“Early Qualifying Veteran Free Agent” means a Veteran Free Agent who, prior to becoming a Veteran Free Agent, played under one or more Player Contracts covering some or all of each of the two (2) preceding Seasons, and who either exclusively played with his Prior Team during such two Seasons, or, if he played for more than one Team during such period, changed Teams only (i) by means of trade, or (ii) by signing with his Prior Team during the first of the two (2) Seasons.

 

Traded Player” means a player whose Player Contract is assigned by one Team to another Team other than by means of the NBA waiver procedure

 

Don't see how an arbirtator would rule in favour of the NBPA when it is clearly written like that.

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Well, if we use more than 3M of the MLE, we enter a hard cap and can't sign anyone for any reason all year.. Not even a vet min or increase salary via trade. But it might be enough for JR lol

If it came down to JR Smith or Steve Nash, I actually think Smith is more valuable. But it's tough to say...Only reason I say that is because Nash is 38, and he's going to slow down eventually. Plus, with Shumpert out, we'd really be limited athletically, especially in the backcourt.

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Hopefully doesn't get overturned. Knicks need Lin/Novak next year to be any good...Knicks lacked many three point shooters (Fields, Shumpert, Smith so inconsistent on their shooting)

Edited by JYD
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I don't want Felton, but I'd like us to chase Kidd and Nash, no matter how realistic. Maybe Grant Hill, too. He's been linked to us the past few seasons, and Crawford might hit the market

Agreed, i don't think Felton would work anyway on this team he was great in the P&R with Amar'e but aside from that..if all else failed im not sure what i'd want more a SG or PG, I want Nash or Ray Ray right now, I think both would be great fits...

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