http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_8341391 One day after the Clippers let the trading deadline pass without dealing 38-year-old Sam Cassell, the veteran was scratched from Friday night's game against Utah with a sprained right wrist. Cassell wore a brace on the wrist, got an X-ray, which came back negative, and said he would try to play in tonight's game against the Lakers. But the way he described his injury, it sounded unlikely that he'd be able to play. "It's bad," he said. "I can't dribble a ball now." Cassell hurt the wrist when falling on a TV camera in the Clippers' victory over Memphis on Wednesday night. He only played 14 minutes in that game because of the injury. In the background of all of this is the fact that Cassell wants to be bought out of his contract so he can join a contender. The clock is ticking on that possibility because if a player joins a team after March1, he is ineligible to play in the postseason. Over the past few days, Cassell has not come out and flat-out said that's what he wants. But earlier this season, he said he'd be a good fit with the Boston Celtics, and despite his diplomacy, it is obvious that he'd like to be bought out. Cassell is making $6.1 million this season and is in the final year of a two-year deal. The word in the Clippers' organization is that it's possible the organization will go ahead and buy him out. If it doesn't, it will have to deal with a veteran whose heart isn't in remaining with the team. Also, there hardly is any motivation to keep him during a season in which the team is just about mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Although the Clippers have been tight-lipped about its plans, there is a feeling that they will eventually buy him out. Responding to a question about signing a player to a 10-day contract, Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said, "You have between now and March 1 where you're going to see guys who could potentially get bought out of deals. Certain things can happen. We're looking at all of those potential situations, and looking for opportunities that could help us."
So far as I'm concerned, if Cassell is interested in returning to Houston and ending his career where it started (that seems to be in vogue these days), you've got to look at it. Hell, I'd be willing to waive Bobby Jackson if that's what it took to get Cassell a roster spot. Or send Novak back to the NBDL? Something. If you can bring in Cassell, you do it.
Brent Barry can't re-sign with the Spurs until March 20. Does this mean that Brent Barry can't play with the Spurs in the postseason? Or is he an exception since he did play prior to March 1 and then was traded? I didn't want to start another thread about this.
thats what I was curious about. I know if players that haven't played at all this season, lets say PJ Brown, they can sign like until the end of the season and still be on the roster, but since Brent played, he shouldn't be able to play for SA.
If we don't get Barry, I'm all for picking up Cassell. Actually, even if we get Barry, I'd say waive Gerald Green and pick up Cassell!
Right. However, if a player hasn't been on the team before March 1, he can't be on the playoff roster when the roster is determined on April 15. So if we sign Cassell on March 2, he can't play for us in the postseason
No I think it's if he has been waived after March 1. Barry was waived before March 1, so he could be on the Spurs' playoff roster, even if he can only be re-signed there end of March.
THe bold part of the article above says otherwise. It doesn't say anothing about being waived. It strictly says if you sign with a team after March 1, you can't be on their playoff roster.
If a player is waived during a season, he must be waived prior to March 1 to be eligible for the playoffs. That waived player has until April 15 to sign with a team, if he hopes to be on somebody's playoff roster.
Here's another confirmation from another source. http://www.metrobostonnews.com/us/article/2008/02/22/04/3828-66/index.xml While the trading deadline passed at 3 p.m. Thursday, the Celtics could still make a move before the season is out. They could still pick up a player from the waiver wire, but must do so by March 1 for that player to be eligible for the C’s playoff roster.
They're wrong. They've confused the waived player deadline with the playoff roster deadline. If that were the case why would Barry and the Spurs consider each other if he can't play in the playoffs?
You make a great point. That's why I was confused as to what the real rule was. We're getting conflicting information. I am amazed how 2 different sources (LA paper and boston paper) have erroneous information.
