Since he was technically under contract and getting paid by the Raptors, does this mean his five year waiting period for the hall of fame starts this year, or did it start last year? I think it would be cool to see Hakeem, Jordan, and Stockton all go into the HOF at the same time...
Hakeem never technically retired. He never filed the paperwork with the league. So my guess would be that the 5 year waiting period would start once his contract is up.
I think it was guaranteed for the third year...The Raptors were even looking to trade his contract to another team to make a trade work under the salary cap... Hakeem could have technically been a member of the Utah Jazz for a while...
I would seriously doubt the five year period starts only after the contract is up. I bet it is from when he last played. What if Hakeem had agreed to a buy-out with Toronto, where they paid his contract over twenty years? Would he have to wait 25 years to be in the hall?
You forgot David Robinson. I think it counted the 5 years from the last game a player played. So Hakeem should get in a year before Jordan, etc.
As I understand it, a player must be fully retired before the countdown starts for eligibility. If the Raptors are still taking a cap hit for Olajuwon, how can this be considered "fully retired"? If he's on the payroll, he's not retired IMO. From the Naismith BHOF defining eligibility: Player: A player must be fully retired for five years before being eligible for Enshrinement. He/she may then be considered for Enshrinement in the sixth year of retirement. Should a player come out of retirement for a short period of time, as defined by the BHOF, his/her case and eligibility for Enshrinement shall be reviewed on an individual basis.
I think the HOF should consider having Dream go in with Jordan, Robinson and Stockton at the same time. I mean you have: *One of the most dominant centers ever *the best shooting guard ever *One of the best point guards ever *One of the best whipping boy ever (ex. 94-95 WCF)
I don't like the idea of Hakeem going in the same time as Jordan and Stockton. He might come off as a footnote in the shadow of His Airness. Give Olajuwon his own class to shine on.
The Hall of Fame isn't governed by the CBA or league bylaws, as it is not exclusively an NBA institution, I don't see why they'd have to wait until he is considered "retired" for salary cap purposes.
