I’m making a distinction. If he is Chinese he will defend the mother country’s right to play national players in extra tournaments. If he were CHINESE NOT LITHUIANIAN I would understand his position. But since I don’t believe he is Chinese, I think he just doesn’t understand that ZEKE is a business investment for the Cavs. What do you not understand?
If I'm paying a dude millions to play for my team, I can do whatever I want with him, even barring him to play for his own country. You buy 'em you own 'em. Period. If they dont' like it take your money back. As Bill Cosby said in in the first episode of the Cosby Show, "You know, I brought you in this world, and I can take you out"
I applaud you for standing up for what you believe is right. Maybe you should also have stood up for what you believe is right with action by putting it in the contract. Made it clear to Z that he wouldn't be able to play in the Olympics in the contract. Make sure that he knew he was going to lose his right to play in the Olympics once he put his signature on the contract. If you forgot to put it in the contract or if you didn't want to do it because of other reasons, don't whine now. It just as simple as that.
First of all, we know it's in the contract because the Cavs aren't allowing Z to play, not suggesting that he not play. They're not allowing it. That means that Z is contractually beholden to do what they say in this situation. Secondly, if Z didn't know he wouldn't be able to play in the olympics without the Cavs permission, that's his own freaking fault. He has an agent. He has lawyers. If he really didn't know, THEY should have informed him. Like I said earlier, he didn't have a problem seeing all those damn zeroes when he signed that fat contract. He should've read the fine print as well (And I honestly think he did. He just foolishly assumed the Cavs would let him go). I mean, you can tell from Mango's post how anyone with half a brain could see it right there in plain f'n english.
Poor logic. Does that mean teams can prohibit their players from snowboarding, rock climbing, and riding motorcycles?
You are a slave. You're just a poorly compensated slave. Human rights should be fair and equal to all---irrelevant to demography, income bracket, and social status.
I think JustWannaChill just ignored Mango's post where he has a sample copy of a base NBA contract. He also missed my post that showed where a team can restrict a player from playing in any basketball games that is not with the team. He's obviously being ignorant so let him go. Some people really think the NBA is just a game and don't realize it's a multi-billion dollar business. Damn right they can, AND THEY ARE PROHIBITED from doing those things. "12.OTHER ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES. The Player and the Team acknowledge and agree that the Player's participation in certain other activities may impair or destroy his ability and skill as a basketball player, and the Player's participation in any game or exhibition of basketball other than at the request of the Team may result in injury to him. Accordingly, the Player agrees that he will not, without the written consent of the Team, engage in any activity that a reasonable person would recognize as involving or exposing the participant to a substantial risk of bodily injury including, but not limited to: (i) sky-diving, hang gliding, snow skiing, rock or mountain climbing (as distinguished from hiking), rappelling, and bungee jumping; (ii) any fighting, boxing, or wrestling; (iii) driving or riding on a motorcycle or moped; (iv) riding in or on any motorized vehicle in any kind of race or racing contest; (v) operating an aircraft of any kind; (vi) engaging in any other activity excluded or prohibited by or under any insurance policy which the Team procures against the injury, illness or disability to or of the Player, or death of the Player, for which the Player has received written notice from the Team prior to the execution of this Contract; or (vii) participating in any game or exhibition of basketball, football, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, or other team sport or competition. If the Player violates this Paragraph 12, he shall be subject to discipline imposed by the Team and/or the Commissioner of the NBA. Nothing contained herein shall be intended to require the Player to obtain the written consent of the Team in order to enable the Player to participate in, as an amateur, the sports of golf, tennis, handball, swimming, hiking, softball, volleyball, and other similar sports that a reasonable person would not recognize as involving or exposing the participant to a substantial risk of bodily injury."
I stand corrected. That really blows. I still think the Cavs should permit Z to play tho. Just b/c it's in the contract doesn't mean they should exercise it.
Motorcycles? This is too easy... Jay Williams Motorcycle accident Williams' life almost ended on June 19, 2003 when he crashed his motorcycle into a pole at the intersection of Fletcher and Honore in Chicago, Illinois. Williams was driving a new Yamaha YZF-R6. Williams severed a main nerve in his leg, fractured his pelvis and tore three ligaments in his left knee including the ACL and required physical therapy to regain the use of his leg. Many months later, after it was clear he would not be returning to the Bulls for some time (if at all), they waived him and drafted point guard Kirk Hinrich. The Bulls could have refused to pay Williams (since he violated his contract by riding a motorcycle), but instead they offered a buyout worth approximately $3 million. At the time, it was not clear that he would be able to return to professional basketball, although he continued to train toward that goal. In the interim, he appeared in college and high school basketball broadcasts on ESPN as a color commentator. The Yamaha was stolen from the accident scene while Williams was being treated, but Williams never bothered looking for it since he said he did not care if he ever saw it again. Williams Ready To Play Again But everything changed June 19, 2003. Though riding a motorcycle violates the standard NBA contract, Williams had gotten a new Yamaha sportbike -- red and black, naturally. On his way to dinner that night, he lost control of the powerful bike and smashed into a utility pole. He was thrown onto a grassy curb, but the impact severed a main nerve in his left leg, fractured his pelvis and tore three of the four main ligaments in his left knee........... ........While no team has offered him a contract yet, agent Kevin Bradbury said there are six to eight teams that have been checking on his progress. He'll do official workouts as soon as he clears the last few hurdles in his rehab program. Williams' preference is to rejoin the Bulls, who waived him in February 2004 after buying out the last two years of his contract. Nets sign Jay Williams three years after accident Accident Originally drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, Williams averaged 9.5 points, 4.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.15 steals in 75 games during the 2002-03 season. He was named to the NBA's All-Rookie Second Team. Williams' career appeared to end on June 19, 2003, when he crashed his recently bought motorcycle into a light pole in Chicago, fracturing his pelvis and tearing knee ligaments and suffering nerve damage in his left leg. He was hospitalized for 3½ months. The Bulls eventually bought out his contract for about $3 million.
Found this statement by Big Z back in Feb. He really does want to play. I feel sorry for him. Ilgauskas to play in Olympics Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 The Akron Beacon Journal (Brian Windhorst) reports: For years, Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ head and his feet said no. Now he’s able to give the answer he always has had in his heart: Yes. After a few months of thinking about it, Ilgauskas has told the Lithuanian National Team that he will play for it this summer at the Beijing Olympics, a move that has created a lot of excitement among his countrymen. ”I’ve always wanted to do it before I get too old,” said Ilgauskas, who will turn 33 in June. ”I feel like I have a lot of basketball left in me and I can help, and this is probably my last chance.” http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?cat=35&paged=2
I understand why you think the Cavs should let him play, but you have to understand that the Cavs organization is doing what's best for them. An injured Ilgauskas is no good to them and they'd be paying him millions to sit on the bench if he got hurt. All because he played basketball for a team other than the Cavs. That's not what they're paying him for. By restricting him from playing, they will avoid the risk of him getting hurt in these games. It's a solid financial choice on the Cavs part. LeBron on the other hand is allowed to play because he doesn't have a history of injuries. I guarantee that if Ilgauskas didn't have injury problems in the past, Cleveland would have no problem with him playing for Lithuania in the Olympics.
It has more to do with Lebron playing for Team USA. Go Red White and Blue! Rah Rah! The Cavs are balking on Big Z and Anderson Vareijo.
Big Z needs to catch a case of the blue flu. Post about 2.2 pts a game in 20 min of play and turn the ball over 5 or 6 times and demand a trade. Then he can start over somewhere else where the management isn't control freak Danny Ferry.
He is likely on his last major NBA contract His salary is in the 10 - 11 million @ year range. Not sure what kind of trade market is out there for an older player with a history of injuries and a bad attitude. If he blatantly starts playing like garbage, then he might face the possibility of being suspended which would cut into his salary. From my earlier link in this thread: 5.CONDUCT. (a) The Player agrees to observe and comply with all Team rules, as maintained or promulgated in accordance with the CBA, at all times whether on or off the playing floor. Subject to the provisions of the CBA, such rules shall be part of this Contract as fully as if herein written and shall be binding upon the Player. (b) The Player agrees: (i) to give his best services, as well as his loyalty, to the Team, and to play basketball only for the Team and its assignees; (ii) to be neatly and fully attired in public; (iii) to conduct himself on and off the court according to the highest standards of honesty, citizenship, and sportsmanship; and (iv) not to do anything that is materially detrimental or materially prejudicial to the best interests of the Team or the League. (c) For any violation of Team rules, any breach of any provision of this Contract, or for any conduct impairing the faithful and thorough discharge of the duties incumbent upon the Player, the Team may reasonably impose fines and/or suspensions on the Player in accordance with the terms of the CBA. I realize that there are people like Marbury who act like jerks and are detrimental to a team. If that is the legacy that Z wants to leave the NBA with, then that would be a sad reflection on him. Marbury doesn't care much about his image while I thought Z did.
Your reasoning is so dumb that I don't even know where to start to take it apart. You have been talking about "the protection of an investment". Lebron James is at least like 10 times more valuable as an investment to the Cavs than Z. Why would the Cavs do whatever they can to protect their "investment Z", but they haev done/will do nothing to protect their "investment Lebron"? Anyone with half a brain knows it's all about the player's power and status. Lebron wants to play in the Olympics and the Cavs cannot stop him. Ahhh..they must be thinking about how to resign him in the near future. Do you seriously believe that they won't try to stop Lebron if he is as easy to be handled like Z? Use your brain.
I am his father and you are his mother. Reading ability is your friend. The post that you quoted is not really about Z. It is more about the reason that Cavs did nothing try to stop Lebron from playing in the Olympics. No offense, but the reason given by A00man about injury history is just dumb. Lebron is like 10 times, or even 100 times, more valuable an investment than Z. Do you seriously believe that they don't want Lebron to stay home too? Let me wake you up, it's all about the status and the bargaining power of a player.
Another insult. I don't even know why you decided to take a pot shot at me. I mean do you just preface every post with a random insult now? Is it impossible for you to converse without disrespecting other people? And reading ability is indeed your friend. If you actually read posts in this thread I posted the exact same sentiment you have.
