Question

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/scale.htm

Has the rookie scale for all years under the present CBA.

 

MF, that was really interesting, thanks for the link. I think I understand the first four years. Years one through three are guaranteed, there are the prices. Year four - team can keep player at that increased price, or just let him go - team option.

Year five is what I don't fully understand. Do you know how it works? Let me take a guess. Up to that dollar amount team has the right to match the contract offerd by another team and player is stuck with original team (assuming they match) no matter what. However if new team offers higher amount, original team is out in the cold and can not sign player. Is that why teams sign players in the third year? Does cap space make a difference?

Ow, my head hurts.

 

No. They sign them early so a team can't drive the price up of the player, or make it impossible for the player's original team to sign him. Say a restricted FA gets an offer sheet from Team B. Team A (his original team) has 15 days to match it, and retain the player. If Team A doesn't match it, then the player joins Team B (offer sheet is the new contract) If Team A can't match the offer sheet by the rules (say they don't have enough money under the cap/mid-level exception), they have no choice but to let Team B sign the player.

An example of this is Marc Jackson signing the offer sheet from Houston last offseason.

 

Pat -

Remember also that there is something called Bird Rights. Basically, Full Bird Rights occur after a player has played 3 consecutive years on the same contract (or even 3 one year contracts with the same team). Why is this important? Because teams are allowed to go over the cap to sign their own FA's. Now back to your question.

During the summer preceeding the option year, a player is a restricted FA. Olowokandi is a good current example. But Raef LaFrentz is a better one. When LaRentz got traded to Dallas, his "Bird Rights" transferred with him. So other teams may bid for the services of Raef or Kandi, but since the Clipps are way under the cap and since both players have Bird Rights their respective teams can give the as much as they want up the the CBA limit for their years in the league. In Raef's case, Cuban is not as concerned about payroll as is Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

Now from this you can see why Elton Brand is watching how the Clippers management handles this summers negotiations with Kandi. If the Clipps don't make a solid pitch for Kandi, then maybe they are not serious about winning and won't offer Brand much next summer.

If the contract is only extended for one year, the player then becomes an unrestricted FA and can sign with any team that has cap room or he could take a one year MCE.

In a situation like Houston and Steve Francis, each side has stated publically that they want to renegotiate Francis' contract (salaries can be adjusted up but not down) and Max Steve out before his option comes up next summer. This is opposite of what is going on between the Cavs and Andre Miller wherein the Cavs want to wait and see how Miller performs and are not sure they want to Max him.

 

That number is the amount of pay increase that teams have to offer in their "Qualifying Offer".

Once a player completes their rookie contract, teams have to make a Qualifying Offer to the player in order to make them a Restricted free agent (and get right of first refusal). Otherwise, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.

For, example:

Let's say Francis didn't sign an extention this offseason. He would complete his contract after next season (3 years + 1 year team option). The Rockets would then have to tender a Qualifying Offer to Francis in order to make him a Restricted Free agent. Once the Qualifying offer is made, Francis could accept the deal (he wouldn't of course, because it's nowhere near his market value), negotiate another deal with the Rockets or negotiate with another team. But, since he's now a restricted free agent, the Rockets would have the right to match any offer he got from another team.

Here's the actual verbage concerning Qualifying offers from the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement:

Section 5. Qualifying Offers to Make Certain Players Restricted Free Agents.

(a) From the day following a Season covered by a Fourth Year Option through the immediately
following June 30, the player’s Team may make a Qualifying Offer to the player covered by such Option. If such a Qualifying Offer is made, then, on the July 1 following the Season covered by the player’s Fourth Year Option, the player shall become a Restricted Free Agent, subject to a Right of First Refusal in favor of the Team ("ROFR Team"), as set forth in Section 6 below. If such a Qualifying Offer is not made, then the player shall become an Unrestricted Free Agent on such July 1.

(b) Beginning with the 1999-2000 Salary Cap Year, any Veteran Free Agent whose first Season in the NBA was the 1998-99 Season or later (other than a Veteran Free Agent whose Fourth Year Option was not exercised), and who will have three (3) or fewer Years of Service as of the June 30 following the end of the last Season covered by his Player Contract, will be a Restricted Free Agent if his Prior Team makes a Qualifying Offer to the player at any time from the day following such Season through the immediately following June 30. If such a Qualifying Offer is made, then, on the July 1 following the last Season covered by the player’s Player Contract, the player shall become a Restricted Free Agent, subject to a Right of First Refusal in favor of the Team ("ROFR Team"), as set forth in Section 6 below. If such a Qualifying Offer is not made, then the player shall become an Unrestricted Free Agent on such July 1.

(c) A Qualifying Offer made to a Restricted Free Agent may be withdrawn at any time up to the following August 7. If the Qualifying Offer is not withdrawn by August 7, it must thereafter remain open until the following October 1. If a Qualifying Offer is withdrawn, the player shall immediately become an Unrestricted Free Agent. However, a player who knows that he has a physical disability that would render him physically unable to perform the playing services required under a Player Contract the following Season may not validly accept a Qualifying Offer received under this Section 5 or Section 6 below, unless the ROFR Team consents after disclosure of such physical disability. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, a player who knows that he has a physical disability that would render him physically unable to perform the playing services required under a Player Contract the following Season remains subject to the ROFR Team’s Right of First Refusal.

(d) Any claim that a Contract offered as a Qualifying Offer fails to meet one or more of the criteria for a Qualifying Offer shall be made by notice to the Team, in writing, no later than ten (10) days after a copy of the Qualifying Offer was given by the Team or the NBA to the Players Association. Such notice must set forth the specific changes that allegedly must be made to the offered Contract in order for it to constitute a Qualifying Offer. Upon receipt of such notice, if the requested changes are necessary to satisfy the requirements of a Qualifying Offer, the Team may, within five (5) business days, offer the player an amended Contract incorporating the requested changes. If the Team offers such an amended Contract, the player and the Players Association shall be precluded from asserting that such Contract does not constitute a timely and valid Qualifying Offer.

 

Something tells me HoopsAve & Pat got more than they bargained for.

 

We're getting there. First off thanks. I think I finally understand qualifying offers.

Now here is my next question. Forgettiing common sense, how long can a franchise "force" a draft pick to play for them? Minimum of five years? Three year original contract, team option year four, and match (pretty much any amount that any other team can offers since original team holds bird rights) the offer for year five.

If the year five contract is a multi-year contract can the team match that and hold the player longer than five years?

For example Derrick Anderson wants to get away from the Clippers after four years. Clippers owner decides he wants his daughter to marry Anderson, states he will match any offer. If Anderson signs a seven year offer, he knows it will be matched and he is stuck for seven years. Is that the case? In order to be "free" as soon as possible (five years since drafted) does he sign a one year contract and pray that there is not a career ending injury.


Worse yet, will he have to actually play two consecutive seasons hard?

 

Pat,

That's close, but I'm afraid Derrick is going to be very unhappy. If a team signs a restricted free agent to an offer sheet, the contract has to be for a minimum of 3 years. So, if Sterling really wants to screw with Derrick and match an offer sheet, then he'll be there 7 years. 3 years rookie contract + 1 year team option + matching 3 year offer sheet.

 

Somewhere I heard that you can keep a draft choice for seven years. Now I understand why. Thanks.

 

This wasn't a hidden question of how long it would be before the Knicks would try to "steal" Yao Ming was it?

 

I think a player can get out after 5 years, at least if they wait until the end of the five years rather than signing an offer sheet after 4 years (like in the D.Anderson example).

Another option is to flip off the NBA and make some money in Europe for a couple yerars, until you're a free man and can sign with anyone in the NBA.

Does anyone know if I'm right?

 

<i>I think a player can get out after 5 years, at least if they wait until the end of the five years rather than signing an offer sheet after 4 years (like in the D.Anderson example).

Another option is to flip off the NBA and make some money in Europe for a couple yerars, until you're a free man and can sign with anyone in the NBA.

Does anyone know if I'm right?</i>


The Qualifying offer that a team extends to it's free agents must be for one year. So, if the free agent took that offer, then they'd be free in a year. Of course, in the case of a star player, they'd be costing themselves alot of money. The other option would be to try to negotiate a one year deal with the old team, but for more money. The team, however, is under no obligation to make a higher priced one year offer.

If a restricted free agent chooses to go to Europe, then the NBA team that holds his rights, can retain their right of first refusal indefiniteltly. So, you can go to Europe, but if you come back to the NBA, then your are still not able to sign with any team.

Here's the verbage from the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement:

Section 6. Restricted Free Agency.


(a) If a Restricted Free Agent does not sign an Offer Sheet with any Team by March 1 of the NBA Season for which the Qualifying Offer is made, and does not sign a Player Contract with the ROFR Team before that Season ends, then his ROFR Team may reassert its Right of First Refusal for the following NBA Season by extending another Qualifying Offer (on the same terms as the prior Qualifying Offer) by the next July 1. A ROFR Team may continue to reassert its Right of First Refusal by following the foregoing procedure in each subsequent year in which that Restricted Free Agent does not sign an Offer Sheet with any Team by March 1 of the NBA Season for which the Qualifying Offer is made, and does not sign a Player Contract with the ROFR Team before that Season ends.

 

Thanks, aelliott. I suppose going to Europe is comparable to pulling an Elway/Francis, then -- you can hold out, but you've gotta hope you get traded sooner or later. Danny Ferry style.

I'm glad my industry didn't tell me when I came out of school which company I had to work for for five years and how much they'd pay me. Although if it had 5 zeroes in it, I'd let it slide.