Re: Salary Cap/Contracts

[wfcooper@tiac.com (Bill Cooper)]

Hi all,
     According to a note from the invaluable Patricia Bender that was
forwarded to the list:

"A team can extend the contract of a first round draft pick who is
still under his 3 year contract by any amount between July 1 and
October 1 after his 2nd season is completed.  The extension would
start with the player's 4th year in the league."

     Like Ray, I would assume that the extension would be subject to
the same limitations as a completely new deal that was signed after
the end of the player's third year, i.e., no more than 7 years, 20%
limit on raises etc.  This means that there will probably be fewer
players than previously thought available out of the 1995 draft in the

1998 off-season.  Also that the Celts need to consider whether they
should lock up Eric Williams to a long term deal this summer (rather
than wait until 98 and compete against other teams for his services).

     On the discussion of trading Rick Fox for a draft pick, are there
any salary cap limitations on a move like this?  Could the Celts trade
Dee Brown (just for instance) to the Pistons for their 97 second round
pick and pick up part of Dee's salary (with the result of reducing the
C's cap amount by the total of Dee's salary)?  If the pick does have a
value in figuring the cap amounts, what would it be?

     One of the big problems with the Celts collection of role players
is that the teams they might be traded to, don't have much for the
Celts to take in return.  Several contending teams could use Fox or
Brown, but they don't have low draft picks or relatively high priced
soon-to-be-free-agents (that they can spare) to exchange with the C's.

Bill C.
_________________________________________________________________-

On Tue, 21 Jan 1997 10:28:30 +0000, Ray DeCampo wrote:

>I read today at USAToday's website that the rookies who are working=20
>under the new rules, i.e. the three year contracts with fixed=20
>monetary limits, are allowed to resign with their own teams one year=20
>before becoming a free agent.  So this summer the draftees from '95=20
>can negotiate new contracts.  (Actually, the article only mentioned=20
>this with respect to Joe Smith but I'm assuming it applies to=20
>everyone.)  There was no mention of what kind of monetary limits=20
>would be in place for the new contracts.  I think most likely the=20
>standard NBA cap rules for reworking a contract apply. =20
>
>Ray
>