[Celtics' Stuff ] Re: "Bird Rights"

[Kim Malo]

At 06:55 PM 8/26/2007, JB wrote:

>On Aug 26, 2007, at 2:38 PM, Kim Malo wrote:
>
> >
> > Don't see how you can be bringing Bird rights in (your subject line)
> > since those only apply to players you already have under contract.
> > Kim
>*************
>I guess I worded it badly.
>I meant some king of protection, like the ability to match any
>outside offer.

Protection is a function of having them signed, not where you get the 
money to do so. So it doesn't matter if it's MLE, the LLE or 
whatever. They just need to find the funds to sign them to the first 
year (the one that has to be fit under the cap) in the first place, 
since unlike 1st round picks I don't think you get an automatic 
exception to sign the pick, although you can sign them to the minimum 
regardless. Then the length of the contract determines the 
protection. A 2 year contract gives you Early Bird right protection 
after that, a 3 year contract regular Bird Rights.

The ability to match is strictly a function of restricted FA, which 
is limited to 2 cases:  after the 4th year of a 1st round rookie 
scale contract or any veteran who has been in the league less than 3 
years (i.e. to help teams keep young players not eligible for Bird rights )

Kim