Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V5 #244

[Kim Malo <kmalo19@idt.net>]

At 07:38 PM 7/8/98 EDT, Douglas342@aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 98-07-08 17:56:29 EDT, kmalo19@idt.net writes:
>
><< See the current increasing
> trend in potential draftees announcing that they will not play for certain
> teams, even if drafted by them. >>
>   Under the present CBA, what happens in such a case?  I.e., Player X
>announces that he will not play for the Clippers.  Clippers draft him.  He
>won't sign.  What happens to X?  Is he a free agent?  After one year?  Back
>into the draft?  Out for three years?
>    P.S.  I chose the Clippers purely at random, of course...

Good question and I don't know the full answer. What they own upon drafting
the player is his rights, which can of course be traded or renounced. Last
time I recall a player refusing to play for the drafting team was Danny
Ferry and he went to Europe with the Clips (I think) retaining his rights,
which they subsequently did trade. Not sure how long you get to keep the
rights. With the current mandated rookie contracts, there's still room for
negotiation so it's not like the league can say you MUST take fixed dollar
amount X for the 3 years. It's a range. So I suspect it works the same -the
drafting team retains the players rights for a certain length of time. He
can only play for them, if he wants to play in the NBA, during that time.
Unless they trade the rights. Sorry I can't say for sure.
Kim Malo
kmalo19@idt.net