From the BBC, so I thought this would probably not be on most of your radars: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/basketball/8200446.stm
first time I've heard him speak... much thanks I'm sure everyone is going to love that last quote from him STOMP
Hadn't realized he just signed a five year deal with Spain. I knew he was playing there, but didn't know it was so long. Oh well, given that the interview ended with him saying it was his dream to play in the NBA, I imagine he wouldn't sign a deal that didn't have a pretty simple opt out.
I thought that when we drafted players from Europe that the Blazers only retain their rights for a few years. So if that is the case, we pretty much just wasted our time. Does anybody know how long we retain rights for?
he alludes to an opt out in his contract. In another Freeland thread, I think it was oldmangrouch who pointed out a provision in the CBA that allows a player who's rights have been retained over a certain amount of years (5?) to avoid a rookie scale contract. Freeland is getting paid much more in Spain then he'd be eligible for here and will have a better opportunity to play/develop... conceivably in a couple years he could sign with Portland for their full MLE. STOMP
I believe this is the section you're talking about... ...a First Round Pick who does not sign with the Team that holds his draft rights for any portion of the three (3) Seasons following the NBA Draft in which he was selected (and who did not play intercollegiate basketball during such period) may enter into either (a) a Rookie Scale Contract in accordance with Section 1 above, or (b) if the Team has Room in excess of the applicable first-year Rookie Scale Amount, a Contract covering no fewer than three (3) Seasons that provides for Salary plus Unlikely Bonuses in the first Salary Cap Year up to the amount of the Team’s Room and increases or decreases in Salary and Unlikely Bonuses in subsequent Salary Cap Years in accordance with Article VII, Section 5(c)(1). -- So it sounds like we'd have to be under the salary cap to pay him more money. Or else we can offer the standard rookie scale contract. But maybe it allows for using part of the MLE to sign a player like that? I may be misunderstanding it though. Can anyone think of a player where this has happened?
Marc Jackson? He was drafted out of Temple by the Warriors, but didn't play for them until three years later. I don't recall whether he got more than rookie scale at that point or not. There haven't been a lot of examples of players who were drafted, played for the team but not until at least three years had past.
