FAD
Free Agents Advised to Prepare for Lockout
The next evolution of basketball news, information and rumors.
All posts by Basketball InsidersUpdated1 hour ago on April 28, 2024
Players and owners have the ability to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement after the 2016-17 season, and the memo is the most telling sign yet that one or possibly both sides may exercise.
Specifically, the letter – which was written by interim executive director Ron Klempner – advised players who are free agents to use a provision which allows them to be paid over 18 months instead of 12 during the course of a season. The provision was negotiated into the current collective bargaining agreement during the negotiations that ended the 2011 lockout.
“We suggest that you consider including this provision in any multi-year contract you negotiate, specifically for the 2016-17 season,” Klempner wrote. “An 18-month payment schedule for 2016-17 will allow a player to continue receiving paychecks throughout the 2017-18 season, even if the players are lockout that season.”
