Apparently, Hall of Famer and Celtics legend Larry Bird is part of the reason why Jason Kidd is still a New Jersey Net. Sort of.
A lot of people have been wondering how a player like Devean George, who is not a star player, has the ability to reject a trade. NBA players do not have the 10-5 rights that MLB players have for example.
What George did have in his favor is something in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement called the “Larry Bird Rule” which is explained by ESPN’s Marc Stein, who has been at the forefront of these trade talks:
Although Kobe Bryant is the only player in the league with a specific no-trade clause in his contract, league rules dictate that players on a one-year contract — but who spent the previous season with the same team and are thus eligible for Early Bird free-agent rights at the end of the contract — cannot be traded without their consent. George, who earns $2.4 million this season, is one of 18 such players in the league at present, afforded the right to either approve or veto trades because those Bird rights are lost if they do get traded.
The “Bird Right“ allows the Dallas Mavericks to exceed the salary cap to re-sign George, at an amount up to the maximum veteran salary.
So basically, the hombre just wants to get paid.
These such rights originated back when the Boston Celtics were permitted by the NBA to exceed the salary cap to re-sign one of their own players…wait for it…
…Larry Bird.
Today is clearly a victory for contract attorneys.
Filed under: NBA - Nets, Writer - Tim Sharobem
