Contractual Clauses

[GJense4181]

What are examples of incentive-based clauses in NBA contracts that we've heard of?

I ask, because I'm wondering if it's possible for a team to draft DeMarcus Cousins and contractually obligate him to be around 10% body fat and lift weights 3-4 days a week under trainer supervision.

Have you ever heard of any training or physical contractual clauses such as this? What are you aware of?

[Debaser]

The fact that the Knicks can't void Eddy Curry's contract leads me to believe that there are little if any contractual clauses in the NBA.

[mrfatwrecker]

incentive clauses are much more common. the only clauses for voiding contracts are essentially ones that force you to refrain from engagin in sports outside professional basketball to keep you from being injured. like when radmanovic got injured snowboarding during the all star break, the lakers COULD have voided his contract. similar to when monta ellis crashed his moped, the warriors COULD have voided his contract.

[ahonui06]

The fact that the Knicks can't void Eddy Curry's contract leads me to believe that there are little if any contractual clauses in the NBA.

+1.

[BoomFizzle]

I believe Sean May had a contract whereby he got a bonus for being under a certain bodyweight or body fat. Im sure someone else will know the exact details.

[Mamba Venom]

I dont see why GMs dont give coaches incentive based contracts on wins and play-off success.

Maybe the union keeps them from doing so but winners deserve to be paid more.

Incentive based contracts are dangerous for players (besides rebounding). If someone put a ppg bonus in a contract a player might shoot too much. If there were an assist per game a player might become too PASSive.

[SA37]

I don't know all the details about the contracts, but I am pretty sure Miami had weight/body fat % clauses in contracts with Tim Hardaway, Antoine Walker, and Ike Austin. Pat Riley is pretty stringent about that stuff (if you recall, he suspended James Posey and Antoine Walker for not meeting certain training requirements -- link below)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2718996

Glen Davis has one in his contract:

Davis will receive $5 million in base salary and can earn an additional 500,000 per season for meeting certain weight clauses, a source told ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4389149

[farzi]

I don't think they can do this if they're a 1st round selection, only if they're a 2nd rounder / free agent

[Three34]

I believe Sean May had a contract whereby he got a bonus for being under a certain bodyweight or body fat. Im sure someone else will know the exact details.

Sean May's contract was all but $100,000 guaranteed; the other $100,000 became guaranteed if May weighed equal to or less than 265lbs on either September 30th or October 27th.

Marcus Williams also had a weight guarantee this year. He signed for the minimum ($855,189) with $500,000 guaranteed. It became $23,679 more guaranteed if he weighed equal to or less than 207lbs with 10% or less body fat on 15 separate measurement dates.

Many contracts have performance bonuses. Most multi-year non-rookie scale contracts do, in fact. But they're normally based on things like team wins, all-star berths, games played, etc. Not many are based on individual statistical accomplishment, and even fewer are based on physical measurement stuff.

[ndnow]

I think you can fine them. I know Riley does this on a consistent basis with the Heat.