LJ4pointplay wrote:kosmovitelli wrote:LJ4pointplay wrote:If Wade re-signs for 40 million over two years and anybody of importance within the NBA community complains about it, then I think there is a very good chance that it blows up in the Heats face. Definitely will be an investigation, at least.
Why would there be an investigation ?
RTichard Jefferson opted out of his contract in 2010 and his option year was Worth $15 million ! And it was after the worst season of his career. There was no way he could recoup that money unless he had a pre-arranged deal with the Spurs. Before free agency, he explained he opted out because there was a looming lock-out and he hoped to secure a four year $40 million deal. People laughed at the time but guess what ? After the moratorium he signed a four-year deal Worth $39 million with the Spurs...and noone complained ! No investigation...It will be the same for Wade if it happens.
Well are you asking me this question with or without the condition that I included in my statement?
I don't find it likely that the NBA would start an investigation sua esponte. However, if someone important enough made a public (or possibly even a private) fuss about it, I do not see how the NBA ignores a situation that (if true) is so clearly in violation of the letter and the spirit of the provision.
Just like Richard Jefferson situation, exécutives will believe there was a pre-arranged deal but noone will complain officially (because they've probably done the same thing at some point). Pre-arranged deals with their own free agents usually don't raise much attention, they're considered almost part of the business. Especially when it comes to players like Wade and Jefferson. Often injured players who are almost done but overpaid by their original team.
And other NBA executives have taken note, as ESPN's John Hollinger explains:
[The Jefferson re-signing] raised eyebrows in front offices around the league, many of which suspected that there was a prearranged deal between the two parties. [...]
That said, we have no smoking gun that there was any kind of prearranged deal between the Spurs and Jefferson. We don't even have a smokeless gun. All we have is the circumstantial evidence above, as well as two other pieces of information:
1. The Spurs don't sign bad contracts.
2. This is the worst contract of the summer.
