Waivers and Bird Rights

[ryanfox447]

If a player gets waived, and another team claims that player off waivers, do they inherit his Bird rights? I have read mixed reports on whether a player loses his Bird rights completely when waived (regardless of whether he clears waivers or not).

[JNichols42887]

Whether or not the player clears waivers, I believe he loses Bird rights once he changes teams.

[Dunkenstein]

Whether or not the player clears waivers, I believe he loses Bird rights once he changes teams.

If a team picks up a player off waivers, they assume his contract in its entirety. Why wouldn't that include his Bird rights?

[JNichols42887]

Whether or not the player clears waivers, I believe he loses Bird rights once he changes teams.

If a team picks up a player off waivers, they assume his contract in its entirety. Why wouldn't that include his Bird rights?

Not sure. I've wondered the same thing myself. But according to Larry Coon's FAQ:

If a player is waived and is claimed by another team before he clears waivers, then his Bird clock resets.

[Dunkenstein]

In Coon we trust

[answerthink]

The answer can also be confirmed by reading Art I Sec 1 (ss) for the definition of what it takes to acquire Bird rights. A player picked up on waivers is not considered to have been traded, which can be confirmed by reading Art I Sec 1 (ppp).