RealGM

If the NBA locks out players after the CBA expires, are the player contracts still valid?

I understand the NBA is not required to pay players during a labor dispute (http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/20/sports/pro-basketball-nba-owners-needn-t-pay-locked-out-players.html).

How about the rest of the contract? Is that out the window too during a lockout? Are players "under contract" free to play for other teams/leagues during a lockout? Thanks for any clues.

Curious in Colorado

As your link points out, Grievance Arbitrator John Feerick ruled that the NBA was not obligated to make salary payments to players during the 1998 lockout. It can be reasonably assumed that the same would hold true during a potential lockout after the current season.

NBA players are within their rights to work, and can therefore play in other leagues regardless of their contract status with their NBA teams in the event of a lockout. However, they could potentially face a major obstacle in obtaining clearance from FIBA to sign with international teams given the relationship between the NBA and FIBA. Currently, the NBA and FIBA have an agreement designed to make sure players under contract either to NBA teams or FIBA-sanctioned teams overseas do not violate their contracts by playing for other teams.

After a new CBA is successfully reached, the terms of that agreement would stipulate how existing contracts would be handled.