RealGM

My apologies if there is an existing discussion on this topic already.

I continually hear/read from countless media outlets the proposition that LeBron James will sign another 1 year + option type deal in order for CLE to attain full Bird Rights next off-season. However my understanding is that because there's a 2-year minimum restriction for Early Bird contracts, a player/team option cannot be included until the 3rd season.

So I would like to confirm if this is actually the case; a 1+1 type deal isn't available and LeBron would need to sign for a min of 2 years.

Thanks in advance

To use EB rights (up to 75% raise, limited by max limit), Lebron would have to sign for 2 locked-in years (ie, no options), and it could be as long as 4 years.

If he wants an out in one year, he can sign a 1+1 using non-Bird veteran rights instead (NQVFA), for less starting money (up to 20% raise, limited by max limit), if he prefers.

Ah ok, so CLE can essentially renounce its right to use the EB exception and elect to sign LeBron via non Bird

El Bow wrote:Ah ok, so CLE can essentially renounce its right to use the EB exception and elect to sign LeBron via non Bird

Not exactly. They wouldn't be renouncing anything. They'd just be re-signing him to the max they are allowed.

Smitty731 wrote:

El Bow wrote:Ah ok, so CLE can essentially renounce its right to use the EB exception and elect to sign LeBron via non Bird

Not exactly. They wouldn't be renouncing anything. They'd just be re-signing him to the max they are allowed.

Was just using the terminology from LC's FAQ, but no matter it's inconsequential

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q25

A team can renounce its Early Bird rights to a player, and instead re-sign him with the Non-Bird exception...

DBoys wrote:To use EB rights (up to 75% raise, limited by max limit), Lebron would have to sign for 2 locked-in years (ie, no options), and it could be as long as 4 years.

If he wants an out in one year, he can sign a 1+1 using non-Bird veteran rights instead (NQVFA), for less starting money (up to 20% raise, limited by max limit), if he prefers.

I thought to qualify for early bird a player just had to be with his team for two consecutive years. Are you saying he would have had to have a contract for 2 years so a 1 year contract then another 1 year contract would not work?

ranger001 wrote:

DBoys wrote:To use EB rights (up to 75% raise, limited by max limit), Lebron would have to sign for 2 locked-in years (ie, no options), and it could be as long as 4 years.

If he wants an out in one year, he can sign a 1+1 using non-Bird veteran rights instead (NQVFA), for less starting money (up to 20% raise, limited by max limit), if he prefers.

I thought to qualify for early bird a player just had to be with his team for two consecutive years. Are you saying he would have had to have a contract for 2 years so a 1 year contract then another 1 year contract would not work?

You are misunderstanding the discussion, which is about the contract that can be given to a player with EB rights, and not about how to gain them in the first place.