Can the Clippers Trade Blake before he opts out of his last year?

Elrod is Back · Post #1 » by **Elrod is Back** » Mon May 8, 2017 4:32 pm

I believe June 28 (or maybe June 29) is the deadline by which Blake Griffin has to notify the Clippers and the league that he is opting out of the last year of his contract and becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Prior to Griffin making such formal notification, can the Clippers trade him?

Say, for example, the Clippers are concerned that Griffin is going to opt out and not resign with them, can they trade him on draft night to another team? Then the Clippers get something for Griffin and the team that trades for Griffin has the inside track to re-sign him.

Does anyone know the answer to this question?

TucsonClip · Post #2 » by **TucsonClip** » Mon May 8, 2017 5:14 pm

Sure, we could trade him, but nobody would give anything up in return unless he agrees forgo his ETO and opt in.

Wammy Giveaway · Post #3 » by **Wammy Giveaway** » Mon May 8, 2017 7:31 pm

Aren't the Clippers actually prohibited from trading Griffin right now because his contract is technically over? Really, it's not over, but he can end it from now til the deadline because of the ETO.

Basically, the only way the Clippers can trade Griffin is he needs to announce that he's opting in. He's got a mini no-trade clause at this point.

TucsonClip · Post #4 » by **TucsonClip** » Mon May 8, 2017 10:45 pm

Wammy Giveaway wrote:Aren't the Clippers actually prohibited from trading Griffin right now because his contract is technically over? Really, it's not over, but he can end it from now til the deadline because of the ETO.

Basically, the only way the Clippers can trade Griffin is he needs to announce that he's opting in. He's got a mini no-trade clause at this point.

Right, thats what im getting at, I just should have worded it differently.

madmaxmedia · Post #5 » by **madmaxmedia** » Tue May 9, 2017 7:31 pm

Wammy Giveaway wrote:Aren't the Clippers actually prohibited from trading Griffin right now because his contract is technically over? Really, it's not over, but he can end it from now til the deadline because of the ETO.

Basically, the only way the Clippers can trade Griffin is he needs to announce that he's opting in. He's got a mini no-trade clause at this point.

But until he actually opts out, his contract isn't technically over- he just has an option to end it. He doesn't have to 'opt-in', in that if he does nothing by the opt-out deadline the contract will just continue through next year.

But practically speaking, yeah the only way the Clippers could find a trade is for him to announce he's not opting out, or agrees to terms on a new deal-to-be with his new team.

Post #6 » by **og15** » Sat May 13, 2017 2:43 pm

I knew I had read somewhere that it can't be done.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm
"When the trade deadline has passed. Teams are free to make trades again once their season has ended, but cannot trade players whose contracts are ending or could end due to an option or ETO."