Question about the draft(s)

[Bammer]

In the major sports, is there anything really keeping a prospect from just skipping the whole thing and then signing with whoever he wants as a free agent?

Say Zion really wants to play for the Bucks and there is mutual interest and they’ll pay him whatever a #1 pick would be paid. What rules are in place forcing players to enter the draft? In orher words could the Spurs theoretically sign me to play for them next year if they wanted to, or do the other teams (with worse records) get to have a crack at me first somehow?

[spike]

i don't think so. i believe a player is either eligible (whether they declare early or hit a certain age) or not. a player of zion's caliber would be drafted once eligible.

[PHATJ]

But is he required to enter the draft or can he somehow not participate in being drafted and sign with any team he chooses?

[PHATJ]

I’m sure there is a requirement of some kind otherwise players would just always opt out of the draft and sign to the highest bidder or the team of their choosing. I’m sure that is the case but I don’t know the specific rules.

[spike]

i think "entering the draft" is more a figure of speech. you become eligible, then are either drafted or not.

[spike]

think about elway or eli and what they did. became eligible, drafted, didn't want to play for the franchise that drafted them, so their only recourse was to refuse to sign and force a trade.

[PHATJ]

think about elway or eli and what they did. became eligible, drafted, didn't want to play for the franchise that drafted them, so their only recourse was to refuse to sign and force a trade.

Right. If they had refused to sign and sat out the entire season they would have been re-entered into the draft the following season. Does that go on forever? At some point do you become a free agent? What if a player like Zion said he was going back to school, skipped the draft, then something happened (like he became ineligible for some reason), and he decided to leave school and try to join the NBA. Is there a way for him to become eligible to be a free agent or does he have to wait until the next draft? I’m assuming he has to wait but I’ve never spent any time looking into (or even thinking about) these rules.

[spike]

think about elway or eli and what they did. became eligible, drafted, didn't want to play for the franchise that drafted them, so their only recourse was to refuse to sign and force a trade.

Right. If they had refused to sign and sat out the entire season they would have been re-entered into the draft the following season. Does that go on forever? At some point do you become a free agent? What if a player like Zion said he was going back to school, skipped the draft, then something happened (like he became ineligible for some reason), and he decided to leave school and try to join the NBA. Is there a way for him to become eligible to be a free agent or does he have to wait until the next draft? I’m assuming he has to wait but I’ve never spent any time looking into (or even thinking about) these rules.

the team holds the rights to the player for a year, and yes, they'd lose those rights after a year. it's likely never happened though, as the team holding the rights to the player would likely negotiate trading those rights before losing them, so they'd at least get something (would have to be a sign and trade thing).

[spike]

green habit's the true authority here. i have a slightly more than tenuous grasp of this.

[PHATJ]

think about elway or eli and what they did. became eligible, drafted, didn't want to play for the franchise that drafted them, so their only recourse was to refuse to sign and force a trade.

Right. If they had refused to sign and sat out the entire season they would have been re-entered into the draft the following season. Does that go on forever? At some point do you become a free agent? What if a player like Zion said he was going back to school, skipped the draft, then something happened (like he became ineligible for some reason), and he decided to leave school and try to join the NBA. Is there a way for him to become eligible to be a free agent or does he have to wait until the next draft? I’m assuming he has to wait but I’ve never spent any time looking into (or even thinking about) these rules.

the team holds the rights to the player for a year, and yes, they'd lose those rights after a year. it's likely never happened though, as the team holding the rights to the player would likely negotiate trading those rights before losing them, so they'd at least get something (would have to be a sign and trade thing).

I know that happens in baseball. And NBA rules are different for foreign players too. When the Wolves drafted Rubio he spent another couple years in Spain before signing. I’m unsure of how the Wolves we’re able to hold his rights beyond one year, but they did.

[spike]

think about elway or eli and what they did. became eligible, drafted, didn't want to play for the franchise that drafted them, so their only recourse was to refuse to sign and force a trade.

Right. If they had refused to sign and sat out the entire season they would have been re-entered into the draft the following season. Does that go on forever? At some point do you become a free agent? What if a player like Zion said he was going back to school, skipped the draft, then something happened (like he became ineligible for some reason), and he decided to leave school and try to join the NBA. Is there a way for him to become eligible to be a free agent or does he have to wait until the next draft? I’m assuming he has to wait but I’ve never spent any time looking into (or even thinking about) these rules.

the team holds the rights to the player for a year, and yes, they'd lose those rights after a year. it's likely never happened though, as the team holding the rights to the player would likely negotiate trading those rights before losing them, so they'd at least get something (would have to be a sign and trade thing).

I know that happens in baseball. And NBA rules are different for foreign players too. When the Wolves drafted Rubio he spent another couple years in Spain before signing. I’m unsure of how the Wolves we’re able to hold his rights beyond one year, but they did.

eurostash

[Bammer]

That story about Popovich and his stupid wine collection mentioned how Ginobli “came to them” and it got me thinking.

Ok so on one hand guys enter the draft, and IF undrafted they are available as free agents?

So if I were to go and try out for the Spurs tomorrow, and they decide they want to sign me, do the other 29 teams get a chance to pass on me before I can sign with the Spurs?

So Zion leaves Duke and doesn’t enter the draft. He chills at home for a year or two. What rule requires him to go thru the draft process rather than just sign with whoever?

At what point would Zion and myself be treated the same in this respect? I mean you hear these stories about guys ... say Kurt Warner who was famously bagging groceries before the Rams discovered him. Was he drafted or were the Rams free to just go ahead and sign him?

[spike]

So Zion leaves Duke and doesn’t enter the draft. He chills at home for a year or two. What rule requires him to go thru the draft process rather than just sign with whoever?

Automatic eligibility

Players whose 19th birthday falls during or before the calendar year of the draft, or at least one year removed from the graduation of their high school class, and who do not meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:[21]

They have completed four years of their college eligibility.
If they graduated from high school in the U.S., but did not enroll in a U.S. college or university, four years have passed since their high school class graduated.
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team outside the NBA, anywhere in the world, and have played under that contract. They also must be released from their contract before they can leave college to go to the NBA

Those who have reached the minimum eligibility age of 19 and meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:

They are at least 22 during the calendar year of the draft.[22]
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team outside the NBA within the United States, and have played under that contract.[23]

[Bammer]

I’m having trouble understanding that. So if I wait til I’m like 26 I can sign with whoever?

[spike]

well yeah, because you probably wouldn't be drafted.

[Green Habit]

green habit's the true authority here. i have a slightly more than tenuous grasp of this.

NFL only, I have no clue what the NBA rules are. In the NFL if you don't sign you get reentered into next year's draft. That's what happened with Bo Jackson when the Bucs fucked him over by ruining his college eligibility, still drafted him 1st overall, Bo said "fuck you, I'm playing baseball", then in the next draft he got selected much later by (regrettably ) the Raiders.

[lennytheweedwhacker]

I’m having trouble understanding that. So if I wait til I’m like 26 I can sign with whoever?

where are you getting 26? it does say 4 years have passed since graduating high school

[Bammer]

I’m having trouble understanding that. So if I wait til I’m like 26 I can sign with whoever?

where are you getting 26? it does say 4 years have passed since graduating high school

Jeez lenny settle down

[lennytheweedwhacker]

I’m having trouble understanding that. So if I wait til I’m like 26 I can sign with whoever?

where are you getting 26? it does say 4 years have passed since graduating high school

Jeez lenny settle down

ANSWER ME

[Bammer]

So Zion has not hired anyone and could go back to school and see who wins the lottery next year. Smart dude.