Lin win Birds Rights

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/23/sp...&smid=tw-share

An arbitrator has granted Jeremy Lin his so-called early-Bird rights, which will give the Knicks much greater latitude in free agency on July 1, according to a person who was informed of the ruling. The ruling means that both Lin and Steve Novak of the Knicks will be able to re-sign with the team without respect to the salary cap, for a starting salary around $5 million each. Just as critically, it means that the Knicks will not need to use their midlevel exception to sign either player, which will allow them to use that slot for another free agent.
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Thats the best Knicks news in 2012

Great news. We can match any offer, and still offer the Mid-Level.


Next order of business...

UPGRADE THE BACK COURT!


One.

Hell yeah MF!!!

Next order of business, finding a backup PG and a SG. If JR opts in and we can sign Nash, Felton or Miller and find a good player in the draft, we good!

MY REACTION






MY SECOND REACTION

Novak did too!!

Awesome. Now we can use the MLE on someone else and STILL re-sign Lin and Novak if we want to!

Nice!!! Very good news! Finally we catch a friggin' break huh?

I'd love to give this smug POS David Stern a big "FU" right about now..Dickhead was so confident the arbitrator was gonna rule in favor of the league. LOL.

Very happy. I just started thinking the longer this went on, the more of a chance we had...Justice was served. Congrats to Lin, Novak and whoever else too btw.

eace:

Lin-ANYONE BUT FIELDS-Melo-Amarknee-Tyson
Bench has a possibility of being: Felton-Shump-Jr Smith-Jeffries-JJ
Really alot of good possibilities now.

Finally some good news, now we can actually try to build on what we have instead of having to find completely new pieces and still be tied up. Lots of PGs in free agency, shouldn't be a problem finding someone good with the MLE, get lucky with the draft, who knows might make it deeper in the playoffs this year.

Almost_famous718 said:

MY REACTION

MY SECOND REACTION

Click to expand...

I'll do the same dance if true.YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!

This way we can sign Steve Nash to a two-year deal, sign Jeremy Lin to a four-year deal, and still have money for a SG who can defend and hit an open shot once in a while.

Make it happen, Grunwald!

Not so fast there buddy.....The NBA will appeal it and who knows what his rights will be come free agency time. This whole process is just ridiculous if you ask me just like David Stern.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/sto...-lin-chauncey-billups-bird-rights-affects-cap

Bird rights ruling affects four
Updated: June 22, 2012, 3:40 PM ET
By Jared Zwerling | ESPNNewYork.com

In a surprise ruling on Friday, New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak, Los Angeles Clippers' Chauncey Billups and Portland Trail Blazers' J.J. Hickson secured Bird and early Bird rights in a hearing between the NBA players' association and the league.

The decision was made by arbitrator Kenneth Dam, who affirmed that players claimed off waivers are able to retain their valuable Bird and early Bird rights when they become free agents. That means that if Lin, Billups, Novak and Hickson re-sign, their teams can go over the salary cap.

The NBA said it would appeal the ruling.

All four players were waived this season and claimed by other teams. They will become free agents July 1.

In addition, future players claimed off waivers will likewise benefit from Friday's ruling.

Lin and Novak wll enter the 2012-13 free agency period with early Bird rights, meaning that they can be re-signed for 175 percent of their salary the previous season or the NBA average salary, whichever is greater.

Billups and Hickson will have Bird rights, meaning they can be re-signed up to the maximum salary.

"Bird and early Bird rights are the lynchpin of our Soft Cap system, and we're pleased that Professor Dam recognized that a player does not forfeit these important rights unless he makes an affirmative decision to sign with a new team as a free agent," NBPA executive director Billy Hunter said in a statement released by the players' union. "Players fought hard for a Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows maximum flexibility for free-agent players while also permitting teams to retain their core free agents, and today's decision affirms both of these important principles."

The ruling is especially huge for the Knicks. They can now retain Lin, Novak and Landry Fields at up to $5 million each and then sign an additional player at $3 million or less with their mid-level exception. The Knicks will likely be in the market for a seasoned veteran point guard. The ruling is one step toward creating enough space to go after a player such as Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Andre Miller or Raymond Felton.

The Knicks could also retain J.R. Smith if he accepts his player option of $2.5 million. He has until June 26 to decide if he wants to opt in or out. Beyond that, the Knicks will only have veteran's minimum contracts of $1.4 million to spend to fill out the rest of their roster.

Man I didn't want to be hopeful but this news right here is a top 10 best thing that ever happened to the knicks franchise. Now they can keep Lin, Novak, and Fields and make moves at another player with the Full MLE.

Hell they could even sign JR smith for the extra he is supposedly seeking and still get a damn good FA.

WooHOO!! :mrgreen:

Thanks for sharing the great news, I know I needed it.

Drinks on me tonight Fellas!!!!!

FrazierVocab said:

Not so fast there buddy.....The NBA will appeal it and who knows what his rights will be come free agency time. This whole process is just ridiculous if you ask me just like David Stern.

Click to expand...

Most appeals fail but the appeal does put the arbitrators decision on hold until the appeal is denied or upheld. I would expect a decision on the appeal before July 1 the day FAs can start negotiations.

New New York said:

Drinks on me tonight Fellas!!!!!

Click to expand...

If you don't show up, we'll leave it on your tab! :mrgreen:

YEAH BOYEEEEEEE!

New New York said:

Drinks on me tonight Fellas!!!!!

Click to expand...

Double Kentucky! :drink:

But, don't get your hopes too high folks, the NBA will probably appeal the ruling which means nothing's guaranteed yet. However, we just got a little closer to signing Nash or an other valuable veteran PG that would improve our backcourt.