NOTE: Just to be clear, these articles were written last year and represent the rules that were in place under the 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Once the 2011 CBA becomes available for viewing, I will update these articles to match the new rules.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and the Player’s Union (NBPA) is a complex document. I’ve tried, over the years, to improve my understanding of the CBA and to help others understand the rules that it provides as the NBA carries on the business of basketball. I’ve also tried to answer questions, to the best of my ability, that others have asked me about how things work with regards to salaries, trades and finances.
I’ve put together a series of posts that I made in 2011 into a sort of primer on many of the CBA issues that I get asked most about. This is not a fully comprehensive explanation of the CBA, but I think that it covers many of the basics. Like the alphabet, this list of ABCs is, I hope, a tool that can help you learn more about these topics.
A is for Average Player Salary
B is for Base Year Compensation
D is for Disabled Player Exception
F is for First Round Draft Pick
M is for Maximum Contract Amount
P is for Poison Pill Provision Player
R is for Restricted Free Agents
T is for Traded Player Exception
U is for Unrenounced Free Agents
