Rudy Fernandez, the Spanish player traded by the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, will hold off on accepting a massive contract offer from Real Madrid until his NBA obligations are complete.
Rudy Fernandez Will Wait On Real Madrid Offer Until NBA Contract With Mavericks Ends, Says Report
Rudy Fernandez To Put Off European Return Until Mavericks’ Contract Ends, Says Report
The question that will likely decide whether NBA players are allowed to ply their trade in Europe, South America or Asia during the lockout is whether those players’ NBA contracts for 2011-12 are considered valid. Until and unless the NBA officially cancels the 2011-12 season, it’s hard to see FIBA agreeing that that is the case. As such, Fernandez, who was acquired by the NBA champion Mavericks during the 2011 NBA Draft in the Raymond Felton-Andre Miller deal, is taking the smart route by delaying his decision until after the 2011-12 season has been resolved.
Read Article >Rudy Fernandez Offered Six-Year Deal By Real Madrid; Final Season With Mavericks Could Be Hang-Up
The problem: Fernandez remains on his rookie scale contract for one more year, meaning he’ll face legal hurdles moving to Spain during the NBA lockout. Despite the lockout, players under contract with NBA teams, as Fernandez is with the Mavericks, remain so. FIBA will not allow transfers without clearance from the base league (the NBA, in this case), and it’s not believed that the NBA will provide that clearance as seeing players flock overseas would weaken the owners’ negotiating position.
The Spanish report suggests that Fernandez would play for Real Madrid until the lockout ends, return to the Mavericks for whatever is left of the 2011-12 season, and then re-commence his career with Real.
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