(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
The NBA currently has a lot of rules regarding when teams can and cannot communicate with players about contracts and extensions.
When a team disobeys these rules, they can be fined and sometimes lose draft picks too.
But the league is making some changes that will allow teams to more openly discuss the future with players.
Shams Charania is reporting that with a new change in the NBA-NBPA collective bargaining agreement, teams will be able to start talks and negotiations with their own free agents just one day after the NBA Finals.
This is a major alteration from the current rule, which requires teams only to start talking about contracts and deals with their free agents weeks after the end of the Finals.
New change in NBA-NBPA collective bargaining agreement starting 2023-24: Teams will be able to begin talks/negotiations with their own free agents one day after final game of Finals in June – potentially weeks earlier than currently allowed, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 12, 2023
The changes caused a big response online.
Most people were very happy to hear about this new arrangement, but many feel that teams have been secretly doing this even though it’s been against the rules.
“So basically they just legalized what teams been doing for years already?” one fan said.
so basically they just legalized what teams been doing for years already?
— Mari (@17RingzWRLD) April 12, 2023
Others were confused and surprised at just how strict the rules about negotiations were.
“I thought this was always the case,” one Twitter user commented.
I thought this was always the case, that they were allowed to talk to their own free agents, just not other teams free agents?
— Jason Meredith (@jmere09nyc) April 12, 2023
There are many who believe this change will cause a lot more madness during NBA free agency.
“A longer FA period = more chaos and drama,” a fan said.
A longer FA period = more chaos and drama.
NBA gonna NBA.
— Mich M. (@MirazNBA) April 12, 2023
And others felt that this is going to really favor teams trying to retain their free agents and get them to come back in the next season.
So basically we’re going to see a wider range of players stay with their current team
— melly (@mellystr) April 12, 2023
The league has been making a few important changes lately and it’ll be interesting to see how it affects teams in the future.
This collective bargaining agreement adjustment will definitely give front offices a busier summer.
The post Fans React To Major Change In NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement appeared first on The Cold Wire.