China Decides, No NBA Opt-Out Clause
The Chinese Basketball Association isn’t interested in renting NBA players for the next several months. Not only will the league prohibit NBA opt-out clauses in contracts, the 17 teams won’t be able to sign players who are currently under contract in the NBA.
That’s bad news for players like Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Stephen Curry, Jared Dudley, Dorrell Wright and Luis Scola, who all expressed significant interest in China prior to the ruling.
Now, only free agents and rookies will be able to sign with CBA teams. That means free agents such as Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier, who have flirted with the idea of playing in China, will still be able to sign in East Asia. Rookies like Enes Kanter, who received offers from two Chinese teams, are eligible as well because the lockout began before draft picks were able to sign contracts.
But if players sign in China, they will have to spend the entire season with their new team, even if a collective bargaining agreement is ratified in time to save the NBA season.
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