One of the main points in my rant against the Antawn Jamison trade is the fact that the Cavs could pretty much get the main player traded on their end back after a buyout. So they could essentially get Jamison… a 20 and 9 guy… for a couple of draft picks.
A lot of people are upset at the rule that allows players to return to their former teams 30 days after a buyout. Doc Rivers and Phil Jackson expressed their displeasure last night.
"They're going to get Ilgauskas back and it's going to be one of
those scenarios that we see in the NBA where you ship a player out, you
get another player, then your player retires or they pay him off and
then he comes back in 30 days," Jackson said. "I don't know what that
does for the league. I think that's kind of a weird situation."Rivers
agreed with Jackson, even though the loophole has helped his team in
the past."I have a problem with that," Rivers said before
Thursday's Lakers-Celtics game at Staples Center. "I loved it three
years ago when we did it with Gary
Payton if you remember, but now I think it sucks. I think it's a
terrible deal."Rivers and the Celtics traded Payton to Atlanta in
March 2005 for Antoine
Walker and Payton returned to Boston after being waived by the
Hawks."I actually do have a problem with that though. We did it,
and I'm joking, but I do think [it's a problem]. I don't know what you
do [maybe] just not allow them to go back to the same team or whatever.
… I do think that will be changed eventually, but I do have a problem
with it."
Will it be changed? That's a good question… because I don't know how the Player's Association will give up something that allows a player to essentially double up on a salary.
But something needs to be done. I know it used to be worse… and that's why the 30 day rule was implemented. But it's not enough. Teams just can't give players away knowing they're getting them back.
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