judge came down with ruling forbiding hawks from taking on any contract passed this year. this might put al is bad spot--because there are very few teams with large cap space. either a team gives up ending contract + picks or its possible al will have to take mle and or one year deal

if al takes a one year deal, he loses his bird's rights, unless it's with atlanta.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5762644?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=73

The Maryland judge who last month ruled Steve Belkin is entitled to buy the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers from his former co-owners added a new twist to the ongoing feud Thursday.

Montgomery County (Md.) Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson ruled the current ownership and management team should retain control while the appeals are heard. But the good news for the Atlanta Spirit group also included the judge's stipulation that will prevent the Hawks or Thrashers from signing a free agent to a contract longer than one year.

The stipulation doesn't relate to negotiations with draft picks for either team.

The ruling also doesn't affect any negotiations already under way, including the Hawks' agreement to sign free agent point guard Speedy Claxton. The deal, believed to be for four years, cannot be officially announced before Wednesday.

Atlanta-based Michael Gearon Jr. of the Atlanta Spirit ownership group applauded the ruling.

"This is exactly what we always expected," Gearon told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "It's hard for people who are looking at it from outside to understand all that has happened, but we expected to get a stay and are more confident than ever we will win on appeal."

The judge ordered that the other owners can't "initiate the purchase, sale, trade or negotiation of any NBA or NHL player contract ... excluding contracts involving present or future draft picks and contracts for any other player with a contract duration of one year or less."

The ruling would appear to put the Hawks and Thrashers at a significant competitive disadvantage in their ability to attract free agents.

Belkin, however, said he was "extremely confident in our ability to get the players we need."

The judge also ordered the owners to post an appeal bond of $11.4 million to protect Belkin against any decrease in the value of the franchises during the appeal. Belkin requested a much larger bond of up to $450 million.

Johnson ruled last month the ownership group did not abide by the terms of an agreement to buy out Belkin. The judge said the group's actions triggered Belkin's right to buy them out.

With Thursday's stay by the judge, his ruling last month is on hold until the appeal is heard by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.

atlanta has ZERO incentive to trade him for mo or jalen. why pay an extra year for that much money for nothing? they only do it if they get nate, lee, picks, etc. as well.

Posted by djsunyc:

atlanta has ZERO incentive to trade him for mo or jalen. why pay an extra year for that much money for nothing? they only do it if they get nate, lee, picks, etc. as well.

If they cannot take on salary past this year, they cannot take back our 2nd year players or rookies. Those contracts extend beyond this year.

Posted by EwingsGlass:

Posted by djsunyc:

atlanta has ZERO incentive to trade him for mo or jalen. why pay an extra year for that much money for nothing? they only do it if they get nate, lee, picks, etc. as well.

If they cannot take on salary past this year, they cannot take back our 2nd year players or rookies. Those contracts extend beyond this year.

Team option-Team doesn't pick up the option, Nate is a FA.

Posted by Solace:

Posted by joec32033:

Posted by EwingsGlass:

Posted by djsunyc:

atlanta has ZERO incentive to trade him for mo or jalen. why pay an extra year for that much money for nothing? they only do it if they get nate, lee, picks, etc. as well.

If they cannot take on salary past this year, they cannot take back our 2nd year players or rookies. Those contracts extend beyond this year.

Team option-Team doesn't pick up the option, Nate is a FA.

Excellent. Throw in a second rounder and $3 million cash and the Hawks would have to do it, I think.

Mo, Nate, a 2nd rounder and 3 mil for Harrington and a first rounder....

Posted by joec32033:

Posted by Solace:

Posted by joec32033:

Posted by EwingsGlass:

Posted by djsunyc:

atlanta has ZERO incentive to trade him for mo or jalen. why pay an extra year for that much money for nothing? they only do it if they get nate, lee, picks, etc. as well.

If they cannot take on salary past this year, they cannot take back our 2nd year players or rookies. Those contracts extend beyond this year.

Team option-Team doesn't pick up the option, Nate is a FA.

Excellent. Throw in a second rounder and $3 million cash and the Hawks would have to do it, I think.

Mo, Nate, a 2nd rounder and 3 mil for Harrington and a first rounder....

We don't get a first rounder in return. We're trying to provide incentive for them to take the deal.

Posted by Andrew:

If the team doesn't pick up the option what is the point of getting the player?

They can still keep the player, just it would fall under the judge's rule, so they don't *have* to. It's just a technicality. Not keeping Nate would be foolish, obviously.

i'll say this one more time: JUST SAY NO TO AL HARRINGTON.

he's going to want a 5 year deal. we can not further handcuff the next gm with long term deals. this team needs to have some foresight. it's time to start shedding deals. francis and marbury will be difficult. so the guys remaining are crawford, quentin, and curry. i like quentin. crawford i don't mind. but i have to think long term and i'd much rather have cap room in the summer of 09 than a year of quentin at $9 and two years of crawford at $10. eddy's a little different b/c he's a big man and b/c of what we spent for him but i wouldn't be opposed to moving him either.

offer him 3 years @ $8mm- basically slotting him at Mo Ts salary. I don't want him, but if you canget him cheap.

wait, I remember saying the same thing for francis.