I was just wondering. There is that NBA provision that allowed Randoph Morris to be a free agent this year.

Why don't lots of players do this? They got nothing to lose, do they? They would either be in the NBA, or would be a free agent one or two years after not being drafted? Teams might try to predict that future star without having to draft so high.

It could create a new type of market, like it did with Morris.

Here is the best article I found regarding the "loophole":
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?slug=rivals-116979&prov=rivals&type=lgns

Seriously, this can be a tool for many players and NBA teams to negotiate directly with teams. It perhaps might become a problem if the NBA starts it's own developmental league and pays out a few hundred K to some kids who are not yet on the radar or who had down years, need more time to develop, etc.

Perhaps we should keep an eye out for undrafted players this year so that they can be signed to NBDL teams???

Thoghts?

Posted by kam77:

Because a kid who thinks they can get away with this has two things to fear:

A) They actually DO get drafted, as a 2nd round pick. Become MR. Irrelevant, get cut and not make the team and have very little money to show from their "career" move.

B) They skid through the draft untouched like you say, but then their university declines to let them back in school.

Why would i take the risk? Randolph Morris was unique in that he was a freshman who got very bad advice, declared, had the worst workouts you could imagine, teams thought he was radioactive, and Kentucky was generous enough to let him back in because he didn't sign with an agent.

I could see your first point. It's true, if they get drafted in the second round and the team doesn't keep them they are semi screwed. At that point they go overseas or use the money they got (do they get any?) to go to school.

As far as your second point, I don't see the school doing that. Maybe it's possible but they would get allot of backlash.

There are clearly some advantages to the players (given that the school lets the back in, perhaps with an agreement to play the year out and not leave early like Morris did and affect next years scholarships). Talking with teams you WANT to play for is one. Being more in control of your future is another. Maybe accepting a teams contract where you know you will fit in and can raise your market value that way. There are clearly advantages with the risks.

This is an interesting perspective on it:
http://www.draftexpress.com/blogs.php?blogid=3&a=1945&mod=comment