The Miami HEAT were just crowned NBA champions, but they’ll get back to work almost immediately. When the champagne bottles are empty and the celebration comes to an end, HEAT brass will shift their attention to the offseason and focus on adding more talent to their star-studded roster. After all, the 2012 NBA Draft is less than one week away and free agency will begin in nine days.  Read more after the jump. Shay Marie x Sabrina B.
NBA: Knicks Win “Bird Rights” Arbitration, Can Resign Jeremy Lin & Still Have Mid-Level Exception
The New York Knicks offseason just got brighter.  Thanks to a court decision they have a chance to improve their roster and keep Jeremy Lin.  Read more after the jump. Shay Marie x Sabrina B. In an unexpected decision, an arbitrator ruled forJeremy Lin, Steve Novak — backed by the NBA players union — saying that players picked up on waivers (like Lin and Novak were) can be re-signed by their team using their “Bird rights†(the rights of a team to go over the salary cap to re-sign its own free agents). The league had argued that the new Collective Bargaining Agreement says once a player went on waivers he forfeited his Bird rights. “Bird and Early Bird rights are the lynchpin of our soft cap system, and we’re pleased that (the arbiter) Professor Dam recognized that a player does not forfeit these important rights unless he makes an affirmative decision to sign with a new team as a free agent,†NBA players union executive director Billy Hunter said in a released statement? The league has said it will appeal the ruling. Why is this ruling good for the Knicks? They can now re-sign Lin for about $5 million and still have a mid-level exception to offer to a free agent player they want to court. Whether that be Steve Nash or whomever. However, as ESPN salary cap guru Larry Coon pointed out on twitter, don’t look for the Knicks to use their entire $5 million mid-level exception to go after these free agents. If the Knicks re-sign…
