This may be why the CP trade was nixed

[Seventyniner]

Yep. Think about how the rules are structured:

1. The player's current can offer a bigger/longer contract than anyone else. That's the reward for staying with the same team.
2. If the team decides to trade a player, the player gets Bird rights as compensation - so they can still get a bigger/longer contract from the new team.
3. If the player really wants to go elsewhere, they can always play out their contract, and take a "normal" contract from some other team.

The idea is that good players get PAID for staying with the same team. CP3 wants to get the extra pay AND the ability to choose his destination. The Bird rights aren't there just to make sure he gets a bigger payday. If Stern lets this go, the option year becomes the leverage year. And small markets will be totally screwed. I hope he holds the line against whatever backlash comes from it.

Maybe the next big fight in 6 years will be over whether Bird rights should carry over in a trade. If the owners could get rid of that, they could really strike at the heart of this issue. The players might hold out on the whole season over that one, though.

[Mel_13]

Yep. Think about how the rules are structured:

1. The player's current can offer a bigger/longer contract than anyone else. That's the reward for staying with the same team.
2. If the team decides to trade a player, the player gets Bird rights as compensation - so they can still get a bigger/longer contract from the new team.
3. If the player really wants to go elsewhere, they can always play out their contract, and take a "normal" contract from some other team.

The idea is that good players get PAID for staying with the same team. CP3 wants to get the extra pay AND the ability to choose his destination. The Bird rights aren't there just to make sure he gets a bigger payday. If Stern lets this go, the option year becomes the leverage year. And small markets will be totally screwed. I hope he holds the line against whatever backlash comes from it.

He saw Melo, Bron, and Bosh do it and he wants the same treatment. The rules changes mean the only way he can get it is through a trade to a team he wants during the season. He won't be able to get the extra year in a S&T this summer like LeBron and Bosh did last year. They got 6 years, the best he can do in an S&T this summer is 4 years.

[GSH]

He saw Melo, Bron, and Bosh do it and he wants the same treatment. The rules changes mean the only way he can get it is through a trade to a team he wants during the season. He won't be able to get the extra year in a S&T this summer like LeBron and Bosh did last year. They got 6 years, the best he can do in an S&T this summer is 4 years.

Oh, I understand what he wants. If that trend were allowed to continue, it would be the death of the league. I'd like to think I would feel the same way, even if it were the Spurs on the receiving end of the deal.

But remember, LeBron did it the right way. He played out his contract, and gave up the extra money, in return for the ability to go where he wanted. I hated "The Decision", but at least he didn't hijack the CBA the way Paul is trying to do.