WHAT IS THE EARLY BIRD EXCEPTION?
The Early Bird Exception is a weaker form of the Larry Bird Exception that applies to a player who has been with a team for two years. It allows the team to offer the player a contract with a salary which is 175% of his previous salary, or which is the average salary in the league, whichever is more, even if such a salary would put the team over the cap. A contract signed under the Early Bird Exception must be at least two years in length. (Thus a player can not sign a one- year contract under the Early Bird Exception while waiting for the Larry Bird Exception to kick in the following year.) 11. WHAT ABOUT A PLAYER TO WHOM NEITHER THE LARRY BIRD NOR EARLY BIRD EXCEPTION APPLIES? HOW MUCH CAN HE GET? His current team can offer him a salary which is 120% of his salary of the previous season. (If the team is under the cap, it can offer him whatever is available under the cap.) 12. WHAT ABOUT FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS? HOW MUCH CAN THEY BE SIGNED TO? HOW DO THEY COUNT AGAINST THE CAP? The Co
