Bismack Biyombo lands in buyout trouble; Fuenlabrada blocks the clearance letter: NBA Update
Bismack Biyombo and his agent had been very vocal about the former playing this season for the Charlotte Bobcats, but the actual scenario has turned out to be very different as it has emerged that the recently drafted Congolese player and his former Spanish club Fuenlabrada are still at logger head over contractual issues.
According to various reports, FIBA, the international body of basketball, has declared that Biyombo is not eligible to play in the NBA as he needs to settle his contractual issues with the Spanish club. Biyombo was picked up as No. 7 overall in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats, but has been the object of constant controversy, first because of his age and now due to the contract dispute.
The dispute is over the buyout between Biyombo and Fuenlabrada. Biyombo was due to play for the Spanish side for the next two seasons, but opted for NBA without settling maters with them. Fuenlabrada have consequently declined to issue him the clearance letter. The clearance letter was requested by NBA to FIBA in order to make sure that Biyombo would participate from the Bobcats in the next season whenever it will commence after the lockout.
The Spanish club Fuenlabrada is due an amount of $1.4 million because of Biyombo’s departure. Under the present NBA rules, a franchise cannot pay more than 50,000 dollars to buyout a player. This leaves Biyombo staring at a hefty amount.
Charlotte had made a lot of effort in order to get their hands on Biyombo. The franchise not only gave up Shaun Livingston and ace forward Stephen Jackson, but also traded away their 19th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft to get Sacramento Kings’ 7th pick. That pick has now become a headache for the Bobcats. If the issue is not settled, they will not be having the services of a big, which they so desperately need to clog their back court.
The 50,000 dollar handicap was however the part of the old CBA, the expiry of which caused a lockout. The only hope for the Bobcats to land Biyombo is that if the new CBA miraculously enhances the franchise buyout limit, a thing which at the moment look very unlikely. However, if the lockout wipes out the entire next season that can benefit Biyombo a lot, as he can play another season with the Spanish club and bring his buyout price down. The Bobcats can then make a move and bring the centre in their line-up.
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