Interesting Comment from Lindsey

[cowhide]

I was just thinking... How can NBA teams force players to play overseas if they didn't want to. It seems like the players union could say, either they make your NBA squad this season or you lose the rights to the player and they can become a FA. I would be ticked if I entered the draft and they wouldn't allow me to play and they still retained rights to me.

Neto is under contract that is why he is playing in Europe. If he wasn't under contract then he could come over this year and try to make the team. If he came over and the Jazz didn't sign him then he would be a FA. Many times the player decides to stay in Europe because the buy out is too big. I don't know if this is the case or that the Jazz encouraged him to stay because of the buy out or team needs. Neto has said he didn't want to come if he wasn't going to play. Signing Lucas was a sign or a way the team made it seem as though they wanted him to stay and were not interested or able to get a buyout done.

Again, teams can't make you stay, they can persuade you or they can cut you or they can sign you and not play you. However, they cannot force you to stay.