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http://www.charlotte...yombo-isnt.html
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In an email reply to an Observer inquiry, FIBA spokesman Andrew Robotham wrote:"The NBA has indeed requested a Letter of Clearance (LoC) for the Player Bismack Biyombo. In accordance with the NBA/FIBA Agreement, FIBA has contacted the Spanish Federation in order to obtain the LoC.
"However, the Spanish Basketball Federation refused to issue the LoC in view of the fact that the Player is still under contract with a team in Spain."
That Spanish team, Fuenlabrada, reportedly has Biyombo under contract for the next two seasons and expects a buyout of about $1.4 million to release him to the Bobcats. Though Biyombo expressed great confidence he'd be a Bobcat once the lockout ends ( "I'm going to play in the NBA next season for sure, 100 percent," he said the day after the draft), FIBA's recent action suggests things could get sticky.
"However, the Spanish Basketball Federation refused to issue the LoC in view of the fact that the Player is still under contract with a team in Spain."
That Spanish team, Fuenlabrada, reportedly has Biyombo under contract for the next two seasons and expects a buyout of about $1.4 million to release him to the Bobcats. Though Biyombo expressed great confidence he'd be a Bobcat once the lockout ends ( "I'm going to play in the NBA next season for sure, 100 percent," he said the day after the draft), FIBA's recent action suggests things could get sticky.
Probably not a huge deal, since the lockout may eat up much of the first season. But the 'Cats will eventually have to weigh whether buying out Fuenlabrada and paying Biyombo (he'll have to pay about $900,000 himself to Fuenlabrada, since NBA teams can'y pay more than a half-mill) will be worth the trouble, versus just letting him play out his contract through mid-2013.
~lw3
