This ain't good - legal news

[CrawDaddy]

Nah, this sucker isn't getting overturned. 5% chance the Spirit win on appeal. We're stuck with Belkin.

Man, if we can't move Al for something because of this, we should find this Judge Johnson and rip his balls off.

[tmac13]

This is EXACTLY why Al should have been moved at the trade deadline..Everyone knew something like this was very possible..

[CrawDaddy]

Couldn't agree with you more.

[Diesel]

If there is a SNT in the works and Belkin is not in a position to own the team outright immediately, he can't stop BK from getting the SNT done because in essence it has a terrible effect on Al's career. I can see room for Stern and the players Union to have a say in this.

[DrReality]

You would wonder if Al wouldn't have a case for punitive damages to his career earnings. Just at a point when he was in line to get a lifetime contract.

I think Al should bring a law suit for a $100 million.

[Nicholasp27]

true; al is definitely hurt by this ruling

[DrReality]

If Stern and the player's union did step in, it would give us some idea of where Stern stands with the situation. Also gotta wonder what the other owners think about all this crap. They can't be happy about the negative press he's bringing to the league.

[jezmund]

Maybe at least with Al, this is a blessing in disguise? It might keep us from agreeing to take on a Troy Murphy type. I'm blessed if it kept us from getting Tyson Chandler. Perfect trade just because Magloire/+?

[sturt]

Quote:

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Montgomery County (Md.) Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson said in court Thursday that

the order would not apply to players with whom negotiations already have been initiated,

meaning, for example, that the Hawks apparently are free to complete their planned signing of free agent point guard Speedy Claxton to a multi-year contract.

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Depends on the actual legal wording, but at least one perspective would suggest that anything that anything that Billy can demonstrate that he has already initated is still in-play.

(Yeah, I know, I'm ever the optimist... By Tucker's report there's room there, but again, it depends on what words actually appear in the ruling.)

[gsuteke]

this Belkin guy is a real pr!ck.

fortunately for us most of us agree we don't want to take long term salary on for Al anyways.

jeez what a pr!ck.

hopefully Billy will redeem himself so i can change my sig to F Belkin.

[b3bawla]

Quote:

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I can see room for Stern and the players Union to have a say in this.

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That's what I'm thinking too. We're getting screwed a bit but Al is the one really getting shafted and he doesn't deserve it. He's been the consumate professional. Seriously, if we can't sign him then basically he's gonna have to sign with a team through their exception clause. Which means he's losing out BIG TIME. I would be so surprised if the players union doesn't speak up on his behalf.

But Stern too has interest. He;s gotta be disgusted by the bad press this gets his league. And any one franchise that has problem affects everyone else.

[TheDude]

I really wish some sportswriter would get some things stirred up by this and how it's affecting the image of the league.

there is no good out of this. bk has done a good job this offseason and there should be no fear he was going to trade Al in a bad trade for us. he actually had other teams balls against the wall because of al being the last big name free agent and noone having money.

this belkin character really pisses me off. i don't want belkin to win just for the simple fact that BK has improved the team and it will be exciting next year to watch, yet Belkin could be the one profiting...

i beg of stern to do something...anyone know Stern's email so we can start some sort of mass harrassment to step in?

[CrawDaddy]

Another option would be for the Hawks to just ignore the ruling and keep going after FA's through the sign and trade with Al. One of two things can happen at that point:

1) Belkin ignores the moves if he likes them, or

2) Belkin files another motion to enjoin the teams from making the moves. But at that point contracts have been entered and signed. If the Court brought some type of sanctions or monetary damages action against the Spirit (and I'm no federal law expert), that's just more money that Belkin potentially loses out on. The Court can't try and slap the owners around personally because they're protected by the fact that the Spirit is a Limited Liability Company.

I say BK trades away. Better to ask for forgiveness later than sit on your hands. I bet the Spirit LLC lawyers are billing a helluva lot of hours these days doing research.

[emeans]

Good read. I understand the Hawks, Al and Golden State have already agreed on a S&T. They have to wait until July 12 to announce it officially.

This negotitiation was already in motion before this ruling!!

[TheDude]

what i like from the spirit is what they mentioned recently.they're not letting this fiasco stop them from trying to build a team..they're not worried about money even in this crisis, they're still focused on improving the team...

i can't see how any fool in his right mind would WANT belkin to be our owner.

[TheDude]

dont' know if it'll help but maybe if enough people send something, it'll at least make them more aware...

basically anything to help our team.

The Link To Belkin's Demise

[CrawDaddy]

The one positive I see from Belkin is that he is hands on and knows a little bit about contract negotiations (please see destruction of the Spirit in court). He obviously wants to be an owner, and at times I think having a sole owner would really help out with bringing in FA's the way Arthur Blank does or Mark Cuban does.

However, Belkin is killing what he views as a future current investment. I don't know what he's thinking about with the request to the court to not allow further contract negotiations with FA's. It's not like the other owners are going to sink the ship that they think they're going to be running should they win on appeal.

Another interesting point is Al's ability to sue. I think if he could prove that ATL was going to offer him more money than he actually gets he just might have the ability to file a lawsuit. Against whom? I don't know. Can't really file the lawsuit against Belkin b/c he didn't make the ruling. If I were Al's agent I'd be knocking on Judge Eric Johnson's door tonight with two goons standing behind me. "Hi Judge. We need to have a chat."

[swolehawk2]

"Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson said in court Thursday that the order would not apply to players with whom negotiations already have been initiated, meaning, for example, that the Hawks apparently are free to complete their planned signing of free agent point guard Speedy Claxton to a multi-year contract."

So technically anybody we have intitated negotiations with prior to the ruling, we can sign?

[CrawDaddy]

Quote:

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Good read. I understand the Hawks, Al and Golden State have already agreed on a S&T. They have to wait until July 12 to announce it officially.

This negotitiation was already in motion before this ruling!!

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Where'd you see/hear this?

[CrawDaddy]

Correct.