NBA hardship exception, explained: How the rule helps teams deal with COVID-19, injury issues
The Bulls have recently faced a limited lineup.
In addition to sophomore Patrick Williams having to take an indefinite break from the game due to a wrist injury, the Bulls are facing a COVID-19 outbreak as Coby White, Matt Thomas, Derrick Jones Jr., Javonte Green and DeMar DeRozan is currently within the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
THAN: NBA COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols Explained
With six players sidelined, the Bulls added two players Alfonzo McKinnie and Stanley Johnson through the league’s tough exception.
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What is the NBA’s tough exception?
Here’s how to interpret the tricky exception in NBA Constitution and Laws:
In the event that the application of the provisions of these Rules with respect to the Player List and the replacement of a Player would, in any particular case, cause extreme hardship, the that paragraph, when the Member requests such difficulty, may be waived or modified, and special rules may be invoked for the Member requesting such difficulty; Provided, however, that such provisions may be waived or modified only by a affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Governors (the Governor on behalf of the Member declares the difficulty of abstaining from voting). ). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event a Member has three (3) Players on the Active List and/or the Inactive List unable to perform play services due to injury or illness, and That member has extra Players who can’t play. services due to injury or illness, it may be possible to substitute a Player for him after the following have occurred:
- (a) each of the three (3) injured or ill Players and the other injured or ill Player has missed at least three (3) consecutive games due to injury or illness; and
- (b) The Commissioner’s Office has determined, if necessary, through an independent physician, that at the time the Substitute Player is contracted, each of the three (3) Players injured or ill during the The Member’s Active and/or Inactive List, and the Player injured or further ill, will continue to be unable to perform play services due to injury or illness.
The Commissioner, in its sole discretion, may authorize a Member to replace injured or sick Players on that Member’s Active or Inactive List.
In simpler terms, a hardship exemption is a temporary squad position that allows teams to exceed the 15-man squad limit in times of need (many players have to miss out due to injury or illness). disability). Temporarily is the keyword. As explained by cap expert Danny Leroux, “Once one of four players is able to return to play, the 15-man squad limit will go into effect and the team must comply immediately.”
How NBA Teams Used Hard Exceptions
In the case of the Bulls, with Williams, White, Thomas, Jones, Green and DeRozan for a long time, they have been allowed to sign McKinnie and Johnson without having to cut or give up anyone on the roster. their.
The team announced that they have signed McKinnie and Johnson contracts for 10 days.
Earlier this month, The Athletic’s Shams Charania report that the Nuggets, who are also dealing with a limited roster, were set to sign Davon Reed through hardship exception. On December 14, the Nuggets announced that they had signed a 10-day contract with Reed.
