Getting your player ready...
NEW YORK — Chauncey Billups, Jeremy Lin and two other players will maintain valuable rights in free agency after an arbitrator’s ruling. The National Basketball Players Association said Friday that arbitrator Kenneth Dam affirmed its position that players claimed off waivers can use their “Bird” and “Early Bird” rights. The union argued Billups, Lin, Steve Novak and J.J. Hickson should be covered by the exceptions that allow clubs to exceed their salary caps to re-sign their own players. The NBA said it would appeal the ruling. The four players were waived this season and claimed by other teams. They will become free agents July 1. The Associated Press
