MoJeff released by Dallas

[UcMiami]

I believe it is similar to other pro sports - a waived player who is claimed travels with their contract still in place (just transferred to the claiming team), an unclaimed player signed as a free agent can be signed for whatever the league minimum is and the difference between that and the guaranteed money from the waiving team remains the responsibility of the team that waived the player.

Example:
Play X had a contract guarantee of $180,000 and is waived by Team Y. Unclaimed, she signs a contract for $100,000 with team Z. Team Y still pays $80,000 of the original contract, and Team Z pays $100,000 per the new contract.

 

[Dillon77]

Play X had a contract guarantee of $180,000 and is waived by Team Y. Unclaimed, she signs a contract for $100,000 with team Z. Team Y still pays $80,000 of the original contract, and Team Z pays $100,000 per the new contract.

Richard Cohen response on MoJeff:
"If they claim her off waivers, you assume all elements of the current contract (so 180k guaranteed). If she clears waivers, the contract no longer exists and she's an unrestricted free agent who can sign with whoever for whatever."
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Thanks to both of you for weighing in.
I probably read Cohen's response too quickly and/or didn't realize that MoJeff had cleared waivers.

Given the precariousness of most WNBA teams' salary cap situation, it makes sense for teams to let players clear waivers and then sign as a free agent.

 

[JoePgh]

Richard Cohen response on MoJeff:
"If they claim her off waivers, you assume all elements of the current contract (so 180k guaranteed). If she clears waivers, the contract no longer exists and she's an unrestricted free agent who can sign with whoever for whatever."
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Thanks to both of you for weighing in.
I probably read Cohen's response too quickly and/or didn't realize that MoJeff had cleared waivers.

Given the precariousness of most WNBA teams' salary cap situation, it makes sense for teams to let players clear waivers and then sign as a free agent.

So does this response mean that the Dallas Wings are still on the hook for her $180,000 of guaranteed salary, and that this counts against the Wings' salary cap?

It sounds as if Moriah will get this money over and above whatever the Lynx are paying her, so she should be financially comfortable even if she is being paid a minimum salary by the Lynx. Or is the guaranteed amount automatically reduced by whatever she gets from the Lynx?

I wonder if Crystal had any guaranteed money that she is still being paid, which would presumably count against the Lynx's cap.

 

[UcMiami]

A few players do not have off-set language in their contracts, but off-set language (guaranteed is off-set by any money in a new contract signed by another team) is pretty standard for sports contracts. I suspect most if not all WNBA contracts have the off-set language. NFL and MLB I know sometimes do not include that language.