Need Opinions -- Rules Interpretation

[Home Bake]

Need some help here to see if my thoughts are on the mark or am I just being difficult? In a salary cap league that allows the resigning of players once their contracts expire, normally with a 20% premium. There is a escalator clause which states that in the last 2 years of their contract, if they are in the top X of their position in scoring for either of the 2 years, then they must be paid at the average of the top X% of those position players. My issue is with this escalator clause.

I picked up Kareem Hunt off of waivers in September after he had been waived by his prior owner. As he was a free agent, my position is that his contract was reset with the market once I picked him up off of waivers (waivers can only be a 1-year contract). He did hit the escalation levels in 2018 while under contract with another team but not in 2019 while I owned him. I want to resign him without the escalator, which would be ~3% of my total budget but the commish is stating that the contract piece doesnt matter despite it being in the rules and I must pay him 7% to resign. My position is that I only had him on a 1 year deal, his market was reset in September when I picked him up and thus what he did before I owned him is moot.

Am I on the right path here? Please let me know your thoughts.

[OhCruelestRanter]

Need some help here to see if my thoughts are on the mark or am I just being difficult? In a salary cap league that allows the resigning of players once their contracts expire, normally with a 20% premium. There is a escalator clause which states that in the last 2 years of their contract, if they are in the top X of their position in scoring for either of the 2 years, then they must be paid at the average of the top X% of those position players. My issue is with this escalator clause.

I picked up Kareem Hunt off of waivers in September after he had been waived by his prior owner. As he was a free agent, my position is that his contract was reset with the market once I picked him up off of waivers (waivers can only be a 1-year contract). He did hit the escalation levels in 2018 while under contract with another team but not in 2019 while I owned him. I want to resign him without the escalator, which would be ~3% of my total budget but the commish is stating that the contract piece doesnt matter despite it being in the rules and I must pay him 7% to resign. My position is that I only had him on a 1 year deal, his market was reset in September when I picked him up and thus what he did before I owned him is moot.

Am I on the right path here? Please let me know your thoughts.

If your wording is exact, then Kareem Hunt's contract has only existed for 1 season- 2019, and he shouldn't be subject to the escalator. I commish two salary cap leagues, and in every case when a player is released their contract status is completely reset.

The key is that the bylaws need to say "last two years of the/their contract." If it just says "In the last two years" and doesn't mention the contract, then your commish is right and he's subject to the escalator.

Can you screenshot the bylaws and post them?

[Orenthal Shames]

Wrong forum, but what do the league rules actually say? If they specifically state a contract escalator resets with free agents, then you're golden. If not, the escalator would seem to still apply to the 2 year window.

[Cult of Dionysus]

Right forum.

[OhCruelestRanter]

Right forum.

Agreed. I think this is a better fit than Team Advice or Commish Corner.

Wrong forum, but what do the league rules actually say? If they specifically state a contract escalator resets with free agents, then you're golden. If not, the escalator would seem to still apply to the 2 year window.

I maintain that if the rules specify "in the last two years of a contract" then it clearly implies that the rule only applies to the contract the player is presently on.

[Home Bake]

Exact wording is below. There is no language re free agents and all free agent pickups are only for the same league year.

1. If a player performs w/I a designated ‘performance metric’ relative to other players at his position w/i one of the last 2 league years of his contract, he will be required to receive a contract cost increase w/ his current owner when his current contract expires if he is to be re-signed as one of the owners 3 exclusive UFA re-sign options.

[OhCruelestRanter]

Exact wording is below. There is no language re free agents and all free agent pickups are only for the same league year.

1. If a player performs w/I a designated ‘performance metric’ relative to other players at his position w/i one of the last 2 league years of his contract, he will be required to receive a contract cost increase w/ his current owner when his current contract expires if he is to be re-signed as one of the owners 3 exclusive UFA re-sign options.

So then Kareem Hunt's contract started in 2019. At no point within that contract was he above your mentioned performance metric. I'd fight this.

[Orenthal Shames]

Exact wording is below. There is no language re free agents and all free agent pickups are only for the same league year.

1. If a player performs w/I a designated ‘performance metric’ relative to other players at his position w/i one of the last 2 league years of his contract, he will be required to receive a contract cost increase w/ his current owner when his current contract expires if he is to be re-signed as one of the owners 3 exclusive UFA re-sign options.

So then Kareem Hunt's contract started in 2019. At no point within that contract was he above your mentioned performance metric. I'd fight this.

Agreed. Not really sure what grounds the commish has to stand on in opposition. He no longer had a contract when he hit waivers.

[Home Bake]

Well, first he told me that his contract status in the league is irrelevant. I went back and pointed out that there is specific language referencing the contract in the bylaws and was then told that it should be worded differently and will be changed in the future, however, I still had to cover the escalation cost if I wanted to keep him, or I could let him become a free agent and let the market to reset his value, which I thought already happened when he was a free agent last year. Dunno if there are any options left here, but will gladly listen to ideas.

[Cult of Dionysus]

Everyone's wrong. While the rule isn't worded perfectly, it does say that if the player performs well enough "within one of the last two years of his contract" then the escalator applies in the year after which said contract expires.

Clear as day that a free agent who performed well is subject to the escalator in case his owners want to tag him.

[Orenthal Shames]

I'm guess I'm confused on this whole rule. How is free agent value reset?

[Ice]

Everyone's wrong. While the rule isn't worded perfectly, it does say that if the player performs well enough "within one of the last two years of his contract" then the escalator applies in the year after which said contract expires.

Clear as day that a free agent who performed well is subject to the escalator in case his owners want to tag him.

This

[Home Bake]

Point is that he was only under contract on his current fantasy team for 1 year. Thus, should performance prior to the contract which is being considered to be extended be considered for the cost of the extension. In other words, as he was picked up as a free agent in September, signed to a 1-year contract, and looking to extend into the future, should that extension price be based on performance delivered prior to the signing as a free agent?

Hope this made it more clear.

[Cult of Dionysus]

The contract was only for 2019; so no, 2018 has no bearing and should be disregarded.

[OhCruelestRanter]

Everyone's wrong. While the rule isn't worded perfectly, it does say that if the player performs well enough "within one of the last two years of his contract" then the escalator applies in the year after which said contract expires.

Clear as day that a free agent who performed well is subject to the escalator in case his owners want to tag him.

The contract was only for 2019; so no, 2018 has no bearing and should be disregarded.