Nate Robinson’s Contract Guaranteed For Season

Tuesday was just another day for most NBA players, but for Nate Robinson, remaining on the Bulls' roster through the day ensured that he'll receive a full-season salary. The guarantee date on Robinson's contract, January 1st, came about a week earlier than the league-wide guarantee date, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes.

Had the Bulls elected to waive Robinson before his contract became guaranteed, they would have paid him a prorated minimum-salary for his service so far, saving a few hundred thousand dollars. Instead, the veteran point guard will earn a salary of $1,146,337 for 2012/13, regardless of whether he remains on the team's roster until season's end. His minimum salary counts for $854,389 against Chicago's cap.

Robinson has been productive for the Bulls in his first 29 games, averaging 11.0 PPG and recording a 16.6 PER. However, there was still some uncertainty about whether he'd be retained for the season, given Chicago's cap situation. With less than $1MM of wiggle room before they reach their hard cap, the Bulls could have gained a little more flexibility by releasing Robinson.

As is, the Bulls still have the ability to add a player on a rest-of-season contract, or hand out multiple 10-day deals. However, the club won't be able to add any significant salary via trade.

View Comments (0)