ESPN reports
Veteran guard Jason Williams’ request to be immediately reinstated to the NBA after his voluntary retirement before the season has been denied, ESPN.com has learned.
League bylaws state that players wishing to return from the voluntary retirement list need unanimous approval from all 30 teams to avoid a one-year mandatory waiting period. According to ballot results obtained Friday, Williams’ request was denied by a vote of 24-6.
Jason Williams’ agent Dan Tobin remarks
But Williams’ agent, Dan Tobin, told ESPN.com that the 10-year veteran plans to return to the league next season after sitting out the required 365 days.
“We anticipated this decision,” Tobin said. “So did Jason. But we look forward to seeing Jason back in the NBA in the 2009-10 season.
“One of the reasons we applied for reinstatement now was that we’d like to try to accelerate the process of him coming back. That will now be discussed between the league and the players’ association.”
ESPN were able to name those six teams which vetoed Williams’ return
The six teams that voted against letting Williams return this season, as revealed to all 30 teams via league memo, were Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Minnesota, San Antonio and the Clippers themselves, who would have regained exclusive rights to the 33-year-old had he been reinstated.
Good. I’m happy with this decision. Jason Williams doesn’t deserve to be in the NBA after how he misled the Clippers. He deserves a lengthily suspension, whether it’s called a suspension or not, for his actions.
Anyway, Jason Williams isn’t an NBA caliber player anymore. He’s finished and of no use to anyone. So he’s no loss to league.
The fact that he’s been kept of the shelf has stopped teams from making a stupid decision, which is always good. And make no mistake about it, some team would have signed Williams, so it’s very good that this has been stopped. Hopefully nobody will sign him next season but that’s far away and hard to read.
Posted on February 28, 2009 by Dave