League Rules

Welcome to the Association! In April of 2022, Bragan fell in love with the new PC basketball sim, and after deciding he wanted to run a dynasty league, he came to Mike to be his right hand. They were excited to launch a league that adapted the PC sim to the real NBA rules. In January of 2024, Mike filled Bragan’s role, with Egan helping fill Mike’s former role; and the league on a schedule aligned to the real world. Thank you for joining us along this journey!

Disclaimers:
- Stay active or let the Commish Team know you won’t be active. If you need to leave for a short period of time, we will take care of your team until you return (so long as you let us know).

- Keep things civil. Nobody likes drama and stress. Treat everyone with respect. If you have an issue with someone or something, let the Commish Team know. We will mediate the issue to the best of our ability. If the solution is not to your liking, you may leave. Nobody is forcing you to stay. We aren’t trying to be harsh, but this is for fun and we’d like to keep it that way.

- We actively encourage suggestions/questions. While we ask that you not be offended if we don’t take them, we will always explain why we aren’t or why things are the way they are to the best of our ability for your understanding.

- Light hearted trash talk and banter is welcome. Just don't be a dick, and be understanding if someone takes offense.

- Take care of your team. We don’t want to run your teams for you. That said, new owners will have a level of training wheels regarding trades and other decisions (more likely to have trades reviewed/conversational intervention to make sure owners know what they’re doing regarding the sim). As owners prove themselves this will happen less often. It should be noted that no one explicitly wants to be telling secrets to competing owners, and this intervention is done to make sure new owners aren’t taken advantage of; So, if someone is offering advice and you don’t want it, don’t be afraid to say so - and if someone tells you not to offer them advice, respect it.

- Tanking in this league is forbidden. Tanking penalties will be handled on a case by case basis, which will include loss of picks and/or removal from the league. There is not a strict definition in this league of tanking, but as long as you are able to articulate a reason you are making a decision, we will most likely be okay with it. We reserve the right to ask what your strategy is behind any decision at any time for the sanctity of the league’s rules regarding tanking.

- Everyone is here for different reasons, from different places, different ages and backgrounds, etc, but within the league every owner is equal, even us. The rules are written for the league to run on the principle of the Commish Team being the first of many. Running the league is a responsibility and honor, not a privilege or superiority.

Notes:
- Rules are subject to change over time; any changes will be put into a League Message and subject to conversational explanation on discord/ PC.

- We do not use the "free year" that PennantChase contracts have in this league.

- While it is possible to play, and compete, in this league only participating on PennantChase, we also have a very active discord where most conversations and events happen that makes the league what it is. We heavily encourage everyone in the league to be in the discord. You can message the Commish Team for a link.

- There was expansion (Seattle Supersonics and Kansas City Reign) and realignment (North/South conferences instead of East/West, with 8 new divisions) after the 2027 season to help with competitive balance.

- This league is the basketball sister league to the PC baseball League of Controversy (https://www.pennantchase.com/lgHome.aspx?lgid=691). We encourage as many people to be in both as possible, let us know and we can invite you to the other/put you on the waitlist)

Thank you all for your interest in the Association! We hope you have as much fun participating as we did setting it up!

Best of luck,

Current Head Commish - (Mike) Metsrock2011
Current Vice Commish - (Egan) Egankelly8

Special Thanks:
Founder of League - (Bragan) BraganKelly11
Coder of FA system in LoC that was adapted by Egan for this league - Ghost of Ritzcards

Past Head Commishes:
(Bragan) BraganKelly11; May 2022 - Dec 2023

Past Vice Commishes:
(Mike) Metsrock201; Vice May 2022 - Dec 2023
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LEAGUE SCHEDULE
Preseason
Roster Deadline
Regular Season
All Star Weekend/ Trade Deadline/ Waiver Deadline
Play-In Tournament
Playoffs
Start Offseason
Extension Period - HoF/Award Voting
Progressions Run (Peak at 27, Decline at 29)
Trading Turned Back On
Draft Lottery
Rookie Draft (Slow)
Rookie Draft (Live)
RFA Bidding
RFA Rebidding
Matching Period
Unrestricted Free Agency
Offseason Program Deadline
Free Agency Free For All (Open Add/Drop)
New Season Begins

League Calendars
~ In Game Day
* Real Life Day
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PRESEASON
10 games played
Injuries sustained during Preseason will not carry over
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REGULAR SEASON
82 games
*Everyday - 4 sims; 12PM/3PM/6PM/9PM EST (Subject to change with LM)
~Subject to Commish Teams’ real life schedules; 4 Days will be simmed as close to these times as possible everyday
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ALL STAR WEEKEND
A vote will be sent out at the beginning of the break
Every player is eligible to be voted on
There will be 14 players selected from each conference
The top 14 vote getters from each conference will play, with ties being broken through:
Unique team
If one player has a teammate with more votes, the player with the most on their team will be selected
Team with more wins
If both players have the most votes on their team, the player on the team with more wins will play
Player with more MPG
If both players have the most votes on their team, and their teams are tied, the player compiling more minutes per game will play
This also applies if teammates and have the same amount of votes
~There will be 5 Days off given
Also Trade Deadline
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TRADING
Picks can be traded up to 3 drafts ahead
- Trade Cap- No maximum
- 3+ team trades ARE allowed
- Protected picks ARE allowed
- Trades must include assets going both ways
Note: If a trade is made during the season that puts a team over the roster limit, they must cut (not waive, but outright cut) players to get down to 15 immediately when completing the trade
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TRADE COMMITTEE
Any trade that raises concerns by an owner should be reported directly to the Commish Team and nowhere else
- For this reason, trades involving the Commish Team may be reported publicly
Should three owners report a trade to the Commish Team, they will call upon a Trade Committee in discord
Those that will be called upon:
- The Commish Team (acting on behalf of owners involved in the trade)
- Every owner reporting the trade
- 8 current division leaders (If during the offseason, the previous season’s division winners will be called upon)
Any owner is allowed to decline to be on the Committee when called upon
ANYONE involved in the deal will not be called upon
The Committee is officially led by the Commish team, who hold votes should they choose to exercise them
The purpose of calling the Committee is to ensure fair trading practices, that new owners aren’t taken advantage of, and prevent egregiously lopsided trades
- Once called upon, every member has 24 hours to accept and cast their initial vote on the trade without discussion; then there will be an open floor for the committee for 1* Day; then there will be a final vote
- The votes will be binary Yes/No. Only the final vote is binding, the primary is to gauge opinion before discussion
Any trade deemed problematic by the Committee will first have an attempt made by the Commish Team to communicate with all parties involved in the deal and correct the Committee’s issues with the trade
The Committee’s goal is to engage as little as possible. It doesn’t exist to make every trade perfectly even, only to prevent gross miscarriages of justice from occurring - and should only be called upon in such situations
The Committee will be handled entirely privately. Once everything is settled and all involved parties are satisfied, the discord log will be made public
- For this reason, owners should understand that public chat comments/reactions on their trades in discord are NOT representative of anything related to the Committee or a review, but instead the personal opinion of whoever is sharing it; and they will be considered as such by the Commish Team.
ONLY FORMAL PRIVATE REPORTS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR COMMITTEE WORK
Committee work will not interfere with the schedule - instead any deal that has a committee called will be placed on hold while the league continues business as usual
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PROTECTED PICKS
Teams are allowed to protect 1st round picks in trades
After the Draft Lottery, if a protected pick falls within the protection, it is returned to its original team
Their 1st round pick the following year will be conveyed to complete the trade at this point instead
If a team protects a 1st round pick, they are NOT allowed to trade their 1st round pick the following year until the protected pick has conveyed
Picks can only be protected for one draft. If the pick gets protected the first year, it will automatically be unprotected when conveyed the next
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WAIVERS
Waiver System
- If a team claims a player on the waiver wire they can either work out a trade or claim the player outright and assume all remaining salary
This system is irrevocable on both fronts. Both the waiving team and the claiming team cannot revoke their action. - - If nobody claims the player, the player will be cut from your team through the normal rules of releasing a player
The waiver order will be reverse power rankings for the current season (or past season if in offseason)
- This order does not reset
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RELEASING PLAYERS
If you decide to release a player without placing him on waivers, they will be cut from the team while having to pay half of their salary (if odd, round up) until it expires
- This sum can be paid through differing amounts each year, so long as it is within the timeframe of their contract
A cut player may not be signed by that player's former team until the next offseason. (If in the offseason, this means one season away. If in season, this means the closest offseason.)
- This will prevent teams from cutting players, then immediately signing them as a free agent for 1/$1 to save money
In the event of a high end player being released during the season, the Commish Team may have a 1* Day auction in PennantChase public chat
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CAP SPACE
Salary cap is $160M
Cap space can NOT be traded for
If a team is over the cap by the start of the regular season, they will be forced to place their player with the biggest current year contract (not total contact) on waivers. If the waived player clears waivers, they will be cut from the team. This process will be repeated until the team at fault is back under the cap
- Teams CANNOT go over the cap during the regular season
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PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
In each conference at the end of the regular season; considered part of regular season
Game 1 - 8th place at 7th place - Winner is 7th seed
Game 2 - 10th place at 9th place - Winner Plays Loser of Game 1
Game 3 - Winner of Game 2 at Loser of Game 1 - Winner is 8th seed
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PLAYOFFS
16 team tournament (Best of 7 series); Conference Quarterfinals, Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, Finals
(2-2-1-1-1)
Division winners make up the top 4 seeds in each conference
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RETIREMENT
- Any player that goes a full season (from one FA cycle through the end of the following season) without being rostered, and hasn’t played a minute of NBA action in 3+ seasons, will hang up their shoes and retire
- Any player 30 or older that goes a full season without being rostered will hang up their shoes and retire
- Any player 36 or older that enters FA must be signed for at least $10 per year for at most 2 years
- Any player 36 or older who enters the regular season unrostered will retire
- Any player 40 or older who enters FA will retire
If a team sees a player planning to retire that they want to remain in the league, they can send a message to the league office asking the player to remain active for another year (which they will, except for players age 40+)
After retirements, but before contracts are advanced, the goal is to have roughly 100 FAs. With draft class and rostered players this puts the player pool at roughly 600 players
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ROOKIE EXTENSIONS/ RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
Following the rookie contract, teams will have the option of signing players to a rookie extension (3/$14M for 1st rounders, 3/$7M for 2nd rounders)
- If a team declines to pick up the option, the player becomes a restricted free agent (RFA). If signed by another team during the RFA signing period, the original team will have the option of matching the contract or letting the player walk
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RFA EXTENSIONS
If a player goes through the RFA period without receiving an offer, their previous team will have the option of signing them to a RFA extension (3/$7M for former 1st rounders, 3/$4M for former 2nd rounders) during the Matching Period
- If a team declines to pick up the option, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and free to sign with any team in UFA, with no option to match the top bidder
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ROOKIE MAX EXTENSIONS
Following the rookie extension, teams will have the option of signing players to a rookie max extension (3/$45M)
- If a team declines to pick up the option, the player becomes an UFA and free to sign with any team in the offseason, with no option to match the top bidder
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HOMEGROWN MAX EXTENSIONS
For players drafted by a team and never traded ONLY:
Following the rookie max extension, teams will have the option of signing players to a homegrown max extension
(3/$45M) (With full, non-negotiable No Trade Clause)
- If a team declines to pick up the option, the player becomes an UFA and free to sign with any team in the offseason, with no option to match the top bidder
Following a homegrown max extension, if the player is 36 or younger, teams will have the option of signing players to a second, or third homegrown max extension (3/$45M) (With full, non-negotiable No Trade Clause)
- Teams can not sign players to more than 3 homegrown max extensions (19 years of control, youngest draftees are 18, would make them 37)
- If a team declines to pick up the option, the player becomes an UFA and free to sign with any team in the offseason, with no option to match the top bidder
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FAREWELL EXTENSIONS
Following any homegrown max extension, teams will have the option of signing players to a farewell extension. At the end of a farewell extension, the player will retire, with an automatic place on the HOF ballot for three seasons, having had a 17+ year NBA career with one team
Farewell extension option: (4/$30M (-$5)) (With full, non-negotiable No Trade Clause)
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AWARDS
Voted on during the Extension Period. 5 Candidates will be chosen by the Commish Team for each award
Team Owners of winning players will have the option to add +1 games played to real statline (unless at 82)
MVP
DPOY
ROY
6MOY (Must have started less than 50% of games played in)
Most Improved Player
Executive of the Year (Boost to player of choice)
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HALL OF FAME
Voted on during the Extension Period
Every offseason during retirements the Commish Team will pull out any candidates from that retirement group for the Hall of Fame ballot
These players will join the ballot (along with anyone coming off a farewell extension) three seasons after retiring, in order for the effects of their greatest to be fully realized
- Only the commish team will know the upcoming ballot additions before the ballot is made public
The ballot will be sent to all owners every offseason
The Hall of Fame will be portrayed on the homepage with the players’ career per-game compiled statline, teams (or Team + Owner if farewell extended), award, all star, and playoff history
Only compiled stats, awards, all star and playoff history in this league is to be considered in determining HoF votes

Votes should be determined by one thing - whether or not you believe a player demonstrated extraordinary success and skill in their career IN THIS LEAGUE, however you choose to define it

Options on the vote will be “Yes; Maybe, but not convinced; No, and never will be a Yes”

Once on the ballot -
If a player achieves 85% Yes votes in one ballot, they will enter the Hall of Fame
If a player achieves both 75% Yes AND 18 nominal Yes votes in one ballot, they will enter the Hall of Fame
If a player achieves at least 50% Yes votes in one ballot, they will earn a place on the ballot for three more seasons
If a player achieves at least 50% Yes or Maybe votes in one ballot, they will earn a place on the ballot for one more season
If a player achieves at least 50% No votes in one ballot, they will be removed from the ballot UNLESS they have a three year grace period

Owners who have a player enter the HoF off of a farewell extension (and was the one to draft them) will have it displayed both on their profile and the homepage
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DRAFT LOTTERY
The top 16 picks will be generated via NBA lottery rules
Picks 1-4 will be decided by lottery generator
Picks 5-16 being the inverse of the remaining teams' records
If traded picks are involved, W-L record of the original team will determine order
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ROOKIE DRAFT
The rookie draft will consist of 2 rounds
Slow draft will run for 3* Days before a live draft is set
Roughly 75 players will be created per draft class
- Any team in the top 5 that is auto-drafted will be subject to removal from league
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ROOKIE CONTRACTS
Rookie contract scale will be based on draft position
If a team does not wish to sign their player to the rookie contract, teams will have until the end of the RFA bidding period to notify the Commish team and the player will be placed in the FA pool for UFA
Contract scale is as follows:
Top 8 pick- 4/$8M/+$1M raise per year ($38M total)
Picks 9-16- 4/$5M/+$1M raise per year ($26M total)
Picks 17-32- 4/$3M/+1M raise per year ($18M total)
2nd Round Picks- 4/$2M, No raise ($8M total)
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RFA/UFA CONTRACT GUIDELINES
No expiring ‘free’ year
Maximum of 4 years
Maximum raise of $5M/-$5M
Note: There is no limit to how much a player can be offered, max extensions (3/$45) should not be confused with max salary a player can receive in RFA or UFA
NOTE: Any player signed in Free Agency can not be traded until Day 1 of the regular season has been simmed
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RESTRICTED FREE AGENCY
Restricted Free Agency will be a blind auction
2* Days - Period for teams to submit initial bids for RFAs
1* Day - Rebid period for the top three bidding teams from the first phase
1* Day - Matching Period
- Original teams must notify the Commish team if they wish to match. If the Commish Team is not notified, the player will automatically be signed to the top bidding team
- If the team chooses to match, they may change the years/average annual value (AAV) so long as the total contract value (TCV) is the same and it is within the above contract guidelines
Teams of players who did not receive an offer will have the option of retaining them on a RFA extension (3/$7M for former 1st rounders, 3/$4M for former 2nd rounders) during this period
- If the Commish Team is not notified in that 24 hour span, the player will automatically go to UFA
Teams are allowed to bid on their own RFAs
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UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENCY
Following the RFA signing period, UFA will be a rolling auction
Bids will be automatically updated via google forms and sheets
If no one exceeds the top bid for 48 hours, that player will sign with the top bidding team
Bids will be considered by total contract value (TCV) as opposed to average annual value (AAV)
Entering the 14th* Day, the sheet will be closed to the public. All players not won can still be bid on for 24 hours
The last *Day of UFA will be blind, with the remaining current high bids of all UFAs on the homepage
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OFFSEASON WORKOUT PROGRAM
Each offseason owners will be allowed to select 1 player to receive a stamina (3 MPG) boost
Players must be 26 or younger
Players cannot exceed 30 MPG following the boost (Players with 27.1+ MPG will have their boost capped at 30 MPG)
Flat (F) progression players are not eligible for this program
Players’ per 36-numbers will remain the same
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FREE AGENCY OPEN ADDS/DROPS
From after the offseason program deadline until the beginning of the playoffs, free agents can be signed to veteran minimum 1/$1M contracts using the Free Agents tab in the PC navigation bar
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ROSTER DEADLINE
Teams may go over roster limit during the offseason as long as they are back at or under 15 players by the roster deadline
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CUT PLAYER BIDDING
Following the roster deadline, there will be a 24 hour bidding period on all players that have been cut since the beginning of UFA. It will be a blind process, similar to RFA, but with no rebidding or matching, simple high bid wins. Any ties will be broken in private messages. Any player not bid on will join the free agency free for all. Only teams with under 15 contracted players at the beginning of bidding will be eligible to bid

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NEW OWNERS
New owners will be allowed to eliminate one contract of their choosing. This player must be on the roster when the new owner takes over. This request is only available until their first offseason in the league. Cut players will go into the free agent pool
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League Settings