<P> Each league usually has its own rules regarding these clauses; for example in the NBA, no - trade clauses can only be negotiated into contracts when a player has at least four years of service for the team he is signing the contract with and at least eight years total in the NBA . Other leagues have other varying rules, for example in MLB the "Ten and Five" rule gives mostly every player limited control on his tradability once he meets the ten and five criteria, which means the player has played in the league ten seasons and with the current team for at least five . In the NHL, these rights have been blamed for the lack of trades that have been pulled off in recent years, with critics citing examples where "done deals" were blown up by "selfish players ." </P> <P> Often the no - trade clause is waived by the players themselves, usually in order to play for a contending team . </P> <P> In one dramatic case in 2001, Tampa Bay Devil Rays first baseman Fred McGriff mulled over waiving his rights for nearly a month before ultimately accepting a deal which sent him to the Chicago Cubs . </P> <P> In 2007, Kobe Bryant was willing to waive his own rights with the Los Angeles Lakers in order to be dealt to either the Phoenix Suns or the Chicago Bulls, but in this case Bryant's own pickiness as far as where he would like to play limited the Lakers' ability to move him and eventually no trade was made at all . </P>

When can trades be made in the nba