The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word SIGNING
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
I
G
N
I
N
G
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Giving autographs/player team has acquired" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case giving autographs/player team has acquired = signing.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SIGNING mean?
SIGNING verb- To make a mark
- To make the sign of the cross
- To indicate
- The act of concluding a contract, especially by an athlete or entertainer with a company.
- (by extension) A player signed by a sporting organization.
- An event (signing session) in a bookshop etc. where an author signs copies of his or her book.
- The use of sign language; skill at using a sign language.