quentinNBA Players Eying Europe
July 8th 2011 13:54
Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets has his eyes on Turkey if the NBA does not settle the lockout. Williams has a new agent, Jeff Schwartz, on Thursday. Ric Buchner confirmed a report from the Turkey-based sports outlet, NTV Spor. Williams has struck an agreement in principal to play for Besiktas, which is the same team that has Allen Iverson on the roster. Williams' deal is for one year, five million dollars. That what sources told Chris Broussard of ESPN The Magazine. The Besiktas coach, Ergin Ataman, told the New York Times that the team also has an agreement with Zaza Pachulia of the Atlanta Hawks. Ataman said he was not done chasing after NBA players. He also said, “If there's a possibility, we'll talk with Kobe Bryant if he'd like to play in Europe with Deron and with other guys to play we can talk with him.” Roger Mason Jr., a vice president with the players' union, told Knicks stars, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, about the rules and insurance information regarding playing overseas. He added that he had spoken with a lot of players like Chris Paul, Amare, Melo, etc. He said those guys are open-minded to everything.
Ataman told the New York Times that Williams' deal would become official in the next 24 hours, and that the club's president, Seref Yalcin, would join Deron for a news conference in the United States next week. Sources say Williams would not be required to report to Turkey club before the end of August or early September. The deal with them would include an opt-out that allows him to return to the NBA as soon as the work stoppage ends. Deron Williams has two years left on his contract with the New Jersey Nets, but is widely expected to opt-out the final season. He is valued at $18 million dollars, and will become a free agent in the summer of 2012. Players like Williams, who have plans playing overseas will need a letter of clearance from FIBA, the sport's world governing body. The NBA Players Association said it intends to legally block any players from playing overseas. The biggest risk for Williams is injury-related, especially after he had a wrist injury throughout the second half of last season when the Nets acquired him from Utah on February 24. The guaranteed NBA money Williams is owed by the Nets, would not be protected in the event overseas. This means either Williams or Besiktas will have to make insurance arrangements that protect him against long-term injury. Zaza Pachuila, who the Besiktas are close in acquiring, has a Turkish passport that enables Besiktas to sign him, even though he represents Georgia internationally. Iverson has signed a two-year deal for four million dollars contract with Besiktas last season, but it was terminated after he suffered a calf injury.
Ataman told the New York Times that Williams' deal would become official in the next 24 hours, and that the club's president, Seref Yalcin, would join Deron for a news conference in the United States next week. Sources say Williams would not be required to report to Turkey club before the end of August or early September. The deal with them would include an opt-out that allows him to return to the NBA as soon as the work stoppage ends. Deron Williams has two years left on his contract with the New Jersey Nets, but is widely expected to opt-out the final season. He is valued at $18 million dollars, and will become a free agent in the summer of 2012. Players like Williams, who have plans playing overseas will need a letter of clearance from FIBA, the sport's world governing body. The NBA Players Association said it intends to legally block any players from playing overseas. The biggest risk for Williams is injury-related, especially after he had a wrist injury throughout the second half of last season when the Nets acquired him from Utah on February 24. The guaranteed NBA money Williams is owed by the Nets, would not be protected in the event overseas. This means either Williams or Besiktas will have to make insurance arrangements that protect him against long-term injury. Zaza Pachuila, who the Besiktas are close in acquiring, has a Turkish passport that enables Besiktas to sign him, even though he represents Georgia internationally. Iverson has signed a two-year deal for four million dollars contract with Besiktas last season, but it was terminated after he suffered a calf injury.
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