Childress weighing offer from Greek team

In a potentially stunning move that reflects the growing challenge Europe’s basketball leagues pose to the NBA, Atlanta Hawks free-agent forward Josh Childress is strongly considering a three-year, $20 million offer from Greek powerhouse Olympiakos, several league sources said Sunday night.

...Childress, 25, is so flustered with the Hawks’ refusal to make a sign-and-trade deal to another team, one source familiar with his thinking believes there’s “better than a 50-50 chance” he’ll sign with Olympiakos. The team also will cover the Greek taxes for Childress, making it even more lucrative.

Childress is a restricted free agent, but the Hawks would have no matching rights with a FIBA contract. Olympiakos’ offer also would allow Childress the opportunity to return to the NBA over the next two summers. The Hawks would maintain his restricted free-agent rights provided they make him a qualifying offer.

... The U.S. dollar’s declining value compared to the Euro, coupled with the influx of money from Russian owners into the Euroleague, has now made Europe a much more attractive option for players.

Already this summer, the San Antonio Spurs’ 2007 first-round draft pick, Tiago Splitter, rejected an offer to join the NBA franchise because he can make more money by remaining in Spain. Toronto Raptors free agent Carlos Delfino signed a three-year, $13.5 million deal with Khimiki of Moscow. Juan Carlos Navarro of the Grizzlies returned to Spain for a reported five-year contract with FC Barcelona that could pay more than $20 million.

Even so, Childress, who averaged 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season, would send far greater waves through the NBA should he leave for the Euroleague. He would be the kind of coveted, young American talent who hadn’t previously left the NBA for Europe....

This is the problem of American Sports Socialism. The owners have been punishing the players with the Draft, Salary Cap, and restricted contracts. The only thing the owners had to worry about was their own stupidity.

The Euroleague is a real challenge for American Basketball (NBA & NCAA), if they are able to poach 7-10 million dollar players and High School Lottery picks now, we're not too far away from the day a Russian team is going to poach a prime time superstar.

The NBA is a prima donna celebrity league now, and ceased to be about true basketball years ago. I’d love to see it challenged by legitimate basketball where the game is played by teams, where defense matters, and the game below the rim is more important than the flashy dunk.

2 posted on 07/21/2008 10:03:48 AM PDT by AbeKrieger (There is a special place in Hell for Lyndon Johnson.)

Um, the Celtics won with defense this year. The Spurs won it all with team play and defense this year. The Pistons have been winning with Defense for the last several years and team play.

Interesting story. I never thought I’d see the day when a European pro sports team could potentially sign away American talent in a sport that has historically been dominated by Americans.

4 posted on 07/21/2008 10:15:26 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)

If I was a 20-something Pro Baller I’d take up the opportunity to travel abroad and take advantage of the strong Euro.

The NBA is a spent force for this generation of players, they’ll do best leaving when possible.

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