International franchises zooming in on the NBA players – NBA Update
The chances for NBA, not having a 2011-2012 season, increased greatly earlier this week when the players association finally moved on decertification and took the labour dispute to the court of law.
The situation has left the NBA players in a precarious position, with no pay cheques and physical tuning facilities at disposal. However, they do have an option and that is cross the Atlantic and head to European and Chinese franchise.
The deadlock has also provided these franchises a chance to hand pick some of the very best players in the business and as such, a mass player exodus in on the cards.
This is will follow a number of NBA players who are already gracing the foreign league. Chief among them include Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko, Rudy Fernandez, Danilo Gallinari and Nicolas Batum.
Miami Heat’s shooting guard Dwyane Wade was one of those players who were waiting to hear a final word before deciding to play somewhere else. With the NBA season really in doldrums now, the 29-year-old star has authorized his
agent to make a move.
"I told my agent to just take a peek. It's time. There's a possibility that we're not going to have a season. We've got to see what's out there, what the possibilities are. I want to play competitive basketball this year. I've
missed a year of basketball in my life before. I'm not trying to miss another. I don't have too many years of basketball left."
Same is the case with Oklahoma City Thunders’ two-time reigning scoring champion Kevin Durant.
Kevin has also indicated that he is very close to jumping the fence and shift his talent to a place where he will be able to pay competitive basketball.
"I'm right on the fence with playing overseas and I'm about to jump over," Kevin Durant said.
According to the reports, Durant is weighing a couple of offers at the moment and he may come up with news of signing up with a German team soon
The European teams are not the only ones looking to rope in NBA stars. Rumour has it that the Chinese teams, which as per their league law cannot sign foreign players wanting an escape clause, have also started pursuing NBAers.
According to the latest reports, Dallas Mavericks reserve point guard Jose Juan Barea and Atlanta Hawks forward Jamal Crawford are the players, which are being targeted.
The league and the association has still about 40 days to get back on the table and sort out the issue, however, if they fail to do so, we may see a large number of NBA players heading overseas to practice their trade.
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