NBA players all set to sizzle the Chinese Basketball League: NBA Update
The Chinese Basketball League is ready to tip off from this Sunday.
As per the new rule introduced by CBA, only out of contract players or free agents, from NBA and foreign countries can sign with Chinese teams and their contracts shouldn't include the out-clause.
This all had begun after the NBA had imposed the lockout on its players, who in turn started looking for the jobs overseas. The potential markets for these players were Europe and China. However in the Chinese league, the NBA players would not only have got more playing minutes but also a more lucrative contract. Therefore, for many NBA stars, especially the big ones, China started to emerge as the natural destination.
The Chinese took a stand though.
CBA were no doubt interested in luring the hot shots from NBA, but not at the cost of their own system. An outflow of heavily contract players in middle of the Chinese basketball season could have spoiled the remaining season. Therefore in order to save the Chinese basketball from being the backyard of the NBA, CBA introduced a list of the NBA free agents, who could be hired.
However, despite of not getting an out clause, numerous NBA players signed with various Chinese teams. This includes Denver Nuggets small forward Wilson Chandler and shooting guard J.R. Smith. In addition to that power forward Kenyon Martin also signed a pact to play in China.
Beside these American players, China’s own Yi Jianlian, who had also played for the Washington Wizards is also going to feature in the league.
Yi, who will play for the champions of the previous season, the Guangdong Tigers, said;
“The foreign players coming to the CBA are getting better and better, competition in the league and the level of play is getting higher and higher.”
The CBA has been having financial difficulties itself, so the NBA lockout is providing the CBA with a marketing opportunity. To build up on that many Chinese franchises are still in the process of hiring NBA player, J.J Barea and Jamal Crawford being the most prominent.
The pace of this process is expected to pick up after the NBPA decided to decertify and take the matter to court, and we may see many other NBA stars willing to play a whole season in China.
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