Steve Nash and Marcin Gortat eyeing overseas opportunities if the Lockout Continues – NBA Update
Following Deron Williams deal with the Turkish side Besiktas, there has been a queue of NBA players willing to take their talents abroad. The latest in the list are Phoenix Suns’ Steve Nash and Marcin Gortat.
NBA is arguably the best and most exclusive league in the world, which is why the demand for NBA players, on the international stage, is high. The case of Josh Childress is a clear evidence of that. Childress was offered a 3 year
$20 million deal to play for Greek club Olympiacos Piraeus in 2008, against the $5 million that he would have made in the NBA every year. Over the years, the league has built a reputation, synonymous to the game itself.
However, NBA lockout has destroyed all that. The ‘money factor’ has forced the owners and the player on the opposite ends of the spectrum and no agreement is visible in near future. The current lockout in NBA is not offering any
assurances regarding next season’s status as well. This means that players are on the lookout for back up options.
Marcin Gortat has reportedly signed a deal with a Russian team Spartak Saint Petersburg and he will be joining forces with Suns draft pick Dijon Thompson. According to his contract, Gortat can return to NBA as soon as the lockout
ends.
Steve Nash has shown interest in playing in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and recently also signed a shoe deal with Chinese brand Lu You. Nash though, is also open to the European arena, which is relatively more competitive.
However, European leagues expect players to abide by their contracts, which closes all doors of a possible return to the NBA in case the lockout ends. This might play a crucial role in Steve Nash’s decision.
The Chinese league, on the other hand, is much more flexible and often takes up foreign players just for the playoffs. Moreover, the Chinese league does not kickoff until January 2011, meaning that Steve Nash has ample time to
gauge the current lockout situation. His loyalty is still attached to the Phoenix Suns and if a new collective bargaining agreement is reached with the National Basketball Association, Steve Nash is likely to stay with the Suns.
However, it must be noted that amidst all the potential risks associated with an International move, Steve Nash is one of the few players who might be able to handle the experience well. This is primarily because he has travelled
extensively throughout his life and has been a part of various cultures. He is a Canadian raised in South Africa by British Parents and now lives in America with three children from his ex-Paraguayan wife. He cites his children as the only possible predicament
he might face if he plans to play overseas.
Whatever the case may be for Nash and Gortat, one thing is becoming clear that the players want to play, whether it is NBA, European or Asian league and if the administrators and the player’s reps do not come to the table soon
enough, the status of NBA might be tarnished forever.
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