Utah Jazz centre Memo Okur not going to Fenerbahce Ulker – NBA Update
Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker’s General Manager Aydin Ors shot down the swirling rumours this weekend, when he clearly said that they are not hiring Utah Jazz centre Memo Okur. Ors said that the club is not looking to sign a pact
with any new player at the moment.
A few days back reports came in that the veteran centre of the Jazz, Okur was negotiating a one year deal with his native team. The negotiations also involved out clause, so the 32 year old can return to the United States whenever
the lockout gets settle down.
Okur is a Turkish national and the rumour grabbed the heat because the Fenerbahce Ulker club also based in Istanbul. However, nothing has yet said by Okur or from his agent in this regard.
In the preceding season Okur played just 13 games from the Jazz because of fitness issues. Memo ruptured his Achilles' tendon against the Denver Nuggets back in April 2010 it was the first game of the Jazz in playoffs.
The serious injury forced him to stay on the sidelines and he failed to participate further in the remaining games of the playoffs. Moreover, he also missed the World Basketball Championships because of the injury that took place
Turkey later year.
Okur has been with the Jazz since 2004 and has cemented his place in their roster with his dazzling performances. Okur earned the fame in 2005-06 season, when he lifted up his stats amazingly from 12.9 points per game to 18.0 points
along with 9.1 rebounds in each game. With these numbers he led the Jazz in scoring and rebound that earned him a constant place in the squad.
Okur set the franchise record in hitting most three-pointers in one month (made 21 three-pointers out of his 31 attempts). His career-high 43 points in January 2009 against the Indiana Pacers earned him a two year contract extension
with the Jazz worth $21 million.
Okur, who maintains a career average of 13.7 points and 7.1 in rebounds per game and was a part of the Detroit Pistons championship run during 2004, might also be weighing his options during this uncertainty, like other players.
As, the first meeting after the lockout didn’t go well at all and the league is suing players in the court of law. This all is now pointing in one direction only, wreckage of the next National Basketball Association season that
is scheduled to start from November.
According to few NBA analysts, the best option now for the players to counter the tactics of the league is to find jobs across the sea. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if in the coming few weeks more news regarding players signing
contracts overseas will surface.
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