Free agents chasing after Euros, not Dollars

[Lucky17]

Interesting report that Josh Childress is "seriously considering" signing with Greek team Olympiakos for the equivalent of 3 yrs, $20 mil.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53686/20080721/childress_seriously_considering_offer_from_olympiakos/

I think it may merely be posturing on his part, trying to spur the Hawks, or perhaps another team, to make an offer.

Looks like Bostjan Nachbar (or "Pokey Nutbar," as I'm fond of calling him) is also going overseas to play for Russia squad Moscow Dynamo, to the tune of 3 yrs, $14.3 mil.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3497994

Looks like the weak dollar is helping make European basketball more attractive. A quote from Nachbar:

"The NBA had better be careful," Nachbar said. "European teams are offering a lot of money. It's much more, considering there are no taxes, than what I could make signing for the mid-level exception."

[wdleehi]

Unless the NBA cuts the top salaries, I don't see these players getting more money here. 

[kozlodoev]

Unless the NBA cuts the top salaries, I don't see these players getting more money here. 

Even so, it will take time until the contracts that are currently locked in, expire.

Plus, there are other implications -- this will likely decrease the MLE, since it is tied to the average  salary, and I don't envision many teams being under the cap. So this plan can backfire and make less money available to sign players.

[Who]

Maybe this is the biggest reason why the NBA needs to expand into Europe

[ConnerHenry]

Why the heck not go overseas? You get your money tax free, with living expenses paid on top of your salary.

If you truly are "all about the money", why not go overseas?

[cordobes]

There's no need to overreact, IMO. Basketball is still a 2nd (or 3rd) tier sport in Europe, like Handball, F1 or tennis - and arguably way bellow these. I don't believe an extension to Europe is coming anytime soon. There's not enough public. For example, take note that the clubs making these signings are not profitable - they have millionaire owners who just give them the money. Anyway, this matter - extension to Europe - probably deserves its own thread.

We're talking about 3/4 bellow MLE level players that will leave the NBA this off-season. Not a very big impact in the great scheme of things. Maybe 2 or 3 more players will go next season, but who knows? On the other hand, others will probably come back - guys like Bobby Brown and Haislip are looking for a contract. There's nothing really new. Good American players always played in Europe. NBA teams never cared about them, with a few exceptions - Mario Elie, for example. But, in the end, we're not seeing a sizeable move of talent. Peanuts.

I'd be more concerned with the rookie scale. It gives the early second round value more value than they should have. This year, Minny already landed a player that would probably be picked in the lottery if it wasn't the rookie scale. This should be addressed, I think.

[zerophase]

well... the exchange rate during our economic recession between the euro and the dollar is 1.58 to 1. makes more financial sense if you don't care where you're playing basketball.

[Cooldude5t5]

i think the title should be "bad free agents chasing after euros, not dollars". If a player has a shot to be a rotation player no way they go to Europe. I think it is only beneficial for end of the bench type players because they can clearly be paid more. If a team in Russia or Spain offered LeBron 100 mil over 3 years does anyone think he would actually go? Also Childress isnt going anywhere he is too good of a player. 

[Fan from VT]

Childress is a good player, i'll be surprised if he doesn't get full MLE for 5 years offer from someone. If he gets that much offered, i bet he stays stateside.

[MetroGlobe]

There's no need to overreact, IMO. Basketball is still a 2nd (or 3rd) tier sport in Europe, like Handball, F1 or tennis - and arguably way bellow these. I don't believe an extension to Europe is coming anytime soon. There's not enough public.

How'd you come to this conclusion?  By all indications, basketball is the 2nd most popular sport behind soccer in Europe.  If you contend this isn't true, can you name what sports are more popular?  Cricket?  Rugby?

[cordobes]

There's no need to overreact, IMO. Basketball is still a 2nd (or 3rd) tier sport in Europe, like Handball, F1 or tennis - and arguably way bellow these. I don't believe an extension to Europe is coming anytime soon. There's not enough public.

How'd you come to this conclusion?  By all indications, basketball is the 2nd most popular sport behind soccer in Europe.  If you contend this isn't true, can you name what sports are more popular?  Cricket?  Rugby?

Cricket? hehe. Outside the UK, cricket is as popular as baseball. Those I mentioned previously. Basketball is the 2nd most popular sport in a few countries: Greece, Turkey, Israel, Spain, the Baltic states (especially Lithuania, the only country where it may be as popular as soccer, or at least it's close), some Balcan countries, maybe Russia. But that's all. It's not popular in the UK, not even close to, for example, rugby, it's not popular in Germany (even with the Dirk effect, most German players in the professional German League are not pros, they need to have another job), not as much as handball. It's not as popular as rugby in France. Or as cycling in Belgium and in the Netherlands. It's not nearly as popular as wintersports or athletics in Scandinavia. In Portugal, it's not as popular as roller hockey. Maybe the pro league it's more popular than handball's one. But there are more people practicing competitive handball than basketball. And the transmission of a F1 Grand Prix has like 10 times more audience than the Finals of the basketball league, I think. And, like in many European countries, there are the individual sports. It's way easier to find a Portuguese who knows the name of the best female tennis player (who's not even in the WTA top-100) or the name of some guy who's a good triple-jump athlete than the name of the best basketball player, I can assure you. Even in Spain, Gasol's or Calderon's popularity is not comparable to those of guys like Nadal, Alonso or Contador. 

And then, soccer is absolutely hegemonic. NFL is more popular than the NBA in the US, but it's somehow close. Same to baseball or hockey. Not in Europe. Even in Spain, with the biggest domestic league, and the best average attendances by far, there are more people in soccer stadiums during a single weekend than attending ACB basketball games during the all year. That's why I think this issue is creating an unnecessary overreaction.

[jdub1660]

Maybe this is the biggest reason why the NBA needs to expand into Europe

I know it's their job to entertain us, ...and live their dream of playing bball and getting paid, but still...that would be either too hard on us or too hard on them. b/c the games over there would either be too late for us to watch, or the player would have to play at the break of dawn there for us too see them here in the evenings. The scheduling for this type of league would be too crazy, even though it sounds like an awesome idea player wise.