Didn't see this posted. If it was, lock it up please. LINK LAS VEGAS – In a potentially stunning move that reflects the growing challenge Europe’s basketball leagues pose to the NBA, Atlanta Hawks free-agent forward Josh Childress is strongly considering a three-year, $20 million offer from Greek powerhouse Olympiakos, several league sources said Sunday night. Childress flew to Greece late Sunday and is scheduled to meet with Olympiakos officials on Monday. Childress, 25, is so flustered with the Hawks’ refusal to make a sign-and-trade deal to another team, one source familiar with his thinking believes there’s “better than a 50-50 chance” he’ll sign with Olympiakos. “Unless he just gets there and doesn’t like it at all, I think he’s going to go,” one league source said. Childress is a restricted free agent, but the Hawks would have no matching rights with a FIBA contract. Olympiakos’ offer also would allow Childress the opportunity to return to the NBA over the next two summers. The Hawks would maintain his restricted free-agent rights provided they make him a qualifying offer. Childress’ talks with the Hawks have yet to gain traction because Atlanta officials have made it clear their first priority is to resolve negotiations with forward Josh Smith, their other restricted free agent. Privately, Childress has expressed little enthusiasm in returning to play for the organization, sources said. The Memphis Grizzlies are the only remaining team with enough salary-cap room to make an offer exceeding the $5.6 million mid-level exception, and they so far seem content on saving their money for next summer. Several NBA GMs interested in Childress said they wouldn’t make a mid-level offer to him because they believe the Hawks would match. Childress’ agent, Lon Babby, has instead looked to Europe to create leverage for his client, a unique approach that would have seemed unlikely as recently as three years ago. The U.S. dollar’s declining value compared to the Euro, coupled with the influx of money from Russian owners into the Euroleague, has now made Europe a much more attractive option for players. Already this summer, the San Antonio Spurs’ 2007 first-round draft pick, Tiago Splitter, rejected an offer to join the NBA franchise because he can make more money by remaining in Spain. Toronto Raptors free agent Carlos Delfino signed a three-year, $13.5 million deal with Khimiki of Moscow. Juan Carlos Navarro of the Grizzlies returned to Spain for a reported five-year contract with FC Barcelona that could pay more than $20 million. Even so, Childress, who averaged 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season, would send far greater waves through the NBA should he leave for the Euroleague. He would be the kind of coveted, young American talent who hadn’t previously left the NBA for Europe. Childress, 6-foot-8, played his college ball at Stanford, and is believed to have the international curiosity and maturity it might take to leave the NBA behind for a year. If Childress joins Olympiakos then chooses to return to the NBA in either of the next two summers, he’ll likely be entering a more lucrative free-agent market than the current one.
this is an insult to people who dream of being in the NBA. in all seriousness, I guess if you're an average player, then going to Europe and being the sh-t and getting more money is fine. Personally though I would think you would want to improve your game playing against the best players in the world, not players that can't make an NBA roster.
Go for it. If the money is right and he has nothing holding him back here, he should do it. Seems like it would be cool to live overseas for a few years. The NBA has been handing out such ludicrious contracts that it has left teams strapped paying the likes of a broken down Shaq $20 mil for another couple seasons that it is taking away from paying to keep young talent.
It was just a matter of time before the NBA faced this type of challenge from a FIBA team. Childress may not sign, but someone will, the world is getting more and more into basketball, and Europe is a natural area for growth, the sport is gaining in popularity over there. Going to be interesting to see how this develops. DD PS. Cue Sam Fisher bashing Euro ball, and saying this is not really happening.
things are changing. i really hope that the USA wins in the olympics or between that and F d up dollar the nba may suffer
I read it on Yahoo.I admit it caught me off guard.Euro contracts are getting better although they are not likely to ever match NBA money. Childress is a solid role player with athleticism.The Hawks will miss him if he decides to leave for Greece. I don't think it's a good idea for him to go there,because the standard of the game is superior in the NBA. It's his choice nevertheless,if he wants to go for the money.
That's what I was going to say! Doesn't he think 500k is way too much for a Euro club to pay a player?
I'm a Hawks fan also so if this happened it would be beyond disastrous. He's their garbageman, their glue guy, their does-it-all player. It's one thing for one of these shaky NBA talents like Navarro or Delfino to "take the money" and go overseas. It's a whole different can of beans for a guy like Childress that can actually play and has all but assured himself a lucrative, long term deal to go overseas. Childress is worth slightly more than the MLE and I really believe he could get it via S&T or from the Hawks themselves. If he signs in Greece i'll be shocked.
I doubt it ever will. From what I know, Euro teams don't play on star power as much as the NBA. Say what you will about the level of competition, but it's a more balanced game on the court where roles are much less defined. I don't fault Childress for going after the money. A pro athlete's shelf life is only that long. You have to look out for yourself and take the best offer available, especially since he's young and there is always the threat of injuries derailing his career a la Jay Williams and Shaun Livingston. Frankly, I've seen this coming for a long time. Like some of you have said, basketball's global popularity is on the rise. And even though I didn't expect one like Childress to go for deals like this so soon, it really is a long time coming.
I wish the details of the offer were included. Is it 20 million over two years? three years? four? If it's four, I think the Rockets should at least offer the full MLE to Childress for 4 years or so. I wonder if the Hawks will match if they haven't yet worked out their deal with Josh Smith and don't know how much of their cap he's going to require...
I doubt he'll go. Like the article said, he's probably just using this as leverage over the hawks to force them to make a bigger offer. If he does go, however, it'd be huge. It's one thing to take Navarro or Splitter, but Childress is a solid and proven NBA player entering his prime. Drawing a player like him from the NBA sends a message. This would have been unthinkable at the beginning of the decade. The Euro is worth so much more than the dollar now and things are only going to get worse for the near future. International players have started refusing to come over. Brandon Jennings chose Europe over college ball. If NBA players start jumping ship, it's a nasty triple whammy for American bball.
It says 3 years but who knows what the deal is really like. I would be happy if the Rockets got him with the MLE even though I like Landry too.
how condescending...lets see, which countries have won the recent Olympics and FIBA games? Not USA I see. NBA has the best talent I give you that but not the best quality of basketball.
