DENVER - Wilson Chandler will have some company in China this season. Fellow Denver Nuggets free agent J.R. Smith is following him overseas. Another teammate, Ty Lawson, is taking his game abroad as well, electing to play in Lithuania. Unlike Chandler and Smith, Lawson will be able to cut short his overseas adventure should the lockout end in time for there to be an NBA season. The NBA owners and players are divided over a salary cap structure and have made no significant progress in talks to end the lockout. No more meetings are scheduled. Even if the issues are resolved in time for there to be a 2011-12 NBA season, Chandler and Smith wont be able to return to play in the NBA until the end of the Chinese season, which runs through March. "J.R. really wants to play basketball this season," agent Leon Rose told The Associated Press on Wednesday. So, Smith signed a one-year deal with a squad in Zhejiang, the same province Chandler is heading to but not the same team. "His decision to accept the deal was based on the uncertainty of the NBA labour negotiations, a significant offer from the club and the unique opportunity to play the game he loves in another country that loves its basketball," Rose wrote in an email. "J.R. is looking forward to the challenge." Both of them are betting the lockout lasts a while, and theyd rather play in the Chinese Basketball Association than in pickup games at the gym while waiting for the NBA to get going again. Now that the door is open and an NBA season seems ever more uncertain with talks going nowhere this week there may be a steady stream of players, possibly even some big names, following the likes of Chandler and Smith overseas. "The entire league is going to go through quite an adjustment with all of these players, whether theyre going to Asia or Europe or whether theyre staying in the States to play pickup or work out," said Chandlers agent, Chris Luchey. "Its an unfortunate adjustment. But whats the best way to take advantage of this unfortunate situation?" Luchey said Chandler, 24, needs China more than established stars do. "I understand some of your super-elite guys like Carmelo and LeBron making decisions to kind of just play pickup. Theyre further along in their careers, their games are fully established. Their place in history has been established," Luchey said. "Wilsons game is developing, his best basketball is ahead of him and so he improves with play. For him, having more of a rigorous schedule in China, playing three games a week, seems more realistic. Thats what he was looking for." And by being the first one to bolt, Chandler had his pick of teams. Last month, Chandler, a restricted free agent, signed with Zhejiang Guangsha to play for former NBA coach Jim Cleamons. "Wilsons playing for the only NBA coach thats over there," Luchey said. "Hes going to a beautiful city, a tourist city, playing on a good team. He basically had all the options to pick and choose the best scenario, best situation for him be the trendsetter." Smith, 26, explained the reasons for his decision to leave on his Twitter account and said that he intends to play in the NBA again. "How many chance have you had to do what you love an ppl in another country can appreciate it...," Smith wrote. Smith will be teammates with former University of Connecticut standout Josh Boone. Chandler, who leaves for China on Thursday, wished Smith well on Twitter, saying in a tweet: "Congrats to my brody." The exodus of Nuggets players to China might not end with Chandler and Smith, either. Kenyon Martin also is reportedly considering playing in Asia, too. Smith averaged 12.3 points and 2.2 assists as the Nuggets sixth man last season. Hes long been a fan favourite for his three-point shooting and his electric dunks. But he sometimes draws the ire of coach George Karl for his befuddling shot selection. Wholesale NFL Jerseys .J. Burnett made a couple of mistakes with his pitches and gave up the lead in the seventh inning. Cheap NHL Jerseys . Dallas (5-5-2) was on the verge of a franchise-worst fifth straight loss before Castillo scored. Jair Benitez sent a second-effort cross to Castillo immediately after a corner and the midfielder poked the ball past goalkeeper Ian Kennedy. http://www.cheapjerseysstitched.us.com/ .5 million. Bolland played just 23 games last season in his first year with the Toronto Maple Leafs after an ankle injury suffered early in the season. Cheap Jerseys . Lets start off with Wendel Clarks brother, Kerry Clark, who does a pretty good one here. Theres also young AJ who even has the proper hand to head form nailed down. DETROIT -- Stan Van Gundy has agreed to a $35-million, five-year contract to be the Detroit Pistons coach and president of basketball operations, a person with knowledge of the details said. Detroit gave Van Gundy the powerful combination of jobs on Tuesday, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. The deal was first reported by ESPN.com. The Pistons announced in April that they were not renewing Joe Dumars contract, ending his 14-year run as president of basketball operations. Van Gundy is taking over a team that has Andre Drummond, one NBAs top young centres, and money to reshape its roster this summer. Van Gundy has a 371-208 career record with the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. He was fired in 2012 following his fifth season with the Orlando. He stunned the Heat in December 2005 by resigning for family reasons after two-plus seasons. The Golden State Warriors might have wanted Van Gundy, who went to high school in nearby Martinez, California, to be their new coach. While the Warriors roster seems more attractive, Van Gundy is getting a rare chance to be the coach and decision-maker for an NBA franchise. Doc Rivers does both jobs for the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pistons are desperate to be regarded as relevant in the Motor City -- where theyve become an afterthought -- and hiring Van Gundy seems to be a splashy move they needed to make.dddddddddddd Ultimately, though, Van Gundy will have to win more than he loses in Detroit, as he has in each of his eight seasons. Van Gundy has won 59 games three times, once in Miami and twice with the Magic. He has helped his teams advance in five out of seven postseasons, leading Orlando to the 2009 NBA Finals. Miami lost to the Pistons in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Detroits season has not lasted longer than the regular season in five years, its longest playoff drought since 1978-83. The Pistons won their third NBA title in 2004, early in a six-year run of reaching at least the conference finals. The Pistons signed Josh Smith, traded for Brandon Jennings and hired Maurice Cheeks last off-season and were expected to at least contend for a post-season spot. Instead, the new players didnt blend with returning players such as Drummond and Greg Monroe well enough to push the Pistons into the playoffs and coach Maurice Cheeks lost his job 50 games into the regular season. Detroit finished the season with a 29-53 record and with John Loyer as coach. The franchise is hoping it has a lottery pick next month. The Pistons will have to give their first-round pick to the Charlotte Bobcats if the selection is No. 9 or later as part a salary cap-saving trade Dumars made to get Ben Gordon off the payroll two years ago. NFL Jerseys Cheap China Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Jerseys NFL Cheap ' ' '
เข้าชม : 106
|
