Getting into the business: when do Celtics buy into foreign teams?

[Thruthelookingglass]

Has anyone looked at this yet?  It occurs to me that with NBA players and particularly rookies looking at overseas deals, wouldn't a great way around the lockout be to purchase a substantial interest in a foreign team (or teams) and hire our own guys to the right contract?  Then when the lockout ends, you can still ship rookies overseas to a friendly team.

What say you, Celtics fans?

[indeedproceed]

Has anyone looked at this yet?  It occurs to me that with NBA players and particularly rookies looking at overseas deals, wouldn't a great way around the lockout be to purchase a substantial interest in a foreign team (or teams) and hire our own guys to the right contract?  Then when the lockout ends, you can still ship rookies overseas to a friendly team.

What say you, Celtics fans?

Gotta be illegal, somehow.

Also impractical. From a business standpoint, why would the Celtics pay guys twice?

[Thruthelookingglass]

Gotta be illegal, somehow.

Also impractical. From a business standpoint, why would the Celtics pay guys twice?

Probably against some rules, but I think long term an overseas farm team would be great.  We could sign developmental players under 18 as well (i.e., Tony Parker).  Even in the lockout I think it would be valuable to sign temporary deals that our foreign team could release later.  Could use it to hold training camp in Italy!

[Eja117]

I find it to be genius and I'm not aware of a rule against it.  I know the Red Sox own some of a soccer team in England, right?

And I think maybe someone like Bob Kraft and even some players own parts of Nascar teams.

I think it's just the kind of thing where Stern would send goons to make sure you wake up in a ditch with your legs broke