Josh Childress signs with Olympiakos of Greece

[rondohondo]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53710/20080723/childress_bolts_for_greece/

I think we could see a lot more of this in the future and that is why the NBA is trying to make a Euro division .

[zerophase]

i think thats a stupid move. financially smart, but playing wise, he won't become as good now that he's in europe, playing euro style basketball. he could have had a nice home in the nba... and got [dang] people, its not like even the vet min is no money at all; these players are making millions regardless.

[Bankshot]

Wow.  Is there any chance Josh Smith follows suit if Atlanta doesn't pay up? 

[blake]

good for him.  he probably wanted more money and to be able to start on a team to showcase his talent.  why not?  i wouldn't want to be a career back up either.

[mhbhaecceity09]

Another result of Stern's/NBA's foolish decision to restrict the market.  File with Jennings, Brandon.

[nickagneta]

Good for Childress. He understands he has only so many years of maximum earning potential and he's maxing it out. If the NBA system is structured so that he can't enter into a fair free agency environment to have his services bid on, then he took the right direction.

We as fans all to often think these players should take less money or home town discounts because

- of home team loyalty.
- it would enhance their game.
- he could make a bigger name for themselves.

And lots of other silly reasons.

Bu these guys have families and children and a limited time to make as much money as possible because of a deterioration of skills or injury. Many don't finish college or have post playing days plans. This might be it for a decent living for the rest of their lives.

Childress will shine over there, make bookoo bucks from his contract and endorsements, and at the end of the contract when he wants to return, Atlanta will probably do a sign and trade and he will get his money at home too.

Good job Josh.

[CelticsWhat35]

I got a quick question.  I know it said Childress signed a multi-year contract with Greece, but say he only signed a 1-yr deal.  If he tried to come back to the NBA the next season, would there be any restrictions, i.e. would the Hawks have any rights to him?

[Fan from VT]

good for him, i think it's great. can't say i would mind doubling my income while living in greece.

[Soy Reek]

Another result of Stern's/NBA's foolish decision to restrict the market.  File with Jennings, Brandon.

David Stern has the biggest ego in all of pro sports.  He says the "right" thing, but he is a spotlight Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. that thinks he's smarter than anyone else in basketball.  His holy-than-thou attitude is arrogant and pompous.  He has an agenda, his own, and won't budge from it.  Is he a marketing genius?  Maybe.  But he needs to read the writing on the wall and listen to basketball people.  The NBA may be a business, but he's starting to lose employees...and Childress is no slouch; he's a solid player.  

I got a quick question.  I know it said Childress signed a multi-year contract with Greece, but say he only signed a 1-yr deal.  If he tried to come back to the NBA the next season, would there be any restrictions, i.e. would the Hawks have any rights to him?

I believe he can explore his NBA options after each year of his Greece contract, but the Hawks retain his rights for 2 years.

[ChampKind]

It makes you wonder what other American players are getting contract offers that we aren't hearing about?  I wonder if a guy like Ricky Davis or Ryan Gomes would get a similar offer.

[Larry Legend]

Score one for labor.

Sure, he might be a millionaire already, but he told the NBA what they could do with their artificial limiting of his salary.  If the value of the dollar keeps sliding, this is something the nba is going to have to deal with quite a bit, I think.

[kozlodoev]

i think thats a stupid move. financially smart, but playing wise, he won't become as good now that he's in europe, playing euro style basketball. he could have had a nice home in the nba... and got [dang] people, its not like even the vet min is no money at all; these players are making millions regardless.

You mean, now that he actually has the chance to spend a significant amount of time in practice with fundamentally sound coaches, rather than travel and play games 90% of the time, he won't improve? Sure, that's logical.

That's amazing lack of knowledge and common sense when the international game is concerned.

[guava_wrench]

I see a lot of middle tier players leaving to get star money abroad.

There are a few posters in denial. Teams abroad make money and have money to spend. The NBA is not the only profitable league, and Americans aren't the only people who love basketball. If we can support the salaries in Football, Baseball and Basketball, as well as shelling out millions for golf tournament prizes, why can European countries get enough support for soccer and basketball, especially with the weak dollar?

This poses serious questions for the salary cap and restricted free agency. If you impose restrictions on local teams that teams abroad don't have, local options of such players are lessened. Still, regardless of what rules are instituted, NBA teams just don't have the means to hold off foreign leagues indefinitely.

I also wonder how the Navarro experience will impact other foreign players. He in an interesting story as he took a pay cut to come over and was clearly good enough for the NBA, but had a bad experience and decided to return home. I see the NBA continuing to lose prestige.

The importance of the Olympics this year for the NBA is to regain some of the lost prestige.

[Redz]

I think its great.  Turnabouts fair play.  The international leagues have been feeding a lot of talent to the NBA and only seeing minimal US talent head their way.  Childress isn't Lebron, but he definitely could have found a decent job in the NBA.  The continued leveling of the international hoops playing field is a good thing for the game of basketball.

[TripleOT]

Josh Childress is my gyro.