More Threats to Go Abroad
Not surprisingly, there are rumors of numerous NBA players considering to follow the lead of Josh Childress and play overseas for financial reasons. Josh Childress was (and will be again) a good NBA player who SHOULD be in the NBA next season. Instead, lack of league-wide cap space, a modest mid-level exception number, and a lack of aggressiveness by other teams to deal with his restricted FA status drove him to sign a deal abroad that will net him far more money than he could have received in the States. His departure, while not shocking, was a big hit for the NBA because he is an American born kid who was (and will be again) an above average NBA player and 6th man of the Year candidate.
Now rumors are surfacing that Sasha Vujacic, Delonte West and Andris Biedrins are all considering going abroad to play next season because they cannot get the contracts that they want over here. While all three are good NBA players, losing Biedrins would be tough for the NBA to take. He is a 22 year old, double-double machine at the 5 spot. Vujacic is a fringe starter who can shoot the lights out of any NBA arena, and West has been a steady starter in the NBA for the last couple of years. Biedrins and Vujacic going home to play for more money should not be shocking, but it is something that the NBA must take note of. Although losing any of them would not destroy the league (trust me, none of them are that important), one has to wonder what will happen if this trend continues. Will the NBA eventually become watered down beyond the league’s superstars? I hope not.
