When players money got funny and there was no end date in sight for the NBA Lockout, players began signing contracts with the the Chinese Basketball Association. Now that things are moving forward, these guys would like to come back. But not so fast…
According to Yahoo! Sports, Denver Nuggets free agents J.R. Smith(notes) and Wilson Chandler(notes) are still pursuing ways to get out of their Chinese Basketball Association contracts but have yet to find a prompt avenue back to the NBA.
Smith and Chandler play for the Zhejiang Chouzhou Golden Bulls and Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, respectively, and sources said those teams could be willing to agree to steep buyouts to let the players return to the NBA. The players would have to return all the salary they’ve made, plus agent fees and an additional $1 million to satisfy owners – but that still won’t assure them they could play in the NBA.
As a member of FIBA, the government-run Chinese Basketball Association would still control the players’ letters of clearance, and sources in China insist the league has no interest in allowing the NBA players to leave before season’s end in March. NBA teams can’t sign free agents without letters of clearance showing the players are free of contract breaches elsewhere in the world.
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