Nuggets' Smith signs to play in China
Updated Sep 14, 2011 5:46 PM ET
DENVER (AP)
Wilson Chandler will have some company in China this season. Fellow Denver Nuggets free agent J.R. Smith is following him overseas.
What are NBA players doing during the lockout? You may be surprised.
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 won't be able to return to play in the NBA
until the end of the Chinese season, which runs through March.
Both of them are betting the lockout lasts a while and they'd rather
play in the Chinese Basketball Association than in pickup games at the
gym while waiting for the NBA to get going again.
Smith's agent, Leon Rose, confirmed to The Associated Press on
Wednesday that Smith signed a one-year contract with Zhejiang because
''J.R. really wants to play basketball this season.''
''His decision to accept the deal was based on the uncertainty of the
NBA labor 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.''
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