Atlanta Hawks: If NBA lockout lingers, Zaza Pachulia may play in Turkey
If the NBA lockout is not ended by the scheduled start of the 2011-12 season, Hawks reserve center Zaza Pachulia could end up playing in Turkey in the short term.
Pachulia, who is under contract with the Hawks for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons for a total of about $10 million, said he has a “verbal agreement” to play next season for Turkish club Besiktas.
“They have interest, I have interest and we have talked about price,” Pachulia said. “It’s not official now.”
Besiktas also has an agreement with New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams.
Pachulia said the contract with Besiktas would immediately terminate when NBA owners and players agree on a new labor deal. The contract also would include some kind of insurance for Pachulia since his guaranteed contract with the Hawks would not be protected in case of an injury sustained while playing in another league.
FIBA, basketball’s world governing body, has yet to rule on whether NBA players under contract would be cleared to sign contracts with other leagues during the lockout. NBA commissioner David Stern said during the season the league would not attempt to block players from playing elsewhere.
“We are not going to do anything to affect our contract with the NBA,” Pachulia said. “That’s my life right now.”
Unlike most NBA players, Pachulia would not face culture shock playing in Europe. He is a native of bordering Georgia, speaks Turkish and holds a passport from the country.
“For me, it feels like going home,” he said. “I played there for six years [as a teenager]. I know a lot of the players, the manager, the coaches. I’m excited.”
Pachulia plans to play for Georgia in European Olympic qualifying this summer. FIBA is expected to announce a plan to insure NBA players who participate in international competitions.
It’s possible more NBA players could decide to play overseas during the lockout. Roger Mason Jr., a players union vice president, told Newsday that Knicks stars Amar’e Stodemire and Carmelo Anthony inquired about playing overseas (though Stoudemire’s agent later said Stoudemire isn’t thinking about making the move).
“I wish none of us [NBA players] would have to deal with these kind of things,” Pachulia said. “But the most important thing is I love the game.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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121 comments Add your comment
brigadierjerry
July 11th, 2011
8:00 pm
In a lot of ways the Hawks remind me a lot of the Blazers good second and third tier players but can only get to a certain point but not that far away from really contending. Problem is you have to either have a superstar player and build with around them or have mulitple star players like what LA or even Boston has. I like the Boston model for winning defined roles, sum is greather than the parts. I think the Hawks should follow that model. I really do. Get a defensive anchor like a Garnett or get smith to become one. Get a classic 2 guard that can come off screens. Hawks need to get someone like that or maybe Hinrich. Have a 3 that can create for himself and other ala Pierce and Johnson can do that. Get a solid point guard Teague can develop that and fill the holes around the rest. If Hawks can follow the Celtics model i really think they have a chance. The Spurs way revolved around a superstar player as well as Dallas as well as does LA. Hawks dont have a so called superstar player I think the Boston way is the quickest for the Hawks to really compete since it revolves around a bunch of main players minus Rondo who are the downside of their careers but the sum are greater than the parts. I dont equate it to the Detroit model since the Boston players are greater individually. Thoughts?
brigadierjerry
July 11th, 2011
8:44 pm
Also if you were to rate the last 3 decades of the NBA, which one would you rate from best to worst?
The 80s are known as the Golden Era of basketball and though from what I did witness, I can see why.
The 90s were amazing with Jordan, Hakeem, Shaq, Pippen, Barkley, Malone, etc were all amazing in their own way. They all brought something new to the game and they all had something that a lot of the present day players are lacking, passion. The second half of the decade was lackluster compared to the first, but it still had its memorable moments such as the ‘98 Finals.
Honestly, this last decade has been boring to me. Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate the athletic freaks such as LeBron James, but it seems like these superstars lack something. Its like they don’t have the same mentality as Jordan or even Hakeem had. These legends had so much heart and they showed it every single game, every quarter, every second. Sometimes it seems like our current superstars want to bitch and give up. I’m really going to be sad when players like KG, Kidd, Ray, and Grant Hill all retire. Not only that, I love defense and it was a lot more aggressive and grittier back then. Ironically, these bigger muscular guys are weak on the defensive end and want a foul called for just getting looked at the wrong way. The idea of “teamwork” has diminished and I honestly think that has a lot to do with how the media glorifies these “superstars”.
Maybe it’s just me. I mean I’ve been a fan of the game for a long time and I miss the way it used to be. I feel like the league has become to commercial. It’s all about money and less about the actual sport.
ArtMan
July 11th, 2011
8:50 pm
brigadierjerry,
I was just being humorus, I know you didn’t write the article.
Grandad
July 11th, 2011
10:10 pm
brig
I know that only few can relate;
but the 60’s with every team having a true Center.
Teams were teams.
Play was more physical.
Russell vs Wilt.
West vs Oscar
Elgin was Jordan before Jordan was Jordan, so, Jordan
was indeed actually the de facto Elgin; or so it seems.
On that note the 86 Celtics and the
Chuck Daly “Bad Boy” Pistons
were my favorite teams historically.
*[Non Hawks teams]
Plus, I really loved the Pistol !
*[as a player, the years when he was healthy and somewhat sober]
brigadierjerry
July 11th, 2011
11:02 pm
Grandad,
I didnt see the 60’s but saw the late 70’s which wasnt bad only problem was that there was drug issues in the 70’s but there was some good play.
I was too young for the early 70’s but saw the late 70’s on.
Those Pistons teams was tough and very physical and the celtic team in ‘86 was a very tough team.
So do you have a favorite team from the 60’s and 70’s?For me those Bullets teams i liked they had battles against the Knicks and that Sonic team with Dennis Johnson and Portland team that beat the Sixers after they took the first two games was a tough team
Ra'mon
July 12th, 2011
12:24 am
Grandad, exactly with letting the kids go pro. If a GM takes a gamble on a 17-18 year old kid out of high school with the number 2-3 pick, then he should be rewarded if that kid becomes a superstar. Every business in the world is a gamble, why shouldn’t the NBA be the same way? Forcing these kids to goto college only leads to more scandals and less quality play, because they don’t want to be there. There has been more college players who were drafted in the top ten that turned out to be busts, than there have been high school players. You think about it, when was the last true bust player that came out of high school, or one in done (not including Marvin-lol).
Hoops
July 12th, 2011
12:30 am
Ok guys, let’s forget for a minute that there is a lockout or let’s just say that the lock out is over. Look at this trade:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=5wygejz
I think the 76ers would go for this trade. I understand that trading JJ is a gamble, but when you consider that it gets rid of a contract that will limit what the Hawks may be able to do for the next 5 years, then you got to do it. Iguodala is a quality player, Meeks gives the Hawks a shooter off the bench, and Hawes gives you a big that can help. This does not help the Hawks at the SF position, but it gives alot of flexibility for future moves.
Hoops
July 12th, 2011
12:52 am
This trade may be the answer to moving Marvin Williams and add some toughness:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=68a3g5p
These two trades would give the Hawks this lineup:
PG-Teague/Hinrich/Vasquez
SG-Iguodala/Hinrich/Meeks
SF-Battier/Wilkins/Sy
PF-Smith/Rolle/Benson
C-Horford/Zaza/Hawes
Grandad
July 12th, 2011
1:19 am
Hoops
Hawes & Battier are unrestricted FA’s.
S -&- T rules may or may not apply with the new CBA.
I would sign Battier straight up.
Also, any trade Iggy for Joe / I’m mostly for it.
*[Hlth / knee issues / would have to be resolved] (r e Iggy)
Grandad
July 12th, 2011
1:22 am
Hoops
All trade exceptions are as worthless as confederate money.
If you didn’t use it, it’s gone.
*[old CBA]
EmirS.
July 12th, 2011
3:53 am
And more so,
Why would Memphis even consider that?
Najeh Davenpoop
July 12th, 2011
10:14 am
Jamal Crawford may be following Zaza to Turkey.
Goodwin said free agent Jamal Crawford has serious interest from two teams and is contemplating an offer from a Turkish club, though he wouldn’t specify which one. It remains to be seen how wiling teams will be to offer the D-Will clause.
“So far in the conversations for Jamal Crawford, teams have shown [both a] reluctance and a willingness to have that clause in there,” Goodwin said. “Obviously, we would never pursue it without a clause being in there where the player can opt out.”
Trojan
July 12th, 2011
3:32 pm
Heading into Football season, does the NBA actually think that they will be missed?
Rondo
July 12th, 2011
3:47 pm
Enter your comments here
Rondo
July 12th, 2011
3:53 pm
Stern and nba owners better wise up and make a decision before they loose all their talent to Europe. I wonder are they going over there for the money, women or just for the fun of the game.
KevinM
July 12th, 2011
4:09 pm
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY Back to Page 1:
“JOE
July 8th, 2011
1:19 pm
Any chance we can get Joe Johnson to go play over seas and brak an ankle or something so we can void his contract?”
I saw Joe break Keith Bogan’s ankles and he played longer than anyone on this team.
What I will say brigadier is that I am all in on the player’s side. The players do one thing: play by the rules given to them. Stern and the owners have to battle within themselves to get anything done. If you told the owners no more 100M contracts, how long would that last? Cuban and the Buss family are lauging at you. The owners and Stern are complete embassils and there’s a chance they lose more than just a year on this lockout. Stern said the goal is to make all 30 teams profitable. The only way to do that? Having these players beg to come back to play.
Now, an old question: what is the state of the NBDL? Is that league no longer in play? The owners don’t own those franchises. Can’t this league continue on? May be a dumb question, but I have heard nothing on it. If we are stuck with the WNBA on NBA-TV, then that station is going to lose a bunch of sponsorships/promotions.
I remember the emails from the Hawks group telling me its not too late to go get in on a great package. I remember how bad the last holdout became. The Hawks and Lenny Wilkens had to stage a couple of free scrimmages to garner public interest again and had to play at Alexander Coliseum as well. That was another era of stagnant Hawk successful teams also.
Our future is bleak enough to have me thinking, are we better off with the Hawks not even playing instead of being fed ‘core’ cereal? I think I have seen what I need to see from a Larry Drew led team.
KevinM
July 12th, 2011
4:11 pm
I can’t wait for the Hawks promo dept to come out with their must-sees of the next playing season when they promote the visiting teams more than the team in this town.
And if you decided to go to Philips to see one Hawks player in action, who would it be? For me, Josh, then JT. The rest, fizzle.
KevinM
July 12th, 2011
4:12 pm
Yeah, wait til the NBA players have to actually go over there and practice 3X the amount they play over here?
How did that work for AI? I knew he wouldn’t last 3 months.
KevinM
July 12th, 2011
4:14 pm
So BJerry, I am on the players’ side 100% because I can’t defend anything the ASG has done to this fan base, much less the Thrasher fan base.
They can stay out as long as they want; I don’t want my money going to anything ASG related. If Atlanta magazine printed a most-despised list, I wonder who would lead the survey? Far ahead of Nathan, the ‘deal-maker’ himself.
KevinM
July 12th, 2011
4:16 pm
Well, at least we can relax knowing Hilton Armstrong will be ballin’ next season!
KevinM
July 12th, 2011
4:18 pm
Grandad, how many years was the Pistol sober?
By what I have read, he was hittin’ the night life more than Peachtree Bart and Favre ever thought about. You don’t keep that slender physique at the after game buffets!