Atlanta Hawks: Draft pick Keith Benson to play in Italy during lockout
Keith Benson, the Hawks’ second-round draft pick in June, has signed to to play for Sassari in the top Italian league.
Benson’s mother, Janice Hale, said Benson’s contract includes an opt-out clause that would allow him to return to Atlanta if/when the NBA lockout ends.
“Keith feels that having an opportunity to play professionally during the lockout will enable him to maintain his conditioning and prepare him for the Atlanta Hawks training camp when the lockout ends,” Hale wrote in an e-mail. “He has received numerous offers to play in Europe and Asia. In fact, there were offers that were close to double the offer he accepted. Many of the teams that offered him wanted to build their teams around him as the starting center and would not provide the opt out clause. He agreed to play for Sassari because they were willing to include the opt out clause in his contract.”
I can’t see any downside to this decision for Benson. Assuming he gets some decent playing time, he will get better competition in what is among Europe’s top-rated leagues than anywhere in the States. If/when the lockout ends, he can return to the Hawks and continue his development.
(Not to mention that Sassari’s home is on the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia.)
Obviously the most important part of Benson’s development is adding muscle. Hale said the Hawks told Benson they want him at 235 pounds for training camp in October or 240 pounds should the lockout drag into January. She said Benson has been working with trainers at his alma mater, Oakland (Mich.) University, and is is currently at 233. Benson plans to hire a nutritionist and trainer once he gets to Italy.
Benson is the first Hawks player to officially confirm their intentions to play elsewhere during the lockout. Zaza was talking to a Turkish team but eventually nixed a deal. Magnum Rolle reportedly will play in South Korea, but no word on if his contract would contain an opt-out (and if he really got $973,000 to play in a 5,500-seat arena, kudos to him).
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
91 comments Add your comment
Big Ray
August 22nd, 2011
12:34 am
Countdown to shut down begins again…
EmirS.
August 22nd, 2011
1:07 am
Just shut it down. -.-
Grandad
August 22nd, 2011
1:21 am
You’re welcome.
Grandad
August 22nd, 2011
1:40 am
C’mon my Dawgs love sushi.
I still don’t think your the “Hat”.
He’s cool & intelligent + plus I would never have
had my good friend banned, even if I could.
He and I had too much fun.
Hat wasn’t a stalker … he was a worthy adversary
who gained my respect. Unlike this new fellow,
{T}+{S} had style & grace. [with a little salt]
note: but if you are – welcome home.
Grandad
August 22nd, 2011
2:24 am
‘ Truth Hurts ‘
” Soon I will expose them!!
And thats a promise!!
* -Done talkin about it- *
…Im begging you,
Please try me!! ”
By my count … you have already made 6 posts under the name:
‘ Truth Hurts ‘
5 under:
‘ voice of reason ‘
2 under:
‘ Grandad ‘
And 1 under:
‘ missing something ‘
all after stating;
* -Done talkin about it- *
~So~
You quit … I quit … simple !
” The greatest trick the devil ever pulled
was convincing the world he didn’t exist ”
- Verbal Kint – [aka] – Keyser Soze -
Grandad
August 22nd, 2011
2:29 am
” I believe in God, but I’m afraid of Keyser Soze ”
- Verbal Kint – aka – Keyser Soze -
” I believe in God ” – Grandad -
vava74
August 22nd, 2011
9:10 am
good grief…
doc
August 22nd, 2011
9:29 am
weeds do grow late in the summer if left unattended, such is life.
Najeh Davenpoop
August 22nd, 2011
10:46 am
FIRE WOODY
Astro Joe
August 22nd, 2011
12:58 pm
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2011/08/10/meruelos-purchase-of-hawks-financed-by-sellers/
So is this a shrewd move by Meruelo, is he a poorly financed owner who needs help from the ASG and/or is the ASG just desperate to “dispose of” the Hawks and the arena?
doc
August 22nd, 2011
1:05 pm
wonder if ti will fly the other owners who vote it through. seems like they would like to be sure they get rid of the basg and this doesnt assure them of it.
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 22nd, 2011
2:34 pm
Rent To Own!
What’s Up Astro Joe Baby! Thanks for sharing that link! For sale By Owner with Owner Financing. In this financial market place creative financing appears to be the hot ticket!
We The People bail out the Banks that are Too BIG to fail. And here’s what we get – no revenue streams being circulated anywhere in this economy. Even buyers with AAA Credit can’t get approved for a mortgage.
Here’s my point: I agree with all your scenarios. Either Mr. Meruelo is one shrewd negotiator, or doesn’t want to tie up all his assets, or the ASKG are desperate to sign that quit claim deed – ASAP!
Either way, I think it should and will be approved.
Oh well! Back to The Rock Pile – Barney! (smile) (winks)
________________
What’s up doc? (winks)
doc
August 22nd, 2011
2:54 pm
dmb, i answered before i read the article because i was aware of the arrangement and it sounded out of the ordinary. the author of the report wasnt 100% it would fly even hedged it might not go down.
KevinM
August 22nd, 2011
2:57 pm
I can’t imagine the NBA would not approve of this sale…..it allows current ownership to gracefully bow out and eventually not be in the picture at all.
The news, whether coming from our entertainment reporter or just general news, is very quiet. I keep getting ticket reps calling me telling me it’s not too late to get behind the 2011-12 team on a nightly basis. I tell you, if this roster comes back as is next year, with or without JC1, I will have to watch from a distance as we show very little differences from a year ago.
Benson is yesterday’s Solomon Jones, and he’s a non-factor for next year for sure…most rookies will be for any team seriously contending….no SL, no camp competition….the players have no clue when play will begin, especially LeBron.
Astro Joe
August 22nd, 2011
3:58 pm
It almost feels like the ASG said something like “Look, we’ll sell you the team for $100 but you only need to pay us $60 now… we’ll essentially let you borrow the other $40. We just need to dispose of these properties immediately and we’re willing to do whatever is needed to make that happen”. Or, maybe they just offered Meruelo “no interest payments until 2018″ and he shrewdly took the “loan” from the entity offering the best loan… because when lenders compete…
Bottom line, it all feels kind of strange and leaves a bit of a cloud over who still has financial/funding influence over the team.
Chandler going deep..
August 22nd, 2011
4:16 pm
FIRE CONGRESS…LOOSERs
doc
August 22nd, 2011
4:45 pm
these basg guys dont know how to make a straight deal do they? i think the nba will pause before letting it go. the record according to your source aj is not too good for these kind of deals.
drmaryb (*_*)
August 22nd, 2011
5:06 pm
IT’s Going Down!
Astro Joe, KevinM and doc all great stuff! And, all possibilities. I think the hold up is the Stern man at the helm. what else do they have to do in a lock out except hand down FINES for tampering and making comments about the players?
what could be more pressing or urgent than approving a sale of a NBA Franchise, especially the Hawks and if it makes the ASKG disappear from the face of Atlanta?
Gitter Done!
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
August 22nd, 2011
5:52 pm
Chandler going deep..
August 22nd, 2011
4:16 pm
“FIRE CONGRESS…LOOSERs”
Who is the biggest “looser”?
The congressmen who only do what corporations want, or the peons like us who can’t spell loser.
Or, hey, maybe he meant that Congress “hangs loose”. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
doc
August 22nd, 2011
7:28 pm
well TS, old friend, what you see is what you get or you reap what you sow.
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 22nd, 2011
8:18 pm
Hedge Fund!
Hey doc, what did you mean when you said this:
“… the author of the report wasnt 100% it would fly even hedged it might not go down.”
___________________
Do you mean Hedge Funded like the boys on Wall Street do? Isn’t that when you put money down on a sure fire loser and when it loses – You Win? Hmmm ….
Those guys made billions from the Big Banks failure, because they knew the TARP Fund would show up just in the knick of time. What a bunch of crooks! LOL!
Maybe Mr. Meruelo is that type of guy? I wouldn’t be mad with him betting on the Hawks losing as long as he bails us out of the 2nd Round, the ECF and get us to the Big Dance!
This city, this town, these fans – We Deserve a Winner!
___________________
- drmaryb – The Entertainment Reporter
doc
August 22nd, 2011
9:06 pm
he suggested it might not be a done deal is what i meant by that statement and the guy writes for forbes.
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 22nd, 2011
9:31 pm
Hop on Board!
KevinM said this:
“I tell you, if this roster comes back as is next year, with or without JC1, I will have to watch from a distance as we show very little differences from a year ago.
Benson is yesterday’s Solomon Jones, and he’s a non-factor for next year for sure…most rookies will be for any team seriously contending….no SL, no camp competition….the players have no clue when play will begin, especially LeBron.”
___________________
Did you visit my current blog thread over at the Real GM, it’s jumping off the chain all last week. Ruhiel and myself had this exact same convo verbatum! OMG! Your comments are on point and is the general consensus amongs all of us over there.
None of us can’t take “4 More Years” of this exact same roster. Mr. Meruelo need to hit the ground running before the ink dries and shake this so called Core down!
Elite? Ok, yeah right! Mmm…Hhh…Mmm. Whatever. LOL
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 22nd, 2011
9:54 pm
Got It!
“he suggested it might not be a done deal is what i meant by that statement and the guy writes for forbes.” -doc-
__________________
Oh OK! One can only hope the ASKG just go somewhere, run and hide from the Arena and hot lights. Ground Hog Day was an awfully hard movie to watch!
It’s not good when your movie is famous for being a series of re-runs from Scene 1 – Take 1, 20 years later. I don’t even remember what the movie was about.
That’s what the ASKG & the Hawks have become.
Too bad, so sad, if this deal is nixed. Like KevinM, I’m no pyro-maniac myself. I can watch the Hawks burn from a distance, from my couch. LOL
SF,Josh Smith, SF, Malcolm Thomas PF, Donatas Motiejunas PF Jordan HIll, C Hasheem Thabeet, C Zaza Pachulia
August 22nd, 2011
10:27 pm
Malcolm Thomas – San Diego State
Like a poor man’s Jeremy Evans (second-rounder for Utah last year), Thomas impacts the game with above-the-rim plays thanks to long arms, quick jumping and good timing. His lack of skills probably kept him from getting drafted, but now he has time to work on his shot. Still, once he gets in a gym for a camp, or plays as a pro next year somewhere, NBA scouts will see how his specialized set of talents can fill a particular need for their team.
-NBA scout David Thorpe
5ppg, 12mpg for Malcolm at SF
http://i55.tinypic.com/2vufsd1.jpg
10 man rotation! F**k the Bulls, Magic, Celtics, Heat. It would be so Easy… Alex Meruelo please!
Kobayashi
August 23rd, 2011
3:32 am
Old granddad had it all wrong. Kobayashi was the real keyser Soze.
Big Ray
August 23rd, 2011
5:51 am
Give Benson a couple of dumb bells and a royal with cheese every day while he’s in Italy. Kid’ll be fine.
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 23rd, 2011
7:34 am
Credit Him!
To his credit Mr. Drew’s play off huddles when he was miked up did sound Doc Rivers-Esque. He was pushing the team to do intangible things like:
Play together, box out, rebound, run, defend and not so much X’s and O’s. He was telling Josh to play inside the post and defend. Also, the rotations were ok.
However, was it too little – too late? We still need an upgrade at head coach and supportive staff coaches. Our defense is sorely lacking at every turn and Jamal’s game disappears when he is asked to play PG. Give it to Teague!
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 23rd, 2011
9:34 am
Keep IT Real!
Blu Ray
(Clear Image)
Wassup Baby! I agree Kito Benson should get his “eat on” in Italy. Just don’t drink the water and remember his intestinal flora (environmentally protected bacteria lining of the gut) is conditioned to the filtrates of the old GA Chattahoochee drinking hole, shared with dumped local raw sewage. LOL!
I would be concerned if Kito can’t keep anything down.
Anyway, have you heard any news of the Hawks sale being approved? I surfed every where and all I see is that link Astro Joe shared yesterday re: the 60/40 deal totaling 300M. I was looking at yahoo sports for something from Adrian Warjonowski-sp or David Aldrige re that.
Do You, AJ and doc think that 60% cash is enough of a down payment with 40% financed? It looks like solid down payment to me anyways.
And like you, I have No opinions re: Vick, that is old news and he has moved on – whatever and good luck to him.
The Boss is 1 of 2 my favorite Hawks players, Josh being the most exciting of all. I would hate to see Al leave and would ONLY consider such a move for Dwight Howard – period, which I seriously doubt will ever happen. I just LOVE Al on our team. I look to the coach to put them in winning roles and maximize all that talent! So, Al leaving ONLY makes sense for a MVP Center, because as of now, HE is our only Center!
Like it or Love it – It is what it is! If you visit my blog thread at Real GM, consider my Poll Query:
WHAT WILL ALEX MERUELO CHANGE FIRST?
______________________
A Real GM
A Real Coach
A Real Center
A Real MVP
A Real Hawks Fan Game Crowd
My vote was A Real GM! That is where I think winning begins. What do you and others think? One thing about drmaryb? I’m gonna’ always keep it real! No silly talk.
(she winks)
________________
Aye Alex! Sign The Dotted Line. Hurr-up
Aye Stern! Get to work.
Astro Joe
August 23rd, 2011
9:45 am
I’m not sure that I have ever heard someone called a poor man’s version of a second rounder. Usually, the terms I see used in those instances are “undrafted free agent” or “scrub”.
doc
August 23rd, 2011
11:49 am
i dont want the basg around to screw things up no matter what it takes. they have lawyers that sue other lawyers taking on one of the best legal groups in the city and even have a couple of them in their group. they cant be trusted and flash bless his heart got it right on that one.
Chandler going deep..
August 23rd, 2011
12:54 pm
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
August 22nd, 2011
5:52 pm
Chandler going deep..
August 22nd, 2011
4:16 pm
“FIRE CONGRESS…LOOSERs”
Who is the biggest “looser”?
The congressmen who only do what corporations want, or the peons like us who can’t spell loser.
Hey Dept. you know what was meant Nimrod! Spelling it right or not Genius!
drmaryb .(*_*).
August 23rd, 2011
1:28 pm
MERUELO BABY!!!
You can’t bring Dwight here! He’s TOO BEEFY and waaay TOO MUCH MAN!!!
Big Ump
August 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
Dr Mary B, Big Ray, Grandad, Doc, K Strickland, Astro Joe. I just saying hello and how everything going?
Grandad
August 23rd, 2011
4:47 pm
I’m tellin’ yawl he ain’t the ” Hatter ” !
This guy is a poor imitation … -&- … makes too many mistakes.
[..a mere caricature of the real {T}+{S}..]
Besides {T}+{S} knows that I didn’t turn him in.
~and – furthermore~
We [Hatter & myself] have a shared anathema.
Phillip Masters / aka / Grandad
Grandad
August 23rd, 2011
4:53 pm
Big Ump
Good to hear from you … Big Ump.
Has anyone heard from Ken Strickland lately ?
I hope all is well.
Chandler going deep..
August 23rd, 2011
5:58 pm
Grandad,
Ken S. has been hanging over in the D3 Falcon blogs with Big Ray spewing his incredible knowledge of the game..
Too bad he’s a falcon fan.. LOL
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 23rd, 2011
6:24 pm
Strike 3! You’re Out!
Big Ump! Wassup Baby?
Wow! It’s great to hear from you, how have you been?
I’m ready for those back stage passes and jam sessions any time – any place! LOL!
You excited about the new owner? Oh! And BTW ignore all the foolishness on here. I’ve got me a stalker. LOL!
You know … What can I say? (in the voice of JJ Evans).
Welcome back to the blog. Also:
Hop on Board and Follow DRMARYB @ Real GM.
My blog thread is the hottest thing going over there right now. I keeps it on & poppin’! LOL! Mmmwah!
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 23rd, 2011
6:36 pm
Link Up!
Big Ump! Here it is:
http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1129086&start=45
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
August 23rd, 2011
7:25 pm
Too bad Chandler doesn’t understand irony. It was not the misspelling itself, that I was calling attention to; but the fact of misspelling an intended insult.
Kinda makes it “loose” a little steam, don’tcha think?
Sautee
August 23rd, 2011
7:39 pm
Big Ump,
Good to see you back, man. I know you were as sad as I was to hear of Nick Ashford’s death yesterday. Man, the list of hits he wrote goes on and on.
Hope you are well, and it’s good to see you back here, as long as here lasts.
“Let’s Go Get Stoned” in honor of Nick. ‘Cause there “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing”.
RIP, man.