FIBA Says NBA Players Can Play Overseas During The Lockout

We aren’t sure how much more we can take of this. Something needs to happen. Something. Perhaps FIBA took the first step in announcing that NBA players will indeed be allowed to play in FIBA-affiliated leagues during the lockout. As Deron Williams may or may not be fist pumping in his home’s office (he may or may not really care depending on who you talk to), the deal comes with a few regulations. The biggest one is that when the lockout ends, an NBA player MUST return to his team. Okay, that’s great news for NBA fans, knowing guys like Williams will be able to play somewhere else, but definitely won’t miss any time here. But how will that affect overseas teams? While we know some Turkish clubs will go above and beyond just to sign some stars, there are a lot of clubs that won’t do that…especially with a provision in place saying the player is pretty much a rental. The second is that it’s up to the teams whether they want to sign a waiver clearing them of any responsibilities should a player get hurt. Either way, the NBPA executive director Billy Hunter said the player’s union was “gratified” by the decision. He’s been pushing guys all along to explore overseas option, if for nothing else than to perhaps put more pressure on the owners … Keyon Dooling is close to a deal with the Turkish team, Efes Istanbul. For his part, this isn’t big because it’s Keyon Dooling. It’s big because Keyon Dooling is the vice president of the NBPA … And Kobe Bryant and Besiktas will meet today about their possible future relationship. The Turkish club officials are saying there’s about a 50/50 chance that Bryant will agree to play. But that perhaps wasn’t even the biggest KB news of the day. Kobe is saying his knee is the best it’s been in a long time. Everyone has an opinion on how much longer the Mamba can continue to spit venom, but Derek Fisher is in agreement. This could be the best news for Laker fans all summer. Still, as we said with the Brandon Roy situation, it is the summer. You gotta wait until there’s a daily grind to really judge, like a female with makeup on. Catch her early morning or late night to really see if she’s wifey-status … Ron Artest could be playing in the UK this fall. Remember the first time everyone heard about this earlier in the summer, and it was dismissed relatively quietly? Yeah, that was before all of this other stuff went down … The Pistons have agreed to a three-year deal (with a fourth that is a team option that could become guaranteed off incentives) with Lawrence Frank to become their new head coach. You know how people talk about no-win situations? Well for Frank, this is the exact opposite. It can’t be any better. He’s walking towards a train wreck, and if he can turn it around at all, his image will go through the roof … While we were busy trying to field the best possible NBA playground teams, Kentucky might have already done it. John Calipari tweeted that John Wall, Rajon Rondo and Eric Bledsoe all plan to enroll in Kentucky in the fall if the lockout continues. They’re also eligible to be student assistant coaches, which means they can hoop with the team. How’s that for a backcourt? The basketball team trotting out to the school’s outdoor courts to take on the student body is a staple at a lot of different colleges. Normally, it’s a great chance to make a name for yourself if you think you can play. But who would really be messing with that team? … And could Toni Kukoc be a beneficiary of an elite prostitution ring? That’s what some are contending. Kukoc says he is innocent. On another note, check out that picture of him. He seems so…old. Has it really been 10 years since he played? … We’re out like Hamed Haddadi.