Players who signed overseas (with no opt-out clause)
Plenty of dudes decided it’d be best to get some games in in Europe and elsewhere to keep themselves fresh when the season returns. Others decided to just bolt from the league and not have an opt-out clause in their contract, keeping them away from the NBA for at least this upcoming season.
Here’s a list of everybody who signed overseas from Wikipedia, and below a list of the notable ones who aren’t coming back.
What I gather from this list: The Nuggets are screwed, The Great White Hope won’t be mock-cheered by American crowds this season, Phoenix lost a quality backup PG in Aaron Brooks.
The List:
Nenad Krstic (Boston, C; 9.1PTS, 5.3REB with Celtics)
Only played 20 mins or so a game, they’ll be fine with Jermaine O’Neal
Sonny Weems (Toronto, G/F; 9.2PTS, part-time starter)
Sasha Vujacic (New Jersey, G; 11.4PTS for NJ)
Chris Douglas-Roberts (Milwaukee, G/F; 7.3PTS)
Scoring threat when he gets minutes, but getting minutes has always been an issue.
Ersan Ilyasova (Milwaukee, F; 9.5PTS, 6.1REB, starter)
Mbah a Moute, Delfino or even Michael Redd can fill the hole he leaves.
Wilson Chandler (Denver, G/F; 15.3PTS, 5.7 REB, starter)
J.R. Smith (Denver, G/F; 12.3PTS)
Kenyon Martin (Denver, F; 8.6PTS, 6.2REB)
The Nuggets lose 36.2 points and 16 rebounds per game with these three gone.
Brian Scalabrine (Bulls)
Aaron Brooks (Phoenix)
Phoenix’s backup point guard is now Zabian Dowdell… ouch.
