Josh Childress leaves the NBA for Europe

[djwhokid]

ATHENS, Greece -- Josh Childress signed a reported three-year deal with the Greek club Olympiakos after leaving the Atlanta Hawks.

Childress was a restricted free agent, which meant the Hawks had the right to match offers from other NBA teams, but not from international clubs. Agent Lon Babby said the deal was worth about $20 million after taxes and was far more lucrative than what Childress could have received in the United States.

The deal is the most lucrative current contract in European basketball and the biggest in Euroleague history, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which first reported the signing. It follows the decision by top prep prospect Brandon Jennings to sign with an Italian club team rather than play a season at Arizona.

The newspaper reported Monday the Hawks had a deal on the table worth nearly $36 million, with a first-year salary in excess of the midlevel exception of $5.6 million.

ESPN - Ex-Hawk Childress signs with Greek club team - NBA

Not good. You have quality players in the NBA like Josh Childress and Juan Carlos Navarro leaving the NBA for Europe?

Not good, not good at all. First off, what needs to happen is that the NBA needs to do away with that silly rule not allowing high schoolers to go straight to the pros. It was a good rule in theory, but in reality it has not worked out well. Did Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, O.J Mayo, Greg Oden, etc.. really need that one year of college?

Secondly, I think this calls for expansion in the NBA with two more teams needing to be added. In five years, Las Vegas and Seattle need a basketball team.