Besiktas of Turkey, who signed New Jersey Nets All-Star point guard Deron Williams over the summer when the NBA lockout was just a baby NBA lockout, has been looking for a star forward to pair with D-Will for this season. An inquiry has reportedly been made into recruiting Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng.
One All-Star forward who won’t be heading to Turkey during the labor impasse, at least not now, is Minnesota Timberwolves rebound machine Kevin Love, who turned down Besiktas’ offer on Sunday.
“I didn’t feel it was the right decision for me at this time,” Love told ESPN.com.
Love says he’s still considering heading overseas if the NBA season continues to be in jeopardy, which it will. However, the decision to stay or go becomes tougher almost every day.
On one hand, staying in the states to play in a barnstorming tour of charity games for no pay isn’t the most profitable option for a fourth-year player still on the tail end of his rookie contract like Love. On the other hand, there’s always the potential for uninsured disaster.
A number of NBA stars have intimated interest in playing abroad until a new collective bargaining agreement is ironed out, but as the months go by, it’s less and less likely that anymore substantial players make that move or that there will be that many spots left open, anyway.