Will Barton, who reportedly reached an agreement with CSKA Moscow last month, will return stateside without having played for the Russian club, per an announcement from CSKA (Twitter link). Barton’s contract was terminated via an early exit clause.
An 11-year NBA veteran who appeared in 56 games last season for Washington and Toronto, Barton could be a candidate to return to the league down the stretch. However, Alessando Maggi of Sportando hears from sources that the wing’s departure from CSKA Moscow was related to failed medical tests. If that’s accurate, any NBA teams with interest in Barton will be sure to do its due diligence on his health situation.
CSKA Moscow indicated in its announcement that it remains on the lookout for a player who can help out at shooting guard and small forward.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Ten basketball writers for The Athletic shared their thoughts on how the NBA could improve its All-Star Game. Some of their ideas? Combining All-Star weekend and the in-season tournament final four into one event; turning the All-Star game into a two-on-two or three-on-three tournament; or simply naming All-Stars and not playing the game.
- In an Insider-only article for ESPN, Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton take a closer look at what sort of impact the NBA’s rule tweaks have had on the buyout market and consider which player will be the most impactful buyout-market addition this season. Of the veterans who have already found new homes, Pelton views Lakers guard Spencer Dinwiddie as the player capable of making the greatest impact.
- Joe Vardon, Sam Amick, and David Aldridge of The Athletic polled several players at All-Star weekend on a variety of topics, including the best player and team in the NBA, whether the league has become too offense-heavy, and what rule changes they’d implement if they had Adam Silver‘s job for a day. The Celtics earned the most votes (five) for the NBA’s best team, with the Clippers (four) coming in second.
Why would any player go to Russia to play? They are at war and you could be used as a human shield to protect Putin. If you say the wrong thing they lock you up or even worse. No money is worth risking your life or freedom for.
Easy for you to say. But basketball is everything for some of these guys. Especially the ones who had to scratch and claw their way to the top.
Now you have an opportunity to play professionally. It’s in Russia so you turn it down for what? Coach some high school team for 35k a year? Guys with that mentality don’t make it to the league to begin with.
He could go to any team in Europe or South America even Aussie land. Russia probably paying more because nobody wants to take the chance of being in prison. You can just know the wrong person and be locked up in Russia. I doubt he is desperate for money since he has had big contracts in the past. Would you take a chance?
Putin is going to grab a hoops player to be used as a human shield? Where do you come up with this stuff? Or, if there is a precedent, please let us know about it. Thanks.
Putin is crazy. If he needs manpower in a war, I won’t be shocked if he conscripts some foreign nationals against their will. We’re talking about a dictator here.
The actual game is getting pretty close to unwatchable. Not quite NFL pro bowl level but not far off. Just scrap the game and beef up the Saturday festivities.
I like how NBA realized they need to force players not to take “rest days” but they still haven’t figured out how to get All-Star Game players to treat it like a real game. The injury-risk argument is garbage, players can get hurt in practice just the same.
It seems pretty obvious that if the league wants All-Star players to compete at a high level during their “All Star Weekend” then they’re going to have to attach monetary incentives for winning. The path has already been paved by the in season tournament.
Odd to me that the league themselves and media pundits seem to be going after players for not showing effort. Seems to me everyone else in the league gets a nice rest, break from the grind, time with the family while the best players in our league are made to go answer media questions and not rest at all before the break is over.
It’s no secret that the NBA would’ve liked to make this event a bigger spectacle before negotiating the new CBA. Mission failed. They want to make money on the All Star game? PAY ENOUGH FOR A GOOD PRODUCT
Most of the all-stars are already making well over $30 million each. How much more money do they need? It’s really about their lack of effort and their disrespect and disregard for fans.
Hilarious take. Not like the NBA itself or its owners are making much more than that right? When are you whining, jealous, hater-ade drinking hard skulls going to realize there is a partnership between the league and the players. That partnership only works when they both do.
A player signs a “$30 million” deal with THE TEAM HE SIGNED IT WITH. He agreed to be paid that much to play for THAT TEAM. There is no agreement that you need to not only miss the break that everyone else gets, but to also go play a game that has 0 effect on the season and is only happening to generate money FOR THE NBA. If a player goes out and breaks his leg in the All Star game because everyone’s playing as hard as they can, both that player and his team gets to face the consequences. So what exactly is the NBA offering to offset that risk? Give me one benefit a player would see by the All Star game being ultra competitive. I can name a whole lot of benefits for the league. GIVE ME ONE for players.
It’s an exhibition game. Get over it.
If that’s the sentiment than the game will be disappointing forever. Something tells me you identify with that
Dump the All-Star Game altogether. The players don’t care anymore. They should have nipped this problem ten years ago.
The weekend is a moneymaker for the league – why would it get canceled? The better solution is for you and your clan to realize that it is an exhibition game. Get over it. Watch or don’t watch.
All star game is about resting for 98% of league
Please don’t take that away by having 4 teams have to play for the in season tourney , it wouldn’t be fair to them and defeats the whole purpose