Players seek way out of China

Denver Nuggets free agents J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler are still pursuing ways to get out of their Chinese Basketball Association contracts but have yet to find a prompt avenue back to the NBA, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Smith and Chandler play for the Zhejiang Chouzhou Golden Bulls and Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, respectively, and sources said those teams could be willing to agree to steep buyouts to let the players return to the NBA. The players would have to return all the salary they’ve made, plus agent fees and an additional $1 million to satisfy owners – but that still won’t assure them they could play in the NBA.

As a member of FIBA, the government-run Chinese Basketball Association would still control the players’ letters of clearance, and sources in China insist the league has no interest in allowing the NBA players to leave before season’s end in March. NBA teams can’t sign free agents without letters of clearance showing the players are free of contract breaches elsewhere in the world.

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“If they do it for one player, they’ll have do it for all of them,” one CBA source said.

This is why the Chinese Basketball Association wanted contract language insisting players and agents understood there would be no out-clauses issued should the NBA lockout end early. Several players, including Kenyon Martin, have become more resigned to the fact that they’ll have to play out the duration of the Chinese season.

“Right now, they’re still stuck,” one CBA source said.