Deron Williams to play in Turkey?
The first NBA lockout "Decision" may have been made: All-Star point guard Deron Williams is apparently taking his talents to Solar Beach - which happens to be located in Istanbul, Turkey.
Williams has an agreement in principle to play for Besiktas, a Turkish professional basketball team, according to ESPN.com and a Turkish TV station.
If true, this would be stunning news as the NBA tries to resolve its labor dispute. As CBSSports.com's Matt Moore and Ben Golliver point out: "If a wide enough swath of players are able to make decent money overseas during the lockout, that kind of takes the bite out of the lockout."
Williams is under contract for 2011-2012 with the New Jersey Nets and would have to obtain FIBA clearance before heading to Istanbul. A source informed Ken Berger of CBSSports.com Thursday morning that the Nets had not been made aware of any such offer.
It bears noting that Williams would not be the first high-profile American player to play for Besiktas - Allen Iverson signed with the team earlier this year.
But unlike AI, Williams is still in his prime and his defection could potentially be a huge blow to a league mired in collective bargaining chaos.
If the reports are true, it's tough to blame Williams. Would you rather wait out a labor dispute in Newark or count your millions on a Turkish beach?