We told you the big news already — J.R. Smith had a potentially serious injury and AK47 had one that looks painful but will only keep him out a few weeks. But there is other news about NBA players looking overseas, so here is a roundup.
• Rockets guard Kevin Martin is getting overseas options but he doesn’t sound like a guy likely to take them, reports Marc Spears of Yahoo.
• Pacers guard T.J. Ford has reached a deal to play for Croatia to join KK Zagreb, reports Marc Stein of ESPN. There is an NBA opt out to return (the Pacers would probably like him to stay).
• Athletic Rockets swingman Chase Budinger is close to signing with Lokomotiv-Kuban in Russia. He had a few options (including France). He will have an opt-out for when the NBA season starts.
• Turkish club Besiktas has been looking for a big to pair with Deron Williams and set their sights high (Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge) but seems to have come back to Marcin Gortat. Who is still a good fit, but not quite the athlete the other two are.
• Rockets guard Goran Dragic has agreed to terms and will play for Caja Laboral of the Spanish league during the lockout.
• Patrick Mills has left playing for Melbourne in his native Australia to sign with the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers in China. The answer to you next question is money. If the NBA lockout ends and there is a season Mills will be one of the free agent guards available in March when the Chinese season ends, but he likely will not be in the NBA before that.
• Pacers guard George Hill says he will not play overseas during the lockout.
• The Spurs Da’Sean Butler has signed with VEF Riga in Latvia on a two-week “tryout” contract.
• Dexter Pittman said he will play for Atenas de Cordoba in Argentina. He is still under contract to the Heat.