http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsjazznotes/52535715-62/fleisher-lockout-okur-jazz.html.csp
Jazz's Mehmet Okur signs with Turkish professional team
Published on Sep 7, 2011 10:36AM
1 Comments
Agent Marc Fleisher confirmed Wednesday that Jazz center Mehmet Okur has signed with Turkish professional team Turk Telekom Ankara.
Okur could join the squad as soon as this weekend, and his contract
features an option that will allow him to immediately return to the NBA
as soon as the league's lockout ends.
"He didn't feel that the option to go
play in pick-up games are what he needed," said Fleisher, who stated
that Okur is close to 100-percent health and will be insured while
playing overseas. "He choose this and it's a good team. He knows the
league very well and it's a good opportunity for him to play at a high
level. And when the lockout ends, he'll come back and be rearing to go."
Okur must first handle a minor visa issue before joining Turk Telekom. Once it is resolved, he could meet up with ex-Jazz guard Deron Williams while in Turkey.
Okur is the first Utah player under
contract to sign with a pro overseas club during a lockout that just
passed the two-month mark. He is signed with the Jazz through the
2011-12 season, and is set to make $10.8 million next year.
Okur's 2010-11 season was a wash. The 32-year-old
played in just 13 games and was never 100 percent while recovering from
left Achilles tendon surgery. He acknowledged at the end of the year
that he pushed himself too hard during his comeback. As a result, he dealt
with a variety of other injuries, including back pain and a sprained
right ankle. The nine-year veteran averaged only 4.9 points, 2.3
rebounds and 12.9 minutes while sitting out the final 35 games of the
year.
"He didn't want to take the chance of the lockout going a long time into the season and he would've not played," Fleisher said.
He added: "This allows him to play
right away and get his game back to where he wants it to be. Should the
lockout end, he'll be in a better position than many other players."
Fleisher continues to explore
overseas options for former Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, who has
played well for Russia during EuroBasket 2011.
"We've talked to Russian teams, as
well as a lot of other teams. … Andrei has been playing phenomenally,"
Fleisher said. "He may have been one of the best players so far in
EuroBasket. … We continue to look at the possibilities and nothing has
happened yet."
While there has been a recent bout of
optimism in the media about a possible end to the lockout, Fleisher is
taking a practical approach to the league's work stoppage. He remembers
the 1998-99 lockout that produced a shortened 50-game season, and
believes that a similar outcome is possible this time around.
"I don't think there's any way for
anybody to know when the thing's going to end or not end," Fleisher
said. "I'm encouraged that both sides are meeting without talking about
it afterwards. That usually shows that they're at least engaged in
serious negotiations and aren't just posing. But that doesn't
necessarily mean that an end is in sight anytime soon."
