Tyson Chandler Says He Won’t Play In China During Lockout
Free-agent center Tyson Chandler has turned down an offer to play basketball in China during the NBA lockout, according to ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth.
“I was considering it but I don’t think I’m going to do it,” Chandler told ESPN in a text message. “It was hard to turn down.”
Chandler, 29, helped lead the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA championship over the Miami Heat last summer. In 74 games, he averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game on the veteran-laden Dallas squad.
Chandler’s decision comes just days after NBA guard J.R. Smith injured himself in his first game with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. The former Denver Nuggets star signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Chinese team this fall in a similar fashion to other NBA players who have looked overseas for a paycheck during the NBA’s labor stoppage.
