Josh Childress: 'It Wasn't All About Money'
SportingNews
Last year, Hawks restricted free agent Josh Childress sent shockwaves around the league with the announcement that he was leaving Atlanta—and the NBA—to pursue a career with Olympiacos in Greece. Of course, Olympiacos offered Childress a three-year deal worth more than $20 million.
After a successful first year abroad, Childress had the opportunity to return to the NBA this season, but declined. Childress recently sat down with Sporting News' Sean Deveney to talk about the decision to play another season in Greece, the presence of Patrick Beverley and what might happen next summer.
Q: You had a good team last year, you made the Euroleague Final Four, but you seem to think you can be better this year.
A: Yes, we are better this year. We have a good group, and we have been together a year now, and we have added new pieces. We're looking better. We have Linas Kleiza from the Nuggets. We have Von Wafer. And Patrick Beverley, I am happy to be playing with him.
Q: I am from Chicago, like Patrick. I've seen a lot of him. He's a character.
A: Oh, definitely. He brings an energy, a lot of life to our team. He's a great personality, and sometimes when you have different cultures all coming together on one team, it's good to have that. He really helps us. Plus, he's a good player and a fiery compe or. He will be a good point guard in the NBA.
Q: Panathinaikos was the big problem for you last year. I think you had three losses to them.
A: Yes, they got us last year. We'll get them this year. We'll be better.
Q: You seem to enjoy playing in Europe. How has your experience been different than what you expected?
A: It has been tougher than I expected. I did not expect to come in and average 25 points per game, that is not my game. But it's like Von Wafer says all the time: It's still basketball, it's still something you love to do that is a never-ending challenge.
Q: Do you see yourself as a pioneer, as an NBA player who bucked history and played in Europe in his prime?
A: No, I don't put that kind of perspective on it. I got a good contract with a good team, and I took it.
Q: You had opportunities to come back to the NBA this summer, didn't you?
A: I did. I had good deals that were presented to me. I had multiple teams that were looking to sign me.
Q: How many teams?
A: Let's see. Six teams that were a possibility. But none of them really seemed to fit, and so I just decided fairly early on in the process to go back to Greece. I liked my first year; I am looking forward to a second year.
Q: Would you have gone back to the Hawks?
A: Well, I am a restricted free agent, so any offer I get from an NBA team, they can match. That would be up to them.
Q: Do you think next year, when more teams are expected to have cap space, do you think you will be back in the NBA then?
A: I would like to get back to the NBA, but I am not thinking that far ahead. I am enjoying my time now with my team in Greece. It's not like I sit around wishing I could go back to the NBA all the time. I am happy with my decision.
Q: When you were looking for a team this summer, rumors popped up that you would come to Cleveland and play with LeBron James. Did that come close?
A: It came pretty close. It was definitely something I considered a lot, where there was an offer made and all.
Q: What ultimately kept you from coming back? Money?
A: Sure, that plays a part in things, but for me, it was a small part. It was also opportunity. I felt like, everywhere I was getting offers from, they couldn't really tell me for sure what my role was. There was no specific situation that I thought was a better opportunity than what I had in Greece. People might not believe me, but it wasn't all about money.
Childress going to Europe was a great move for short-term money. But long term I think he would have made more money staying in the NBA.
His next contract most likely won't be anywhere near what he's making now. Olympiakos outbid Atlanta, but the NBA market interest for Childress won't be much a couple of years from now.
How the is that so? He makes $11 million a year in Olympiacos. No NBA team will pay him that at any time.
Bucks Expected To Pursue Childress Again
Bucks officials met in Milwaukee with restricted free agent Josh Childress during the past off-season, and GM John Hammond took a trip to Cleveland on Monday to watch him play for his Greek team, Olympiakos, in an exhibition against the Cavaliers.
The Atlanta Hawks retain the NBA rights to Childress, a 6-8 wing player who has an opt-out clause again next year in the three-year deal he signed with Olympiakos in 2008.
It wasn't all about money, I don't think Childress was really treated very well among the other Hawks. He probably wasn't respected.
It wasn't ALL about the money, just MOST of it...
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