The Sporting News is reporting that Sixers first round pick, center Nikola Vucevic is close to signing a contract to play for a team in Montenegro, the country where he was born. The deal will reportedly include an out clause that would allow him to leave if and when the NBA season starts. If this deal happens, Vucevic would be the first incoming rookie to sign a deal to play overseas.
↵So is this is a good thing or not? If you’re the Sixers you probably would rather not see the guy you just invested the 16th pick in risking injury by playing overseas. For Vucevic however, it is a chance to play competitive basketball and make some money while the NBA deals with it’s labor situation. Plus, since he’ll be playing competitively, he’ll be in shape and ready to hit the ground running whenever NBA training camps do eventually begin.