In another sign that teams should think twice before drafting foreign players late in the first round or later, Serge Ibaka has snubbed the Sonics -- I mean Thunder, or whatever the Oklahoma City team is going to be called -- for the Spanish club Ricoh Manresa. Ibaka was the 24th overall pick in the draft.
The issue of draft picks getting more money overseas than the NBA's rookie pay scale will allow them to make here is, in my opinion, a much bigger problem than Josh Childress going to Greece. Teams spend countless hours and resources spanning the globe for talent, then spend a valuable draft pick on a player only to see him walk away for more money.
The Spurs got bitten by this phenomena when their 2007 first-round pick, Tiago Splitter, signed with a Spanish team and this summer re-upped through 2012. Same with the Suns and 2008 second-round pick Goran Dragic.
The Knicks also lost 1999 first-round pick Frederic Weis ... oh, never mind.
The point is, the opportunity for international players to play in the NBA is going to shrink if more teams get burned by this. Who's interested in wasting draft picks on a player who may never suit up for you?
As with all of these deals, Ibaka has an opt-out clause after each season so he reserves the right to return to the NBA. Seems to me the players have all the protection under the current rules and the teams that draft them are at a disadvantage.