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For those of you who still think the NBA player, overseas exodus is just an empty threat concocted by the players' union, there's more news on the horizon. Apparently, Kobe Bryant(notes) wants one million per month to play in Turkey and may get it.

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Yahoo! Sports' Mike J. Miller reported that Kobe plans to meet with executives from Turkish team, Besiktas, on Saturday, July 30th. According to the head of basketball operations for Besiktas, Seref Yalcin, "at the moment there's a 50 percent chance that Kobe may come to Turkey."

This news comes after it was confirmed that Deron Williams(notes) signed a conditional five million dollar deal with the Turkish team.

Further, Turkey's NTV Spor reports that Kobe Bryant's camp seeks one million dollars per month for the future Hall of Famer's services. In response, Besiktas exec Yalcin assured everyone that "money will not be a problem."

It had previously been rumored that Kobe might be interested in playing in Italy after Kobe responded to a question gauging his interest level with, "I wouldn't be opposed to it—You know how much I love Italy. I grew up there."

Now, it would appear that benjamins trump nostalgia for Mr. Bryant.

If one million per …

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YAHOO:Many fans in the Kezar Pavilion crowd groaned as Matt Barnes(notes) was pummeled from behind when he drove to the basket Thursday night. Los Angeles Lakers officials should be glad they weren’t among those watching. By the time the evening was over, Barnes had taken four hard fouls, reason enough for the Lakers to be concerned about the health of their oft-injured swingman.

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Barnes, however, wasn’t worried. He used the San Francisco Bay Area Pro-Am League – which boasts a distinguished group of alumni including Gary Payton, Jason Kidd(notes), Tim Hardaway, Steve Nash(notes) and Kevin Johnson – to test his surgically repaired right knee for the first time in an organized game since the end of the Lakers’ season. Barnes scored 28 points while playing most of the game, a 123-120 overtime loss for his Dream Team.

Afterward, Barnes said his knee was fine.

“My legs feel it the most,” Barnes told Yahoo! Sports. “Some shots at the end of the game I felt flat. Overall, after taking [nearly three months] off, and it’s my first time playing, it’s not too bad.

“I don’t mind the hard hits. That’s the way I play. I’m going to give them back just like I take them. I expect everyone’s …

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NBA: Basketball's governing body said Friday it will clear NBA players under contract to play in its leagues during the lockout, as long as they return once it's over.

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In a ruling that paves the way for players to earn a paycheck, FIBA agreed with NBA and players' association officials that players are free to sign anywhere but do so at their own risk of injury.
"As the world governing body for basketball, we strongly hope that the labor dispute will be resolved as soon as possible, and that the NBA season is able to begin as scheduled," secretary general Patrick Baumann said in a statement.
"In view of our role to promote basketball worldwide, we support any player wishing to play the game, wherever and whenever. We do so while obviously taking the interests, rights and obligations of all parties into account."
Playing overseas has emerged as an option for NBA players during a work stoppage that threatens to last months and could even wipe out the entire season. Nets All-Star Deron Williams has a deal with Turkish club Besiktas -- which is also courting Kobe Bryant -- and most top players said they would consider playing.
Union executive director Billy Hunter has endorsed the idea, with players believing …

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