Is the Euro Exodus Beginning?

First, Charlie Bell nearly went overseas. An American opting for Europe over the NBA would've been a real eye-opener. Then, Andrei Kirilenko suggests that he'd be willing to give up millions to play in front of his people year-round.

You can add one definite, and one maybe, to this growing list. SPORT (translated by Hoops Hype) tells us that dispelled Warrior and singing hero Sarunas Jasikevicius is headed to Panathinaikos, reigning champs of the Euroleague. He'll get about $9.8 mill for two years, plus some money to help with the buyout. Jasikevicius's arrival in the NBA was supposed to be a big deal. But he never really found a niche, and certainly never got a chance to matter like he does internationally.

And Sasha Pavlovic, who may or may not be key to the Cavs' future, is at very least using Europe as leverage in his contract talks. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, the two parties are nowhere close to agreeing on a figure; as a restricted free agent, Pavlovic has to go back for at least one season unless he heads for another league.

Jasikevicius is the poster child for this movement, since his NBA salary was relatively low and his contract would be high by European standards. Pavlovic has much more in common with Kirilenko; as famous as AK-47 is, no non-NBA team could ever afford to pay him a max-type deal. Pavlovic, on other hand, simply benefits from inflation. He'd be good in Europe, probably, but "good" over there just don't pay like it does here. That's why, in the end, both those guys will probably find a way to suck it up and play in the NBA in 2007-08.