Last summer, Europe was a threat for indignant NBA stars like Andrei Kirilenko. This year, the Old World leagues are having a measure of actual NBA impact, grabbing a would-be one-and-done teenager and pulling NBA-level players like Juan Carlos Navarro and Jorge Garbajosa. Add Carlos Delfino, as a Hebrew-to-English translation from Detroit Bad Boys reveals the former Piston and Raptor has signed with Khimki Moscow.

Delfino was one of 3,000 marginal swingmen in Toronto last season, splitting minutes with Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, Jason Kapono, Joey Graham, Andrea Bargnani, and Juan Dixon. The Piston had been rumored to be interested in bringing the Argentine (a fan favorite in Motown) back to Detroit. Truth be told, adding another swingman with the roster in flux (pending Joe Dumars' plans) wouldn't have been prudent at this juncture. Delfino has a secure income early in the transaction period this way; he might have been awaiting an NBA answer as late as Labor Day.

The interesting note to me: Khimki won't compete at Europe's top level next season. The team isn't one of the 16 set for the Euroleague competition, instead a contestant in the ULEB Eurocup. Khimki is said to also be chasing Garbajosa, and is most certainly making a play to get into the Euroleague in 2009-10. Still, it's a bit nutty that a legit NBA player like Delfino would opt for Europe's second tier -- and maybe only the third best team in Moscow -- over waiting out a new NBA deal.