Kobe Bryant to Turkey

Besiktas already has such a deal in place with the Nets' Derron Williams, believed to be for about $350,000 a month. But the New York Daily News reports Bryant's asking price is more in the neighborhood of $1 million per month.

Besiktas coach Ergin Ataman told the AP the team would need a sponsor to cover a deal with Kobe and that "Our board will evaluate that."

Bryant is on a tour in China but has mentioned China and Turkey as possible places to stay on the court while the lockout is negotiated.

Dwight Howard has also talked about playing overseas and Nets guard Sasha Vujacic -- aka the future husband of Maria Sharapova -- signed last week with the Turkish team of Anadolu Efes.

Among those who find all of this this troubling is former NBA player Penny Hardaway. He told the Orlando Sentinel that: "It's definitely not a good look. It's not a good look because it means you're not caring about what's going on over here, you're just gonna go and make money. But hey, that's the way it works. Every guy has a right to do whatever they want to do and would just say good luck to those guys who are gonna go do that."

What do you say? Will the NBA really let negotiations drag on so long that there's an exodus of marquee talent, or is this just posturing by the players? Source: usatoday.com, Tom Weir