Comments on: Europe Will Never Threaten the NBA

By: Could Greek Team Offer LeBron $40 or $50 Million a Season? | Larry Brown Sports

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:49 +0000

[...] as I had finished penning my “Euro Leagues will never threaten the NBA” post, I came across the Ian Thomsen story on SI saying a Greek team may take a run at LeBron [...]

By: SpinMax

SpinMax — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:31:14 +0000

Part of their offers being officially unofficial, is because of the situation and him being under contract
with Pittsbugh still. The IIHF declared that if he went back to Russia he’d be shitlisted, not be eligible
for olympics and so on. Here’s a couple excerpts of why Russia can afford him and the IIHF ruling:

The Continental League, which has the financial backing of a number of Russia’s oil billionaires, is trying to stem the flow of young talent to North America, without much luck. Even Nikita Filatov, projected to be the top Russian in this year’s draft, stated unequivocally yesterday that he wanted to play in the NHL, as soon as possible because it was the best league in the world; and that the Russian league has too many weak franchises, where the crowds are small and uninspiring.

A statement from IIHF president Rene Fasel issued Friday discounted the report, noting that, “although there will be no imminent Player Transfer Agreement between the IIHF and the NHL, all involved parties are in principal agreement to honour each other’s contracts. The NHL has informed the IIHF that this will be the policy of the league during the period without a PTA, and conversely, the IIHF has obligated its member national federations and leagues to do the same in its relations with the NHL.”

By: Larry Brown

Larry Brown — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:15:54 +0000

I know he signed the big extension with the Penguins this off-season, but I didn’t know they were offering him that much in Russia. I just saw some of the reports. Malkin’s agent said they never got a contract offer from a Russian team, but there was “talk” that some Russian teams would offer that much. He must really not have wanted to go back to Russia if they were offering double the amount he could get here

By: SpinMax

SpinMax — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:59:15 +0000

The Russian team was proposing 12.5mill per year tax free.

He resigned with pittsburgh for 5yrs 43.5mill

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_470833.html

That was when he first came to the states. They’d pay anything to get him back over there.

By: Larry Brown

Larry Brown — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:18:22 +0000

For some of the mid-level players who have a chance to make a lot more money, it makes a lot of sense. I’m not sure a Russian team could have offered Malkin more than the Pens though because they’re paying him a good amount of $$

By: SpinMax

SpinMax — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:01:06 +0000

If I were in their situations I’d go overseas too. You don’t have to pay taxes, you’re treated like a god,
everyone knows who you are, etc. I think Evgeni Malkin made a mistake by not going back to Russia.
I also think Bobby Valentine made a great decision in going to Japan and staying there.