NBA in Europe still a hot topic

NEW ORLEANS — Reaction was mixed this weekend to talk that the NBA still is exploring the possibility of creating a five-team European division sometime in the next decade.

"How do you that? Is it all (Europeans on the) teams? Are they gonna have some NBA guys over there?" Jazz All-Star Carlos Boozer asked. "I think there's a lot to be refined and ironed out before it can come to fruition."

Boozer doesn't doubt that there would be enough quality players to expand the league.

"There's tons of talent," he said. "That's not gonna be a problem."

But other questions abound.

How would scheduling and road trips work? Could someone be traded from an American team to a European club? In which country's currency would players be paid?

"I think it just depends on where the cities are and what the scheduling would be like," Boozer said. "I think all of us would love to go over to Europe and play a little bit, but I don't know about a lot."

NBA Commissioner David Stern dismissed the notion that players would not be interested or available, saying "more and more elite players are bouncing the ball rather than kicking it."

Stern also said, "We don't think travel is an issue."

While no immediate announcement for such expansion is planned, Stern added Saturday, contemplation of the idea is ongoing.

"It's an interesting subject," the commissioner said.

"What we've always said was that if there were the appropriate arena structure, if there were the appropriate fan affinity, and there was the price structuring that would be necessary for a team to compete in the NBA," he added, "then it would seem to be an opportunity for us to grow."

Stern said the league has seen the affinity "in small ways" and "good signs" in arena development.

In fact, NBA-ready venues already exist, are being built or are in the planning stages in London, Berlin, Rome and Madrid, Spain.

Boston Celtics All-Star Ray Allen sounded a bit more enthusiastic than Boozer about the idea.

"I think it definitely shrinks the world, and to shrink the world through a sport that I play is awesome," he said.

"I welcome that idea to be able to travel on a consistent basis," Allen added. "As much as I travel between the United States of America, through all these great cities and states, I get to see much and so many different cultures and people. To be able to extend that to Europe — I think that would do wonders not only for basketball, but for people and cultures in the world."

Allen had a pragmatic answer to the issue of some players having to live on another continent.