Will Freeland and/or Claver go back to Europe?

[Rastapopoulos]

There's almost a tradition of Eurostars who try the NBA going back after a season or two. Navarro was second team all-rookie but went back to be a star. Spanoulis gave the Rockets a try, butted heads with Van Gundy, and also left. Rudy, Sergio, Viktor and Sergei all went back pretty quickly and are all doing fine on good European teams (Viktor earning more than he could ever expect over here). So: given their underwhelming (and no doubt frustrating) season, will our most recent two head back?

Freeland should go back, and I say that as a loyal Brit who was very pleased to see him come over. He's never going to be more than a poor man's Nick Collison AT BEST, and what he's earning now might be his ceiling. Meanwhile, he could probably get an offer of that much from CSKA Moscow or Barcelona. Two things might keep him here: money drying up in Europe because of the financial crisis, and the fact that he does actually speak English.

Meanwhile, Claver should actually stay: he's a much more intuitive player (because he always played, unlike Freeland who just tried it because he was tall) and it shows. BUT: the lure back home for him might be greater because he was earning money and fame in his home country, and he hasn't exactly become fluent.

Has anybody heard anything? (I read somewhere that Prigioni was planning to go back to Europe, having scratched his NBA itch.)

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Claver won't go back.

Freeland probably won't either. But even if he does there is no reason to go back until his contract is up. He is making good money here (even more than he was making overseas).

Personally I don't see either going back until after their second contract at worst. There are scenarios where Freeland and Claver are the first backup off the bench at their position next year (not great scenarios but they exist depending on free-agency).