It's an interesting thought, not just for patty mills, but maybe we could get some guys out as imports who need the run. I'm not talking allstars but bench guys who need to keep their game in check with regular hit outs.

It would be good to see the NBL employ a 1 year salary exemption for a marquee type player while the lockout is on. Bringing in guys like Keyon Dooling, Kyle Lowry, luke Ridnour etc etc would be a good way to expose the league to the US market.

damn straight.

Still a very long shot at this stage, but it would be exciting if the league were able to get their hands on a few NBA players, including Patty, for one season!

I suspect costs would be too prohibitive in the end though. Not only the salary they would want, but if they are still contracted to an NBA team, that team would demand a massive insurance policy to let them play.

it all depends on how their insurance will cover them

Who cares what they want in regards to money. If there is no other Basketball in USA that pays them money than you can put your price out there and see who bites.

Maybe not likely, but Adelaide would have to be a chance. Patty already has an involvement with the club, buying seats at the Dome to reward diligent indigenous students with game tickets.

I have been reading about it a fair bit, and they any player who is under contract would need permission to play somewhere else but Brandon Jennings is under contract and is very keen to go back to Europe and is looking for legal loop holes. Unless Portland sign Patty by the end of the season he will be out of contract and allowed to play where he wants to. I could see someone like Mills playing in Australia as he could get an NBA out clause (probably harder to get in Europe) so if the season starts again half way through like what happened with the last lock out

Patty is good enough to play in the NBA, and in all honesty, another two years in the league and Miller will be on the out with Portland. He could have a good chance at starting for them at the point if he applies himself.

Technically if he plays NBL, it has to be here. The moment he bought a Crows jersey, he signed a pact with South Australia.

Can someone explain this NBA lockout please?

Hedo888 a quick recap is that the current agreement with the players runs out on the 30th June and is just like every other agreement they have to negotiate a new one, the problem is the NBA and the owners reckon the are losing $300 million a year and want to drop the cap and even make a hard cap (can not go over it). The players of course don't want this as the can't earn as much and if nothing is agreed on by the start of next season there will be no game. Same thing happend before the last agreement and they only ended up playing 50 games. This time the reports are the owners have more pull this time around and wouldn't mind saving money if there are no games.

About time the obscene salaries and money in general in the NBA was brought into check.

Anon 1 thanks for your input very informative.
Anon 2 he is not leaving the NBA there is a chance for a possible lock out and he said he might play in Europe or Australia if there is.

Gotta love people who make categorical statements with no supporting evidence like they are some undisputable authority. There is no way anyone other than Patty can be certain he won't play NBL next year. And sure, Patty might never be a starting NBA PG, but the way he has improved this season, you can't rule it out! The potential for both to happen is there.

Let's not forget that Mills was able to do a lot of similar things in college to what Stephen Curry did. Curry just didn't have the same injury disruptions and has had a massive advantage in his introduction to the NBA because of his dad's knowledge and connections. It shows the potential is there if he keeps developing his game and has a little luck.

Pretty good chance considering what America did with their Baseball season years ago

Has family here and a shack near the river so if he was to play in the NBL I would be surprised if he didn't play here...

As for Europe, it's possible but with all the other players who would be bigger names and able to get more than they would in the NBA, it's unlikely Mills would get an easy shot to a good European club...

If a full season lockout occurs

He may head to Europe but the influx of players in similar positions as Patty will cause more competition for those positions,

as big as the Euro circuit is they have limits on import spots, some of those spots are filled with already very talented players.

Either way I see some very talented individuals coming into our league either from the NBA or being pushed from there spot in other leagues, just due to the fact they need to play somewhere...why not the NBL??

That's assuming money is his main motivation.

Anon #305591, I didn't say Patty will be a career starting PG that will dominate or anything. I said you can't rule out the possibility that he will be a starting PG in the NBA at some time or another. Sebastian Telfair started at least 30 games in his first five seasons in the NBA! Sebastian Telfair! I've seen Patty make more nice assists for Portland in the last 20 games than I saw Bassy make in an entire season playing for the Celtics!

I agree that Curry is clearly the superior player right now. I was just trying to point out that in college, Patty was not that far behind him at one stage. Look at the mock drafts on Draft Express and for the latter part of 2008, both were pegged to be taken in the 10-20 range.

Anyway, in the off-season, I was more negative about Patty's chances because he appeared to be on the outer behind Miller, Bayless and Johnson. But instead, Bayless was sent packing and Patty has beaten out the highly regarded Johnson to be Miller's backup. Not only that, he has played well and Nate has showed enough trust in him to play him in the 4th quarter with the game on the line. Those achievements made me sit up and take notice. It shows Patty has the right mindset to succeed in the NBA. He certainly has the speed and the shooting. It will just come down to how well he can defend his position and how much he improves his playmaking.

edit: that should read "Sebastian Telfair started at least 30 games in EACH OF his first five seasons in the NBA!"

Patty will be an NBA starter one day.

If you don't believe me ask Marcus Camby or We Matthews

36ers should just sign Carmelo Anthony - he is way better than Patty Mills.

Patty will be a starter sooner or later. lock it up.
With the way he's getting the playing time and the task McMillan put on him on the court tells us something he is heeding to. Its turning out to be a very smooth development for Patty rather than letting him burn again those players he burns in Beijing.
Fact: Curry is overrated. thanks to his dad who's got connections that he even make it to NBA National Team Pool.

^^thats how they are anon. Curry is overrated as much as you guys hated Mills for torching up and outplaying your combined best PGs of Kidd/Paul/Williams in Beijing Olympics.

you'll just keep on pissing yourself up while watching how the Blazers developing Mills to become one. Just watch them as they play today against the Celtics.

and here's for you if you're one of those who pesistenly worried about his height:

http://www.blazersedge.com/2011/1/7/1920536/blazers-chatter-friday-edition-patty-mills

Yeh sure...Mills will play for the Sixers!

So will Ingles, Newley, Bogut, Andersen and others!

^^why not if it will help to promote the game in the country.

Spinner, despite the sarcasm in your comment, if you remove Bogut (since he loves the Kings, he'd play for them) and Anderson (Hawks man), the rest of your list is certainly possible.

I wish that was true Marty!!

Could almost go Import free -

Herbert / Carter
Newley / Hill
Ingles / Creek
Ballinger / Holmes
Schencher / Johnson

If no Luke - perhaps fill that one with an import.

Anon, Considering Bogut has stated in several interviews that "He always followed the Kings; they're his favourite NBL side" and "He wanted the Kings back in the league" and "growing up, he always wanted to play for the Kings prior to College", I would have assumed that Yes, he would play for the Kings:

a) If they're still around
b) He wants to play ball back in Aus at some stage.

We'll just add your blind optimism to the rest of our comments. Welcome to the family of Jokers.