Boykins becomes latest NBA player to sign overseas
CLEVELAND -- Unrestricted free agent Earl Boykins signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal Tuesday to play with Virtus Bologna of the Italian league, the latest NBA player to sign a deal with an overseas club.
Andy Bountogianis of the Cleveland-based Mark Termini Associates Inc. sports agency, confirmed the signing.
The 32-year-old point guard will be the highest-paid player in Italy for the 2008-09 season. He also will participate in the sponsorship and marketing income of the team.
The 5-foot-5 Boykins, who played at Eastern Michigan, has been in the NBA for 10 years, and averaged 9.4 points. He played for the Charlotte Bobcats last season and has also played for the New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks.
On Monday, Carlos Arroyo, who played for Orlando the past two seasons, announced that he has signed a one-year deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv, an Israeli club. Josh Childress announced last month that he was leaving the Atlanta Hawks for Greek club Olympiakos.
Also last month, Nenad Krstic left the Nets and Carlos Delfino and Jorge Garbajosa left the Toronto Raptors to sign with a Russian team.
In June, Juan Carlos Navarro rejoined FC Barcelona after a one-season stint with the Memphis Grizzlies.
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