Agent: Warriors' Biedrins may look at Europe
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Posted: July 24, 2008
Sean Deveney
Sporting News


Monta Ellis has signed a contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, the team announced Thursday. While that might be an important ice-breaker in terms of the status of restricted free agents across the NBA, and while it secures one of Golden State's most valuable young assets, it also raises a key question: What about center Andris Biedrins?

Biedrins, who is a restricted free agent, is in a tenuous position. The Warriors might be hesitant to giving out two big contracts in one summer. Not a problem, says one of Biedrins' agents, Rade Filipovich of BDA Sports. If anyone is a candidate to join the trickle of NBA players going to Europe, it is Biedrins.


"It would not be difficult for him," Filipovich told Sporting News Thursday night. "We have had good meetings with Golden State, but we want to keep open all opportunities for him. He is in a good position. It would be no problem for him to play in Europe."

Biedrins is a native of Latvia, and Russia is a short flight from his hometown of Riga. Biedrins has not gotten to the point of negotiating with European teams, and Filipovich added that Biedrins has not initiated contact with any teams abroad. But at least three Russian teams have been in contact with Biedrins in pursuit of him.

"Russia is not far for him," Filipovich said. "The language, all of that. It would almost be like going home for him."

While Biedrins is still negotiating with Golden State -- and wants to stay put -- he is at least exploring his European options, a possibility that is increasingly palatable among NBA players with Josh Childress, Carlos Delfino and Bostjan Nachbar recently choosing to play overseas.

Though he is not at the point of negotiating with foreign teams, Biedrins still could be signed away quickly. The Childress negotiations took a matter of weeks, and Russian teams can move even more swiftly. "People in Europe can be very aggressive," Filipovich said. "They know what Andris is all about. They know he is a legitimate big man. How many seven-footers who can run up and down the court do you see on the street? You can't just grow guys like him."

It's doubtful, though, that the Warriors would let the 22-year-old Biedrins -- one of the league's few legitimate young centers -- get away, especially not after losing point guard Baron Davis this summer. There have been rumors of sign-and-trades, and Filipovich said Biedrins was open to that option. But Golden State is selling fans on its youth movement, with Biedrins and Ellis as the centerpieces.

Biedrins had been seeking a five-year, $60 million extension before last season. He then averaged 10.5 points and 9.8 rebounds, shooting a league-best 62.6 percent. Filipovich could not say what Biedrins was looking for, contract-wise, but a source said he is seeking a deal in the same neighborhood this time around.

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