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Turkey 07.07.2011, 11:43 Redazione Sportando - E. Carchia 15

Besiktas agreed to terms with Deron Williams?

Unbelievable news from Turkey confirmed also by ESPN

SECOND UPDATE FROM ESPN:  Williams' newly hired agent, Jeff Schwartz, on Thursday confirmed a report from the Turkey-based sports outlet NTV Spor that the All-Star point guard has struck an agreement in principal to play for Besiktas, which is the club that briefly employed Allen Iverson last season.
Schwartz confirmed Williams' intentions to ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher but would not disclose contract terms. One source told Bucher that Williams has agreed to a one-year deal in the "low seven figures."
"If they try to stop him," one source said of Williams, "the union will fight it."



UPDATE FROM NYTIMES: "We confirm” the contract with Williams, said Ergin Ataman, the coach of the Turkish team Besiktas, in a telephone interview Thursday.
Ataman said that the deal should become official in the next 24 hours and that Besiktas’s president, Seref Yalcin, would join Williams for a news conference in the United States next week.


UPDATE FROM ESPN: New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams is planning to play in Turkey in the fall if the NBA lockout has not yet been settled, according to sources with knowledge of Williams' thinking.
Sources on Thursday confirmed a report from the Turkey-based sports outlet NTV Spor that Williams has struck an agreement in principal to play for Besiktas-Sources say Williams will not be required to report to the Turkish club before the end of August or early September and that his deal with them will include an immediate out that allows him to return to the NBA as soon as the work stoppage ends.

According to some Turkish sources, Deron Williams might get $200k per month after taxes with Besiktas. As reported by his European agent, Williams will have a chaffeur, the personal security and assistance 24/7.

Turkish TV Ntvspor (one of the most important sport channels in Turkey) announced few minutes ago that Besiktas agreed to terms with Deron Williams. The American point guard is expected to sign the contract any day and stay in Turkey until the lockout ends. The Turkish team is waiting for paperwork, according to latest rumors.
Ataman, coach of Besiktas, said, specifically referring to Deron Williams: ''We are in talks with Williams. He is a bigger star than Iverson and would be the best player in Europe.We are are close to an agreement,''he said. According to the coach, also with Zaza Pachulia the team is close to agreeing in principle. Pachulia has also Turkish passaport.

Even if Deron Williams signs the contract, he has to wait for FIBA's decision. D-Will has to obtain a letter of clearance from FIBA.

Williams started his NBA career with Utah Jazz and during the last regular season was traded to New Jersey Nets.
In NBA Williams, who also won a Gold Medal at Olympic Games in Beijing, has played 451 games averaging 17.2ppg, 3.2rpg and 9.2apg

Besiktas last season landed another NBA star, Allen Iverson who has played in Turkey few months before the injury.  

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