Childress Leaving NBA for Euro League

Free agent Josh Childress, formerly of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, is apparently leaving the NBA to embark on a professional basketball career in the Euro League. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Childress has accepted a 3 year, $32.5 million offer from Olympiakos (Greece).

Veteran NBA writer Sam Smith discusses the recent phenomenon in which players are beginning to leave the NBA in order to play professionally in Europe (courtesy of Hoops Hype):

"(W)ith the decline in the value of the U.S. dollar and some hints of a recession even feeling its way around the NBA in the form of more teams cutting back big spending or declining to use their salary cap exceptions to avoid paying the luxury tax, NBA players are beginning to take a serious look at playing in Europe as a legitimate alternative."

More here.