Could Austin Daye be the next European player to sign a deal in Europe for the 2011-12 season? Early on in the NBA lockout, Daye publicly noted his concern in The Detroit News, questioning whether “going the distance mean [canceling] the whole season? I hope not,” adding that “My main concern is getting to training camp, but my job is to get better in the offseason until things are resolved.”
Today, the multilingual Sportando has Daye quoted – albeit in Italian from an unnamed source – that “At the moment […] I think there could definitely be an option if I feel the need to play. The third year is the most important of all. If the [NBA] season doesn’t start, I might even decide to go to Europe.”
It’s a viable option for Daye, who was reportedly contacted by AJ Milano about the possibility of suiting up for the Euroleague side three weeks ago: his father Darren Daye played Continental ball for eight seasons in the late 1980s/early 90s in France, Italy and Israel, including stints with Scavolini Pesaro (highlighted by a stint on the 1989-90 Serie A champion team), Hapoel Galil Elyon and Pau-Orthez, among others.
In his 2010-11 season with the Detroit Pistons, the former Gonzaga Bulldog averaged 7.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
