Leandro Barbosa doesn’t feel like sitting around doing nothing if the NBA lockout extends into the basketball season.
The AP reports:
Toronto Raptors guard Leandro Barbosa has signed a deal to play in his native Brazil.
Barbosa signed with Rio de Janeiro-based club Flamengo. The deal includes a clause that would allow him to return to the NBA if the lockout ends.
A statement on Flamengo’s website says Barbosa signed Thursday. Details of the deal weren’t released.
Barbosa was the third leading scorer on the Raptors last season, averaging 13.3 points per game. The team had the third worst record in the league, finishing 22-60.
It’s likely that over the next couple weeks, plenty of other bench-level NBA players will take this route.