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Former Sydney Kings owner and one-time basketball supremo Bob Turner who, until recently, had been working with an Australian promoter to bring James out to tour Australia said he'd heard about other "potential tours". "I heard this latest one (rumour) this morning, so who knows?" said Turner. Turner said insuring marquee players like James and Bryant was "pricey" but could be done. "If you play in big enough venues and charge the right prices, you can make it work." Brisbane Times

Lockout, Australia, Sydney Kings, Bob Turner 

It is cold comfort to the Kings now, with the club winless from two games heading into tough weekend fixtures against the 36ers in Adelaide tomorrow night before the NSW clash with Wollongong at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Sunday. "I wanted to play so bad, I even spoke to Bruce and said screw the insurance let's just go out there and play," Bogut said. "But when you sit back and look at it, if something does happen, trying to be a hero and something does happen, it's not going to be good for myself or my family. "It was a stressful time for us. It's a shame it didn't work out. "Some people were saying it was just a publicity stunt. But we've got the call logs and emails sent at 4am to prove we were desperate to play." Daily Telegraph

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

Superstar centre Andrew Bogut says he will definitely look at playing in the NBL towards the end of his career, after attempts to suit up for the Sydney Kings were stymied by the failure to finalise an insurance policy. The Milwaukee Bucks star became available to play in the NBL because of the current NBA lockout, with players and club owners yet to reach agreement on a new collective bargaining deal. Sydney Morning Herald

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut, Sydney Kings 

While disappointed that the first two weeks of the NBA season have been cancelled, Patty Mills is focused on the Melbourne Tigers. "I've been watching what's going on over there, but I haven't been heavily involved in anything. I've been focused on this so much," said Mills, who will line- up for the Tigers against Perth Wildcats on Friday night. "Just hearing what happened (with the game cancellations) gives me even more of a reason to focus on the job at hand here and that's going to sort itself out one way or another. "That's where I want to be playing, in Portland and the NBA, but it is what it is. It's out of my control and there's nothing I can do. But I'm moving on with the Tigers." Melbourne Herald-Sun

Portland Trail Blazers, Patrick Mills, Lockout, Australia 

Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge will take a closer look at his overseas options. Aldridge said he is attracted to possibly playing in Spain, Turkey or Australia. He isn’t optimistic the lockout will end soon. Yahoo! Sports

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge, Lockout, Spain, Turkey, Australia 

Andrew Bogut: So I guess im in Australia a little longer.... Twitter

Milwaukee Bucks, CBA, Lockout, NBPA, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

The sport's governing body, FIBA, which had been trying to negotiate an insurance deal between Bogut's management and the insurance companies, made it clear a deal to appease both sides was not going to happen, and a day after announcing he wanted to play for the Kings, Bogut's NBL career was over before it began. ''It's very disappointing but that's the nature of professional sport really,'' Bogut's manager Bruce Kaider said yesterday. ''We tried, and that's part of the reason why the talks took as long as they did because we were trying every angle we possibly could to get the policy to work. Brisbane Times

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

''But the reality was last night we got to a point at about 11.30 where FIBA said: ''Look that is it, the insurers are not going to move any more, this is their final position.'' Unfortunately that didn't give us adequate cover to protect Andrew and as such the deal fell over.'' Brisbane Times

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

Kaider said it's ''business as usual'' for Bogut as he will continue to train and await the end of the NBA lockout. ''He needs to get on with things now,'' Kaider said. ''It's been a distraction over the last week for him because he's been up late at night with us [as they negotiated with overseas insurers] wading through information, and then on the phone early in the morning, and he said his training has been a bit disrupted because of everything that was going on. I think he was keen to get into the gym this morning, having a good blow-out and getting back on track.'' Brisbane Times

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

Andrew Bogut: Got news overnight that the insurance would not cover me to play @NBL . I am hugely disappointed. I thank you all for your support. Twitter

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

Bogut had hoped to play for the Sydney team in the Australian national league (NBL). Two other teams - Adelaide and Gold Coast - also had expressed interest in signing Bogut. Bauman said Bogut needed coverage for the $39.5 million and three years remaining on the 7-foot center's contract with the Bucks. "If Andrew goes back with a broken leg or a broken ankle, the Bucks might say, 'Cancel the contract,' " Bauman said in a phone interview Thursday. "This is something players get, but the Bucks still might be in a position, given a new CBA (collective bargaining agreement), to terminate the deal. "There was no way to resolve that type of issue. It was too much of a risk." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

Bauman said he had calls from many insurance carriers, but the coverage could have cost as much as $1 million to cover Bogut's deal with the Bucks. "The teams in Australia were great and the NBA players union was very supportive," Bauman said. "They bent over backwards to try to help. "But it's just too big of a nut. That's why you won't see Kobe (Bryant) or LeBron (James) or KG (Kevin Garnett) playing overseas. This is the undercurrent of the business we do." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

Instead the news Robilliard got as he gathered his team in Melbourne to prepare for their NBL season opener with the Tigers and their NBA star Patty Mills was that the deal had fallen through at the 11th hour. "I thought it was a done deal and I was actually advised before I jumped on a plane to Melbourne (on Thursday) that it was only one or two words on the insurance policy that had to change," Robilliard told AAP. "That was the mail that I was told ... It was that close. "But I guess when you're insuring $40 million on a temporary and permanent disability policy there's one or two words that can significantly change the focus of an insurance policy." Sydney Morning Herald

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

Agent David Bauman said Thursday that a deal to put Bogut on the court with the Sydney Kings is "off" because insuring the nearly $40 million remaining on the 7- footer's contract with the Milwaukee Bucks is not feasible. "He's very disappointed because he was hoping to help the profile of the NBL and bring in new fans," Bauman said after speaking to Bogut by phone. "But the risks for his outstanding money were too great." ESPN.com

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut, Sydney Kings 

Gery Woelfel: Andrew Bogut quite disappointed an insurance arrangement couldn`t be worked out to play in Australia. Really wanted to promote the game ... Twitter

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut, Sydney Kings 

Marc Stein: Andrew Bogut's agent David Bauman tells ESPN.com that deal w/Sydney Kings is "off" because of insurance obstacles, not on hold. Link on way Twitter

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut, Sydney Kings 

Andrew Bogut has committed to joining the Sydney Kings on the provision he is able to secure an insurance policy for his whopping $39 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. Bogut had been linked to short-term deals with several NBL clubs while the NBA lockout over a pay dispute continues, but today the Australian Boomers star confirmed that Sydney was his club of choice. West Australian

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut, Sydney Kings 

Bogut's management company announced the decision to play with Sydney via Twitter this afternoon. "Update on (Andrew Bogut). He is committed to the (NBL). He would like to play for (the Sydney Kings). Insurance is still not finalised," One Management Group posted. "As such he will not be playing tomorrow night against Melbourne. We will continue to try and resolve the insurance policy. West Australian

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut, Sydney Kings 

Bogut has made only one key demand of the Sydney Kings that no Australian player be sacked because of his arrival. "It was the first thing he said to us," Kings general manager David Wolf revealed last night. "Which is why this situation surrounding his place in the NBL, it hasn't been a distraction for us. "Our guys know that, no matter what happens, everyone's future is safe. No one is leaving. So we're ready to take on Melbourne this Friday night without Andrew ... although, if everything falls into place, it's no secret we'd love to have him out there in a purple and gold singlet." Daily Telegraph

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut 

Melbourne Tigers will find out less than 24 hours before tip-off if they will face the biggest name in Australian basketball in their NBL season-opener against the Sydney Kings tomorrow night. The Tigers expect to know today whether NBA superstar Andrew Bogut wants to play for Sydney and if his insurance policy saga will be resolved in time for him to make that call before the Kings head to Melbourne. The Age

Milwaukee Bucks, Lockout, Australia, Andrew Bogut