FRIDAY, 9:37am: The Flying Tigers won’t be signing Robinson, Pick hears (Twitter link).
MONDAY, 8:46am: Nate Robinson will work out soon for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association, as sources tell Nick Bedard of Basketball Buddha and as international journalist David Pick confirms (Twitter link). The three-time NBA slam dunk champ has been on the market since clearing waivers from the Pelicans, who surprisingly waived him two days after he started for the team on opening night. It’s unclear what sort of deal it would take for Xinjiang to land the Aaron Goodwin client, though with the team tied for first place, a signing for the rest of the normally brief Chinese season is liable to keep Robinson off the market until late March if the Flying Tigers make the finals.
The 31-year-old Robinson has yet to play professionally overseas, having appeared in the NBA each season since he was the 21st overall pick in 2005. An injury helped keep him from finishing the season in the NBA last year, when the Clippers decided against re-signing him after his pair of 10-day contracts expired. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said his team preferred Toney Douglas, whom New Orleans signed the day after Robinson’s October release.
The Flying Tigers have former NBA big man Andray Blatche in the midst of a three-year deal. They also have ex-Lakers player Andrew Goudelock, who’s been playing well, but both Bedard and Pick speculate that he would be the one to go should the team sign Robinson (Twitter link).
I wonder if Nate has lost a step. He didn’t look great during the last few seasons.