Chinese teams 'dream of' signing Garnett

Following news that Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is seeking $1.5 million per month to play in China during the NBA lockout, ESPN.com is reporting that Celtics forward Kevin Garnett "is another star various clubs in China dream of."

Garnett obviously has ties to the country as Chinese shoe company Anta sponsors the 14-time NBA All-Star, who already has a business trip to China planned later this summer. However, chances Garnett will be playing in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) when the league starts up again in January are minimal.

FIBA recently ruled that contracted NBA players could sign deals overseas as long as they immediately return to their respective teams once the lockout ends, and Garnett remains under contract with the Celtics for $21.2 million next season.

But CBA basketball authorities may prevent teams from signing NBA players to deals with opt-out clauses in order to avoid a "circus" that distracts from China's talent during a calendar year that includes the 2012 Olympics, according to the ESPN.com report. As a result, the league could not land Garnett, Bryant or anybody else under contract.

Should the CBA ban its teams from signing contracted NBA talent, players like Garnett could still organize exhibition tours against each other across the country. Of course, the Chinese government could go ahead and nix that, too.

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