This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Jazz rookie center Enes Kanter is considering playing professional ball in China next season if the NBA lockout persists.

Kanter's agent, Max Ergul, told The Salt Lake Tribune on Friday that his client has official offers from two Chinese teams. Ergul does not want Kanter to miss another year of basketball, and he will seriously weigh the offers if the lockout stretches into late September.

"It's very interesting stuff," said Ergul, who said he could not reveal the names of the clubs because details of the negotiations are still confidential. "We'll be entertaining those ideas as well as the lockout progresses. He's a ballplayer — he has to play."

Kanter will compete for Turkey during the 2011 EuroBasket tournament, which is scheduled from Aug. 31 to Sept. 18 in Lithuania. He is expected to be scouted by the Chinese teams that have made the offers during the tournament.

If the lockout does not end by late September and Kanter decides not to play pro ball overseas, he plans to work out with trainer Tim Grover, who also has ties with Chinese teams.

Ergul said that Kanter will not return to the University Kentucky to informally practice with NBA players during the lockout.

Kanter was selected by the Jazz with the No. 3 overall pick during the 2011 NBA Draft.

Brian T. Smith

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