NBA stars wave 'adiós' to Liga after lockout resolution

It was nice while it lasted. The tentative agreement reached between players and owners on November 26 to end the NBA lockout compels the seven US league stars who leant their skills to Liga basketball during the 149-day stoppage to head back across the Atlantic.

The settlement also heralds a period of frenetic activity in the transfer market, which reopens December 9, with the Memphis Grizzlies' Marc Gasol one of the most sought-after names.

For Real Madrid, the Dallas Mavericks' Rudy Fernández has been both spectacular and effective, while teammate Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder) stirred things up till the last, scoring 15 points, making nine rebounds and six blocks in Madrid's 67-84 weekend win at CAI Zaragoza. Frenchman Kevin Seraphin of the Washington Wizards has strengthened Caja Laboral, though Houston Rockets' Goran Dragic has barely had time to start for the Basque side, only making his debut in its 79-66 weekend loss to Unicaja.

Meanwhile, Brazilian Tiago Splitter of the San Antonio Spurs is so happy in Valencia - on Saturday he played his third match and got his third win - that he plans to play at least another two games before returning to the US. Things haven't gone as well for Congolese player Christian Eyenga (Cleveland Cavaliers) at Fiatc Joventut, which lost at Gran Canaria (77-71).

But American small forward Kyle Singler has been such a sensation for Lucentum Alicante, helping catapult it up to sixth place with six wins, that he has been snapped up from the Detroit Pistons by Real Madrid to replace the big gap left by the outgoing Rudy. The 23-year-old - brilliant in his university career with Duke - will receive 680,000 euros to stay with the club for the rest of the year.

Across the pond, one of the NBA's most-wanted for the new season, set to get underway on Christmas Day, is Marc Gasol. The Memphis center enjoyed a splendid 2010-2011 season, with an average of 11.7 points, seven rebounds and 2.5 assists per game and helping his team reach the playoffs. He's received a 3.3-million-euro offer from Memphis - a formality - which will have to go on equaling the offers, which could go up to $8 million, when they start coming in to retain his services. Many teams are looking to strengthen in the center and players such as Marc with the ability to score, rebound, pass and understand the needs of his team are scarce.