NBA Rumors: Carmelo Anthony and 5 Top Players Who Could Be Headed Overseas

With the NBA still in a lockout and frustration growing on both sides, players have now started talks about playing basketball overseas. Carmelo Anthony is one of several top players in the league that headline the list of names.

Then, of course, there are the many free agents that will be looking to play overseas, as they have expired contracts and are no longer committed to playing in the NBA. Names include Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis and upcoming talent in Denver, Nene Hilario.

As the lockout continues to show no signs of improvement, the list of players talking about playing basketball overseas will continue to grow. In some cases, it would be just for the summer, in others, it might possibly be a more permanent move.

Here are five of the top players in the NBA that are in the NBA rumors about playing basketball overseas.

No. 5: Deron Williams, New Jersey Nets

Sharing the view of most players in the league, New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams is not a happy-camper as a result of the NBA lockout.

It has been rumored that Deron Williams will take his talents to Turkey if the lockout continues into the fall. According to ESPN New York's Marc Stein, Williams will play with Turkish team Besiktas if the lockout persists. Besiktas is the same team former NBA-star Allen Iverson played with last season.

Besiktas has also rumored trying to acquire Atlanta Hawks center Zaza Pachulia, who would play alongside Williams for the team.

Will it happen?

More than likely.

If the lockout situation continues to stay at a stalemate, expect both sides to have the disagreement continue into the fall, sending Williams to Turkey as a result.

No. 4: Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks

New York Knicks power forward, Amare Stoudemire, is another of the league's superstars that is rumored to have interest in playing overseas.

Sources like ESPN.com and Slamonline.com had reported that him and teammate Carmelo Anthony were inquiring the possibility if the lockout were to continue.

The New York Post has recently reported that Stoudemire's agent has flat-out denied the idea that he would be suiting up in Europe. Yet at the same rate, if there is no season, who is to say Stoudemire wouldn't change his mind and re-explore the option.

No. 3: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Hold the talk, hold the rumors.

It would seem crazy if the best player on the team that won the NBA championship would be on the move, yet Nowitzki is one of many top players that isn't shying away from the possibility.

According to CBS Sports, Nowitzki told German Newspaper BILD the he would be interested in playing in Germany if there was no basketball in the NBA next season.

"Rather than do nothing at all for a year, I would come to Germany [to play]."

Nowitzki is in the best situation he has been in as a player in the league, and is a player that would prefer to stay in the NBA if given the choice. Yet, if there is no season, it wouldn't be surprising to see Nowitzki suiting up in a German uniform next season.

No. 2: Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

Carmelo Anthony is one of the bigger names in the NBA rumors, as Anthony has headlined talks about players taking their talents overseas.

ESPN's Sportscenter had reported as well as featured on it's bottom line that Anthony and Stoudemire had discussed the option.

Anthony is big in the talks, as he was recently acquired by the New York Knicks in what was arguably the biggest trade in a handful of years in the NBA. If the lockout continues to worsen, Anthony is one of the league's top players that could explore the option of playing overseas.

At the moment, the Anthony rumors seem a lot more likely to go down than do the Stoudemire ones, as Stoudemire's agent denied the possibility in an interview with the New York Post.

No. 1: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

The Black Mamba, arguably the best player in the NBA, is undoubtedly the number one player surrounding the rumors of players going overseas.

For one, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has played overseas before. Bryant spent much of his childhood in Italy. His father Joe had played professional basketball there before him, as Kobe would follow in his footsteps if he were to play pro basketball in the country he once lived in.

Losing Bryant would be a huge hit to the league, as would potentially losing a handful or two of superstars to Europe. The New York Daily news was one of the sources that discussed this possibility, as a Laker teammate said that it was a possibility for Byrant.

According to the teammate that wished to remain anonymous, Bryant threatened that if no agreement was made by the fall, he said "I'll play in Europe."