Parker says he won’t be joining his French team — for now

Spurs guard Tony Parker has shot down rumors that he planned to join his French team during the NBA lockout.

Parker told Basket Europe and Hoops Hype that , a team he owns,  during the work stoppage.

“This is not true, I did not sign anything. Nothing is done,” Parker said. “I did not commit to ASVEL during the lockout. There is insurance to pay, the case has stalled because I am playing with the (French) National Team.”

But Parker said he still would like to play for the team if the insurance could be resolved, but he doesn’t want to speak about it anymore.

“It is no secret. I’d like to play (for) ASVEL,” Parker told French reporters. “But it is a very complicated issue to manage. I would like  the media to stop with this story. If I do not come because of insurance, people will be extremely disappointed that I do not play with ASVEL “

Parker’s comments come as he plays in Eurobasket with a large contignent of French media following his every move. It obviously is a huge story among the French reporters if he joins the team after the tournament.

But a more pressing concern might be for Parker and his French teammates to tighten up their perimeter defense. After Latvia blistered them from the perimeter yesterday, the French will have little chance of  upsetting Spain for the Europebasket title unless they show some marked improvement.

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