Haddadi’s problem with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he has played for three years, is that he has gotten very little playing time.
But he is also facing a Memphis grand jury, which could indict him for beating up his former girlfriend. That might also encourage him to seek employment outside the United States.
Mahram has won the championship of the Iranian basketball league for four years running. Mahram was also the Asian club champion in 2009 and 2010 and came in second this year.
A few weeks ago, news reports in Iran said Haddadi had been negotiating with the Chinese team Foshan Dralions, which had reportedly made an offer of up to $200,000 a month for him to play there.
There was no word on what Mahram might pay.
At 7-foot-2, Haddadi is a giant center. But in Memphis he gets only minimal playing time as the backup for star center Marc Gasol.
In three years, Haddadi has only appeared in 86 games or about one in three the team has played. Furthermore, his average playing time in those 86 appearances has been a mere 6.1 minutes per game. The Ahvaz native has scored only 2.2 points on average in those games.
In the 13 playoff matches the Grizzlies played this year, nine players appeared in all of them while Haddadi and two other players only appeared in a few.
Haddadi’s problem is the one that many Iranians who went to play soccer in Germany faced. They were delighted to be tapped by the Bundesliga and recognized for the level of their skill. But the competition level was much, much higher in Germany and they all ended up spending most of their time warming the bench. Within a few years, the “honor” of playing in an internationally recognized league wore off and the boredom level rose.
Then there is Haddadi’s trouble with the law in Tennessee.
Haddadi was handed over to a Memphis grand jury in July to decide whether he should stand trial on misdemeanor charges of assaulting his former girlfriend, Goolnaz “Asal” Karbalaeinemat-moeeney.
Haddadi, 26, and his then-girlfriend were arrested last year after an altercation in their apartment. Oddly, nothing happened in the case after Haddadi’s initial November 2010 court appearance until July when Haddadi was brought back to court.
Judge Chris Turner, who last year set Haddadi free on bond under orders to have no contact with the woman while the charges were still active, again faced Haddadi, sent the case to the grand jury and told Haddadi he was prohibited from “assaulting, annoying, contacting or telephoning her. That means here or in any other place in this country.”
That was a hint that Haddadi may have violated the judge’s orders of last November and tried to contact his former girlfriend. But no one explained why it had taken so long for the case to come back to court. Originally a court date had been set for last January, but that was quietly canceled without explanation.
The assault charge against Haddadi is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum fine of $2,500 and a maximum jail term of one day less than one year.
The Grizzlies’ first pre-season game is scheduled for October 20 and the regular season begins November 2, so Haddadi must decide on his contract very soon.
