When Tiago Splitter spurned the Spurs to stay overseas, eyebrows were raised.

When the likes of Primoz Brezec, Carlos Delfino, Bostjan Nachbar and Juan Carlos Navarro left the NBA and headed back to Europe, the grumbling started around the league.

But Josh Childress’ decision to turn down a deal with Atlanta – which smugly thought it had the restricted free agent over a barrel and low-balled him on a contract extension – proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that things are changing.

Childress is the first American to say no to the NBA, to look at a combination of a more lucrative offer, the value of the Euro over the American dollar and the more favorable tax situation and say, “Hey, why not?”

And just like that, basketball overseas took another huge step forward, and free agents and their representatives gained a huge leg up in negotiations.

Let’s keep in mind we’re talking about the Atlanta Hawks, the poster children for foolhardy, dysfunctional ownership. They figured Childress had nowhere else to go, so they waited an entire month while the rest of the teams swung trades and snatched up the best free agents. They thought they couldn’t lose.

Now Childress is gone. There is no one left in the free-agent market who can replace him. Much like Golden State in the West – which was blind-sided by the loss of Baron Davis and replaced him with Marcus Williams – one of the league’s young, exciting teams has been knocked for a loop in Atlanta.

So while the Suns continue their attempts to coax Goran Dragic toward Phoenix, it is important to note that, right now, the tug of war is going the other way.

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