Xinjiang tab Patty Mills with a non-guaranteed contract

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Portland Trail Blazers point guard Patrick Mills has cut short his stay with the Melbourne Tigers and will play for a Chinese league club during the NBA lockout. The National Basketball League said in a statement late Sunday that Mills had signed a contract to play with Chinese club Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers. The NBL said it allowed Mills to leave because it did not want to hold him back from other international opportunities. Mills signed for the Tigers in late August and was to play for the entire season if the lockout continued. The first-place Tigers were 6-3 with him in the lineup and Mills averaged 18.6 points -- tying him for the league lead.

UPDATE: Xinjiang signed Patty Mills with a non-guaranteed contract. He can be replaced anytime if the NBA season is cancelled and they find someone better. The team has the out in the contract.