Lindsay Whalen leaves pro team in Turkey over contract dispute

Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen announced via Twitter on Monday that she has left her professional team in Turkey -- where she was playing this WNBA offseason -- because of a contract dispute.

The news was confirmed by the Lynx, who were also quick to note that the standout guard is very much still a part of the WNBA squad.

Said Whalen on Twitter: Thank you to my teammates and coaches for everything during my time with Galatasaray! Unfortunately because the terms of my contract were not met I felt it was in my best interest to not continue with the organization. Thank you to the fans of Galatasaray!! Your support of the team and players is amazing!

It is a notable development financially for Whalen since many WNBA players join overseas teams during the offseason, often signing lucrative contracts that supplement their WNBA salaries. It is unclear at this time whether she will seek to join another team for the stretch run prior to the WNBA season. Minnesota's first regular-season game is June 1, but training camp will begin well before that.

Whalen, who played during past offseasons in the Czech Republic, was playing this winter for Galatasaray, a club in Istanbul. According to NTV Spor in Turkey, translated by this site, she had not been paid for two months when she began the process of terminating her contract. She was averaging 13.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 10 EuroLeague games.

The former Gophers star has played three years with the Lynx, helping them to the WNBA title in 2011 and a runner-up finish in 2012. She averaged 11.5 points and 5.4 assists last season and helped Team USA to a gold medal at the London Olympics last summer.