Matthew Dellavedova Rumors

International Notes: Olympic Qualifiers, Robinson, Australia, Canada, Hayes-Davis

July 4th, 2024 at 9:28pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of NBA superstars will match up this weekend in Greece as they look to keep their home countries’ Olympic hopes alive. The Greek national team, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, will take on Luka Doncic and the Slovenians in the semifinals of one of four ongoing Olympic qualifying tournaments (link via ESPN). The winner of Greece vs. Slovenia will go on to face the winner of Croatia vs. Dominican Republic for a spot in the men’s basketball Olympic tournament in Paris.

In total, four Olympic berths still remain up for grabs. The other semifinal matchups in Olympic qualifying tournaments around the globe are as follows:

Riga, Latvia:
- Latvia vs. Cameroon
- Brazil vs. Philippines
Valencia, Spain:
- Spain vs. Finland
- Bahamas vs. Lebanon
San Juan, Puerto Rico:
- Puerto Rico vs. Mexico
- Lithuania vs. Italy

While none of the other teams fighting for a spot in the Olympics has a perennial MVP candidate like Antetokounmpo or Doncic on its roster, there are many NBA players competing in the qualifying tournaments, including All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis for Lithuania and Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield, and Eric Gordon representing the Bahamas.

Here are a few more updates from around the international basketball world:

Former NBA lottery pick Jerome Robinson has signed with Saint-Quentin in France, the team officially announced (via Twitter). Robinson, who was drafted 13th overall in 2018, has appeared in a total of 135 NBA regular season games, including 22 with Golden State last season while on a two-way contract with the Warriors.
The Australian national team has set its 12-man roster for the Olympics, according to Olgun Uluc of ESPN, who notes that eight active NBA players – Josh Giddey, Josh Green, Dante Exum, Jock Landale, Duop Reath, Dyson Daniels, Patty Mills, and Joe Ingles – made the cut, along with former NBA guard Matthew Dellavedova. Trail Blazers forward Matisse Thybulle is the most surprising omission, Uluc adds.
Team Canada hasn’t set its Olympic roster yet, but pared it down a little on Wednesday, with Oshae Brissett among the cuts. According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter links), Brissett – who is coming off a championship season as a Celtics reserve – asked to withdraw to focus on his NBA free agency. It looks like there are 10 NBA players who are safe bets to be on the Canadian squad, with two roster spots still up for grabs, as Lewenberg outlines in another tweet.
Nigel Hayes-Davis, the former NBA forward who is part of the U.S. Select Team and was rumored this spring to be drawing NBA interest, has re-upped with Fenerbahce, signing a three-year contract with the Turkish team, according to a press release.

And-Ones: M. Johnson, Dellavedova, Bronny, International

September 26th, 2023 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic Johnson has turned down chances to join NBA ownership groups and says that due to his loyalty to the Lakers, he’d only consider a chance to be part of an ownership group with the Knicks, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press reports.

“I think because of the way fans love basketball you might have to think about that one, because I love coming to New York and going to the Garden and watching the Knicks play,” he said. “I love being with fans who are so passionate about their team and the Knick fans are, and they’re smart. They’re smart basketball fans and so that one I would have to think about. I think that other than that, I would probably never think about ever being a part of another franchise.”

Johnson hasn’t spoken with Madison Square Garden executive chairman James Dolan about his dream of owning a piece of the franchise. Johnson, who is a minority owner of the Washington Commanders, said he has declined opportunities to join the Warriors, Pistons, and Hawks ownership groups, but wouldn’t mind meeting with Dolan.

“That one you would really have to think about, in terms of being a minority owner of that team,” he said. “But other than that, I would just stay with the Lakers and even with my role now, just being a fan, I’m happy just doing that with the Lakers because, again, I bleed purple and gold.”

We have more from the around the basketball world:

Former NBA guard Matthew Dellavedova was disappointed he wasn’t part of Australia’s World Cup team this summer and is motivated to prove he belongs on its Olympic team, Olgun Uluc of ESPN reports. He’s playing for Melbourne United this season. “For me, the Boomers is the ultimate,” Dellavedova said. “I’ve never taken it for granted. I know how fortunate I’ve been to represent Australia. I still feel like my best basketball is ahead of me, so I definitely want to be part of the Boomers for as long as possible. The goal is to try to help United win a championship, and do whatever I can to make the team for Paris.”
LeBron James‘ son, Bronny James, didn’t participate in USC’s first practice though his coach says he’s doing well health-wise, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Bronny suffered cardiac arrest during a workout on July 24. “We anticipate him being a very valuable part of our basketball team,” coach Andy Enfield said. “But that’ll be all sorted out. He’s the ultimate teammate because he cares about winning, and he has such a personal relationship with all his teammates.”
Turkish team Anadolu Efes is considering making another roster addition and may be eyeing NBA free agents, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net relays. “Of course, when it comes to players of such quality, they are waiting for the NBA before making a final decision,” GM Alper Yilmaz said. “I will not name players, but we are considering three players. Maybe two different names come to my attention every single day. We don’t want to sign a player without the head coach’s approval.”

And-Ones: Whitsitt, Seattle, Brazdeikis, Australia

September 23rd, 2023 at 6:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former SuperSonics and Trail Blazers executive Bob Whitsitt is among the many NBA figures who support having a team in Seattle again, writes Sam Yip of HoopsHype. In an upcoming book, Whitsitt looks back on his experiences in the city and contends that everything is already in place for a successful NBA franchise.

That includes Climate Pledge Arena, where the new team would be based. Whitsitt, who served as a consultant during remodeling work on the facility, said his job was to make sure it has everything the NBA would look for in a home arena. He says NBA executives have already made several trips to Climate Pledge, with another one coming at an October 10 preseason game, and the arena owners are willing make any modifications the league might request.

He also notes that the Sonics had strong support from their fans until the move to Oklahoma City, adding that Seattle residents are eager to get their team back.

“So all we need is the NBA to say they’re willing and wanting to expand, and I believe the Seattle market will be at the top of the list,” Whitsitt said. “It will be a phenomenal market. I believe the team will be super well-supported. Bringing the Sonics back is something that fans have wanted since 2008. I live in Seattle, I hear it every day, I’m asked the question every day. And all I can tell them is yes, I’m 100 percent all in and I’m gonna do everything I can, in a big way or even in a small way, whatever is required to help make that happen.”

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Ignas Brazdeikis has confirmed that he plans to join Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, according to a report from Eurohoops. He’s expected to sign a two-year deal, and Kaunas, where he played last season, will get a buyout worth 500K Euros. Brazdeikis, 24, had brief stops with the Knicks, Sixers and Magic during his time in the NBA.
Former Kentucky guard Isaiah Briscoe has signed with Maroussi BC in Greece after playing in Italy last season, tweets Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. The 27-year-old appeared in 39 games with the Magic during the 2018/19 season.
Lachlan Olbrich of the Illawarra Hawks looked like the best NBA prospect during this week’s NBL Blitz in Australia, observes Olgun Uluc of ESPN. The 6’10” forward averaged 14.7 PPG and made 19 of his 22 shots from the field during the event. Uluc shares several highlights from the Blitz, including Matthew Dellavedova‘s return to Melbourne United, whom he played for in 2021/22.

World Cup Notes: Hart, Giannis, Giddey, Dellavedova

August 10th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Several members of Team USA have new contracts to celebrate this summer as they prepare for the FIBA World Cup, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Josh Hart became the latest player with a new deal, signing a four-year, $81MM extension with the Knicks electronically Thursday morning while the Americans prepared for a pair of exhibition games in Spain.

“It was actually pretty cool, I was just laying down on the training table, getting some treatment, on FaceTime with (his wife Shannon) and signing the contract,” Hart said. “It meant a lot. I wasn’t highly touted coming out of high school, wasn’t highly regarded in the draft, went through free agency the first time and I was restricted, it was a terrible experience for me, so to be able to do this, it’s a dream come true – just being able to have something that can take care of my parents, my family, my kids.”

Other U.S. players also had productive offseasons. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards both signed five-year, maximum-salary extensions. Cameron Johnson got $100MM over five seasons to stay with the Nets, and Austin Reaves re-signed with the Lakers for approximately $54MM over four years.

“Yeah, that’s my kids’ kids’ money, for sure,” Edwards said. “It don’t matter (which player’s contract we’re talking about), that’s a lot of money.”

There’s more on the World Cup:

Giannis Antetokounmpo traveled to the United States for more testing on his knee before deciding whether to play for Greece, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. The Bucks‘ medical staff will reportedly work with doctors from the Greek team to determine the best course of action for Antetokounmpo.
Wenyen Gabriel is the most recognizable player for South Sudan, which is preparing for its first-ever World Cup appearance, Askounis adds in a separate story. Other team members with NBA ties include Marial Shayok, Mangok Mathiang and Carlik Jones.
Thunder guard Josh Giddey is ready to become the new on-court leader for Australia, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN. Coach Brian Goorjian plans entrust his offense to the 20-year-old, who is seen as the future of the Australian basketball. “Giddey sets the standard of, eventually you’re gonna be the guy for this program, and he’s an unselfish player, so that sets the standard straight out of the gates,” teammate Jock Landale said. “He’s already embodied the Boomers mentality, and our culture, just through how he plays. It’s gonna come naturally to him, and he’ll fit in really nicely.”
Veteran guard Matthew Dellavedova isn’t part of Australia’s 13-man roster for exhibition games prior to the start of the tournament, according to Eurohoops.

Matthew Dellavedova Agrees To Two-Year Deal With Melbourne United

May 16th, 2023 at 5:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent guard Matthew Dellavedova, who played for the Kings in 2022/23 but was unavailable in the playoffs after undergoing finger surgery, has agreed to a two-year contract with Melbourne United, Australia’s National Basketball League announced in a press release.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Dellavedova spent most of his career with Cleveland, winning a championship with the Cavs in ’15/16. He also played for the Bucks from 2016-18.

The 32-year-old played for Melbourne United in his native Australia during the ’21/22 season, so it’s a reunion between the two sides.

“I’m really excited to be coming back to Melbourne United,” Dellavedova said. “I want to come back and win a championship here. It’s a great club that has a really strong culture and I’m happy to be back a part of it.

“I had a lot of fun the year I was here. There’s excitement about getting to play with a lot of those same guys we had success with a year ago. It was a great group of guys, some I knew and some I grew close with.”

Dellavedova was on a minimum-salary contract this season for Sacramento and was mostly used for emergency depth, appearing in 32 games for an average of just 6.7 minutes per contest. He has a shared history with Mike Brown, having played for the Kings’ head coach with the Cavs when he was a rookie.

Long known for his hustle, competitiveness and determination, Dellavedova holds career averages of 5.2 points and 3.5 assists in 479 regular season games (93 starts, 19.4 minutes).

And-Ones: Boomers, Awards, Thibodeau, Butler, Gilbert

May 7th, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

All but one of the 11 Australian players in the NBA have been named to the extended Australian Boomers squad for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Olgun Uluc of ESPN reports. The exception is a notable one — the Nets’ Ben Simmons, though there’s a possibility he’ll be added ahead of the selection camp.

Simmons recently expressed interest in playing for Australia in this year’s World Cup.

Some of the NBA current or past players who made the 18-man list include Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Josh Green, Jock Landale, Matisse Thybulle, Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, Xavier Cooks and Thon Maker. The team will eventually be pared to 12 players.

We have from around the basketball world:

It’s going to be a busy week in terms of NBA awards announcements, the league’s communications department tweets. The All-Rookie team will be revealed on Monday, the All-Defensive Team will be unveiled on Tuesday and the All-NBA team will be announced on Wednesday. The Teammate of the Year award will be announced on Thursday.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is looking for ways to slow down red-hot Jimmy Butler and the Heat. ESPN’s Nick Friedell takes an in-depth look at the relationship between Thibodeau and his former player.
Nick Gilbert, son of Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, has died at the age of 26, according to ESPN’s News Services. Nick Gilbert had a lifelong battle with neurofibromatosis (NF1), which causes noncancerous tumors to grow on the brain, spinal cord and skin. He became well-known to NBA fans for being Cleveland’s good luck charm at the draft lottery, as the Cavs twice got the top pick when he was the team’s lottery representative.

Kings’ Matthew Dellavedova Undergoes Finger Surgery

April 5th, 2023 at 8:33pm CST by Rory Maher

Kings veteran Matthew Dellavedova underwent successful right index finger surgery, the team announced (Twitter link via James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com).

The longtime reserve guard broke his finger last Wednesday against the Thunder. According to the Kings, Dellavedova will be out indefinitely as he begins the rehabilitation process, but he is expected to make a full recovery.

Dellavedova, 32, is only averaging 6.7 minutes per game in 32 appearances as Sacramento’s third-string point guard, so his absence likely won’t impact the Kings much during their playoff push. The nine-year veteran is playing on a minimum-salary contract in 2022/23 and will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

Kings Notes: Dellavedova, Johnson, Huerter, Murray

March 31st, 2023 at 5:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings reserve guard Matthew Dellavedova has a fractured finger, James Ham of The Kings Beat relays via a team update (Twitter link).

Dellavedova suffered a right index finger fracture during the fourth quarter against Portland on Wednesday. Treatment options are being mulled and there’s no timetable for his return.

The 32-year-old has appeared in 32 games off the bench but is only averaging 6.7 minutes in those outings. He’s playing on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal.

We have more on the playoff-bound Kings:

Stockton Kings GM Paul Johnson has been named the NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year, according to a press release from the team. Johnson became the first executive in Stockton history to earn the award after leading basketball operations for the last two seasons. Stockton finished with the best regular season record (25-7) and matched the franchise single-season record for victories with regular season wins and Showcase Cup wins combined (37). However, the team was upset in the G League playoffs this week.
Several teams were interested in acquiring Kevin Huerter when the offseason began last summer, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. The Kings were not one of the teams his representatives initially mentioned to him. However, Sacramento and Atlanta soon came to terms on a deal for Huerter, who was vacationing in Spain at the time. Huerter was expecting to get dealt after the Hawks acquired Dejounte Murray. “It just felt like there were too many cooks in the kitchen,” Huerter said. “Somebody was gonna go.”
Lottery pick Keegan Murray has set the league record for most 3-pointers by a rookie, according to a league press release. Murray sank his record-breaking 188th 3-pointer of the season on Wednesday. Donovan Mitchell previously held the record, having knocked down 187 during the 2017/18 season. “Breaking any type of records at the highest level in anything you do is absolutely amazing. And to see Keegan do that (Wednesday), with the way he’s played all year and how hard he’s worked, was an amazing feat,” coach Mike Brown said.

Kings To Guarantee Matthew Dellavedova’s Contract

January 6th, 2023 at 6:54pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings plan to guarantee Matthew Dellavedova‘s contract for the remainder of the season, a league source tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Dellavedova was signed to a partially guaranteed deal for the veteran’s minimum, so he will earn $2,628,597 in 2022/23. However, the Kings will only carry a $1,836,090 cap hit, as our Luke Adams details here.

Sacramento just waived Chima Moneke, another player with a partially guaranteed deal, ahead of tomorrow’s guarantee deadline. KZ Okpala is the last remaining player whose contract is partially guaranteed, but he has appeared in more games than both Dellavedova and Moneke, so it would be a mild surprise if he’s released.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Dellavedova spent most of his career with the Cavaliers, winning a title in 2016. He also spent two-plus seasons with the Bucks. However, he was out of the league in 2021/22 — he played for Melbourne United in his native Australia.

Kings head coach Mike Brown coached Dellavedova when he was a rookie with Cleveland back in ’13/14, and that familiarity played a big factor in him landing another NBA deal. The 32-year-old has appeared in just 15 games with Sacramento for an average of 6.7 minutes per contest.

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Klay, Kawhi, Clippers, Kings

January 4th, 2023 at 7:10pm CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors provided updates (via Twitter) on several injured players on Wednesday evening. Star guard Stephen Curry will have his left shoulder reevaluated on Saturday, which is in line with what the team previously announced.

Starting forward Andrew Wiggins has begun practicing and is ramping up his conditioning after missing the past 14 games due to a strained right adductor and then an illness. He will be reevaluated later this week, per the team.

The Warriors also announced that JaMychal Green (right lower leg infection), Jonathan Kuminga (right foot sprain) and James Wiseman (left ankle sprain) will all be out at least one more week — that’s when they’ll be reevaluated.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Klay Thompson missed two-plus seasons after a couple of major injuries, first a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, followed by a torn Achilles tendon. On Monday, he scored a season-high 54 points in the Warriors‘ double-overtime victory over the Hawks, a performance he doesn’t take for granted. “It’s a huge accomplishment for me,” Thompson said, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “There were some hard days for me when I didn’t know that this would be possible in real time. I am just going to embrace the heck out of it.”
After missing Monday’s loss to Miami with a non-COVID illness, Kawhi Leonard is no longer on the Clippers‘ injury report for Thursday’s contest in Denver, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Paul George, who tweaked his hamstring on Monday, is listed as questionable, while Nicolas Batum is out with a left ankle sprain.
Can Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue find lineups that work whether or not Leonard and/or George are in the lineup? Law Murray of The Athletic explores that topic, writing that if Lue is unable to optimize the current group, trades could be in order for a team that hopes to compete for a championship.
The Kings have three players — Matthew Dellavedova, Chima Moneke and KZ Okpala — on partially guaranteed deals, and none are locks to have their salaries guaranteed for the rest of the season, writes James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com. It’s possible one or more might be released in the next few days (the deadline to waive partially and non-guaranteed deals before they become fully guaranteed is January 7) in order to create roster flexibility ahead of the trade deadline, according to Ham, who says the Kings figure to be aggressive in their push to break their lengthy playoff drought.