Approximately 450 players finished the 2016/17 season on NBA rosters, but not all of those 450 players will find a spot on an NBA team in 2017/18. With rookies, undrafted free agents, and international signees poised to occupy at least a few dozen roster spots around the league this season, some NBA players will have to look elsewhere for work.
Some of those players will retire, and others will end up in the G League, while many will head overseas to continue their playing careers in some of the best non-NBA professional leagues around the world. Salaries generally aren’t as lucrative in those leagues, and they don’t provide the opportunity to compete against the world’s very best players.
Still, an NBA role player who decides to head overseas can often match or exceed his potential minimum NBA salary, and will have the chance to take on a much larger role for an international team. That’s why even some players who have had some NBA success and are still in their 20s – such as Brandon Jennings – have opted to make the jump overseas this offseason.
Listed below are the players who finished the 2016/17 season on an NBA roster and have since reached an agreement with an international team. Each player’s former NBA team is listed, along with his new team overseas, and a link to our story on his new deal.
- Brandon Bass, Clippers: Liaoning Flying Leopards (China)
- Rakeem Christmas, Pacers: Galatasaray (Turkey)
- Norris Cole, Thunder: Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)
- Justin Hamilton, Nets: Beijing Ducks (China)
- Brandon Jennings, Wizards: Shanxi Brave Dragons (China)
- Ty Lawson, Kings: Shandong Golden Stars (China)
- Donatas Motiejunas, Pelicans: Shandong Golden Stars (China)
- Brian Roberts, Hornets: Olympiacos (Greece)
- Sergio Rodriguez, Sixers: CSKA Moscow (Russia)
- Kevin Seraphin, Pacers: Barcelona (Spain)
- Axel Toupane, Pelicans: Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania)
- Christian Wood, Hornets: Fujian Sturgeons (China)
Meanwhile, here are a few more players who are headed overseas after spending a good chunk of the 2016/17 season on an NBA roster — these players were waived by their NBA teams before the end of the year.
- Marcelo Huertas, Rockets (waived in February): Baskonia (Spain)
- Terrence Jones, Bucks (waived in April): Qingdao Eagles (China)
- Jordan McRae, Cavaliers (waived in March): Baskonia (Spain)
- Luis Scola, Nets (waived in February): Shanxi Brave Dragons (China)
- Hollis Thompson, Sixers (waived in January): Olympiacos (Greece)
- Note: Thompson also signed two 10-day contracts with the Pelicans in February and March.
Hoops Rumors’ 2017 Free Agent Tracker was used in the creation of this post.
Jennings was actually pretty good.
Not really.
He was an alright point guard
I feel bad for D Mo, his agent, BJ Armstrong, really screwed him. I am surprised that guy still has clients.
how
Wizards could have used some of these dudes.