Despite some speculation that he might return to the NBA, veteran guard Alexey Shved has agreed to a new three-year contract extension with Khimki, his team in Russia, sources tell Sportando.
Shved, who appeared in 182 NBA games for four teams from 2012-15, has excelled over the last few years for Khimki in EuroCup and EuroLeague play. While he’d certainly draw interest if he looked to make an NBA comeback, it appears that he has decided the upside of such a move is outweighed by playing a starring role on one of Europe’s best teams in his home country.
Here are a few more international basketball updates:
- Veteran big man Greg Monroe spent the 2019/20 season with Bayern Munich in Germany, but isn’t expected to remain with the club for a second season, per the team’s sporting director Daniele Baiesi. “I don’t think (he) is going to come back,” Baiesi said of Monroe (Twitter link via Robert Heusel of BIG Basketball). “He deserves a much bigger stage. I think he’s a luxury that we cannot afford.”
- Alex Antetokounmpo, the youngest brother of Giannis Antetokounmpo, has signed a three-year contract with Spanish team UCAM Murcia, according to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net. Giannis’ brother recently decided to prepare for the NBA by playing professionally in Europe rather than joining an NCAA program in the United States. According to Varlas, Alex’s new deal includes an NBA out clause after each year.
- Former NBA guard Aaron Harrison has agreed to a deal with Greek team Olympiacos after spending last season with Galatasaray in Turkey, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Harrison spent time with Charlotte and Dallas from 2015-18.
- Veteran guard Darrun Hilliard, who appeared in 91 NBA game from 2015-18 for Detroit and San Antonio, is expected to remain with Russian club CSKA Moscow for one more season, tweets Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas.
It seems like every time that there is speculation that a player in an international league will come to the NBA, he always just goes back and signs and extension with his international team.
It’s called using the NBA as leverage. Agents are smart to do that even if they are 100% sure the players are staying put.
Greg Monroe, as usual, is as effective as he thinks, but not in a trendy manner. Given how thin the 2020 is considered, he is more likely to get an NBA offer this year than next. It’s not really a supply-and-demand issue, as old- fashioned 5s are available, but these may be viewed as more recent fails.
Well it depends on conditioning, etc, but with Bayern, Monroe went 25-9-4 against a GLeague allstar team. He can come off the bench in the NBA and get certain things done.
I also read Monroe was once combined with Drummond and Josh Smith in Detroit… probably not a good experience for anyone.
edit… *Given how thin the 2020 FA market is*
I’ve always liked Greg Monroe as a back up centre as a scoring option and rebounder. He’s not much of a defender but in the right team he would be alright.
When he was last in the NBA with the Sixers for 3 games he played 17 mins per night and averaged 14-4-2.
He could be solid for the Wizards, Jazz or Mavs.