International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Alexis Ajinca Leaves French Team

March 8th, 2019 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

NBA veteran Alexis Ajinca has parted ways with his ASVEL Basket team in France, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The team released a statement calling it “an amicable separation that is in everyone’s best interests and will allow Alexis to pursue other jobs.”

The 30-year-old center returned to France in December after spending eight years in the NBA, including the past five with the Pelicans. Ajinca sat out the entire 2017/18 season because of a knee injury, then was traded in October to the Clippers, who waived him on the same day.

Ajinca averaged 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 293 NBA games, playing mostly as a reserve. There’s no word on what his next move might be, but he would be playoff-eligible if he returns to the NBA before the end of the season.

Andrew Bogut Will Return To Australia Next Season

March 6th, 2019 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andrew Bogut‘s arrangement with the Warriors will only cover the rest of this season, according to a tweet from his Australian team, the Sydney Kings. The Kings referred to Bogut’s Golden State deal as “a short-term contract for the remainder of the current NBA season,” adding that he “will return to Sydney, and the purple and gold faithful, ready to go for #NBL20.”

Bogut will make $487K during his time in Golden State, according to salary cap expert Albert Nahmad (Twitter link). He will count $308K against the salary cap and will increase the Warriors’ tax payment by $1.2MM, pushing the total to $51.5MM.

The 34-year-old center told Marc Stein of The New York Times he is surprised to be back in the NBA, figuring that the door “had shut” when he didn’t get another opportunity after being waived by the Lakers in January of 2017.

Bogut said the Warriors began calling him in December, even though they knew he wouldn’t be available until Sydney’s season ended.

“To come back to the NBA, for me, was basically Golden State or nothing,” Bogut explained. “But the fact it was Golden State — it was the kind of opportunity that I would be kicking myself if I didn’t take.”

Bogut called it “my official retirement from the NBA” when he agreed to a two-year contract to play in Australia last April. The deal doesn’t include an escape clause for the NBA, so Bogut had to get the Kings’ permission to sign with the Warriors.

Stein notes that Golden State made an effort to add players in the buyout market, which would have filled the roster spot that went to Bogut. However, once the March 1 deadline for postseason eligibility arrived and it became clear that Robin Lopez was staying with the Bulls, the Warriors resumed their pursuit of Bogut when Sydney was ousted from the playoffs.

Warriors assistant GM Larry Harris, who drafted Bogut in 2005 when he served as GM in Milwaukee, traveled to Australia to scout the veteran center and let him know that Golden State wanted to get a deal done. Bogut was named Defensive Player of the Year in Australia – as well as MVP – and should help fortify a Warriors team that has fallen to 16th in the league in defensive efficiency.

He will return to play alongside Kevin Durant, who was responsible for his departure from Golden State after the 2016 season. In their effort to free up enough cap room to sign Durant, the Warriors traded Bogut to the Mavericks.

“The Golden State Warriors are a very special organization in my heart,” Bogut said. “I had a lot of great years there and won a championship. Even though they moved me, it was understandable to get a guy like Kevin Durant. I probably would have traded myself if I had the same opportunity.”

And-Ones: J. Jack, W. Baldwin, Japan, CBA

March 5th, 2019 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran point guard Jarrett Jack, who signed a G League contract last week, has been claimed off waivers by the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat‘s NBAGL affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. The Skyforce aren’t scheduled to play until Saturday, but Jack will be available for that game, according to the club.

Jack, 35, appeared in 62 games for the Knicks last season, starting 56 of them, but has yet to find an NBA home for this season. If he looks good for Sioux Falls down the stretch, it could earn him a look from a playoff club. There aren’t a ton of contenders in need of a point guard at the moment, but Jack could be a fit for a team like the Magic if they’re in position to make the postseason and want a steady veteran as an option off the bench.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Former first-round pick Wade Baldwin played sparingly this season for the Trail Blazers, then was involved in a flurry of moves at last month’s trade deadline, briefly joining the Cavaliers, Rockets, and Pacers. Now, he’s playing for Toronto’s G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, and tells Blake Murphy of The Athletic that he’s hoping to prove he deserves another NBA shot. “I think in this league you have to show consistency, show what you can do at all times, so it’s another platform for me to show what I can do in order to get back where I belong,” Baldwin said. “I believe I’m an NBA player, rotation guy, talent, all that. It’s opportunity.”
The NBA announced this week that the Raptors and Rockets will play a pair of preseason games in Japan this fall. The contests, which are scheduled to take place on October 8 and 10 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, will represent the first time the NBA has returned to the country in 16 years — the league held 12 regular season games in Japan between 1990 and 2003.
The NBA has tweaked the Collective Bargaining Agreement in recent years to make it easier to allow first-round picks to participate in Summer League action a couple weeks later, but Danny Leroux of The Athletic believes there’s one more flaw that needs to be addressed. As Leroux explains, a first-round pick can’t be used for salary-matching purposes in a trade until the player signs his contract, and a player can’t be dealt for one month after signing his contract. So a prospect included in a trade for, say, Anthony Davis this offseason may not get the chance to play Summer League ball.

Mario Chalmers Will Play In Italy

March 1st, 2019 at 8:54am CST by Arthur Hill

Veteran guard Mario Chalmers will sign with Italian club Virtus Segafredo Bologna for the rest of the season, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Chalmers has already agreed to terms, Carchia adds, and the move will become official once he passes his physical.

The 32-year-old played 66 games for the Grizzlies last year after recovering from a torn Achilles that forced him to miss the 2016/17 season. Chalmers appeared in 646 total NBA games and is best known for his role on the Heat teams that went to four straight Finals when LeBron James was there.

Chalmers had been hoping to remain in the NBA this season and reportedly had interest from the Nets, Mavericks and Pelicans prior to training camp. He may be counting on a strong showing in Italy to boost his NBA chances.

And-Ones: White, Adams, Hawes, Withey

February 28th, 2019 at 7:11pm CST by JD Shaw

Former first-round pick Royce White still plans to play in Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league this summer despite making a jump to mixed martial arts, the 27-year-old told Hoops Rumors.

White, who last played in the NBA with Sacramento in 2014, entered his name to the BIG3 player pool in early February. White first made his intentions of starting a career in MMA known during an interview with ESPN’s Greg Rosenstein.

“I’m one of the best athletes in the world,” White told ESPN. “Among the NBA community, part of my appeal as a draft prospect was my unique size, athleticism, vision and that I probably have one of the 10 biggest set of hands in the NBA. I think all of those things will translate beautifully to the UFC.”

White released a book this week titled “MMA x NBA: A Critique of Modern Sport in America”. He was drafted 16th by the Rockets in 2012 after a standout season at Iowa State, later moving on to hold stints with the Kings and teams overseas before temporarily stepping away from the court last August.

White, a 6-foot-8, 260-pound forward, joins Shannon Brown, Kendrick Perkins, Lamar Odom and other former NBA players who are set to play in the BIG3 this summer.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Free agent Jordan Adams has been acquired by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, G League affiliate of the Rockets, agent Shasta Scott told Hoops Rumors. Adams appeared in 32 games with the Grizzlies from 2014-16, averaging 3.2 points per game in limited time. He was drafted with the No. 22 pick by Memphis in 2014.
Former NBA player Spencer Hawes has signed a contract in the NBA G League and is available to be claimed off waivers, Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days tweets. Hawes, a 10-year NBA veteran, has made stops with the Kings, Sixers, Cavaliers, Clippers, Hornets and Bucks during his professional career.
Jeff Withey has agreed to a deal with Greek team Lavrio B.C. for the rest of the season, the team announced (hat tip to Sportando). Withey started the season in Turkey with Tofas Bursa, but left the team following their elimination in the EuroCup. He last played in the NBA with the Mavericks during the 2017-18 season.

Andrew Harrison Set To Play In Russia

February 27th, 2019 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Pelicans last month, veteran guard Andrew Harrison has reportedly lined up a new deal overseas, writes Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. According to Carchia, Harrison has signed a contract with Khimki in Russia and will finish the 2018/19 season with the EuroLeague club.

While Khimki has yet to officially announce the signing of Harrison, the team did confirm today (via Twitter) that it has parted ways with American guard Dee Bost, so it makes sense that Harrison would fill that roster spot.

The 44th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Harrison spent his rookie season in the G League before joining the Grizzlies in 2016. After spending two years in Memphis, the 24-year-old was waived early in the 2018/19 campaign. He signed two-way contracts with the Cavaliers and Pelicans but was waived by both clubs.

In 145 total NBA contests (20.6 MPG), the former Kentucky Wildcat has recorded 7.0 PPG, 2.8 APG, and 2.0 RPG with a shooting line of .373/.294/.779. If his stint in Russia goes well, Harrison would likely look to parlay that success into an NBA return next season.

And-Ones: Cuban, Draft, Maledon, 2K League

February 25th, 2019 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban doesn’t mind lowering the minimum draft age from 19 to 18, but points out that it creates another set of issues, as he explained to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.

Cuban notes that most players out of high school don’t have general life skills, such as writing a check or signing a lease. He also sees the influence of AAU coaches and teams becoming even more pervasive if the age minimum drops.

“The really bad unintended consequence is you’re going to see AAU programs and parents push harder to get kids featured, maybe at the expense of their education, maybe at the expense of really learning how to play basketball because they’ve got coaches that are telling him, ‘Yeah, he’s got a chance to be a ‘none-and-done,'” Cuban said.

We have more from around the basketball world:

League executives are already dreading the extra time, money, and analysis it will take to scout high school prospects, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes in a lengthy piece on the pros and cons of reducing the draft age minimum to 18. Eliminating the one-and-done prospects could make it tougher for lottery teams to land a marquee player, since there will likely be more steals and more busts in the draft. A system that would allow players to be selected in the draft without losing college eligibility could help the process, O’Connor adds.
French point guard Theo Maledon, a Tony Parker protege, could be the top international prospect in the 2020 draft. ESPN’s Mike Schmitz takes a closer look at next year’s international group and notes that the 17-year-old Maledon is now the starting point guard for ASVEL, the club Parker oversees as president. ASVEL is the first-place team among 18 in France’s top league. Maledon could become the second-ever 18-year-old EuroLeague starter, following in the footsteps of Luka Doncic, when ASVEL moves up to the prestigious league next season, Schmitz adds.
The NBA 2K League will begin its 18-week season on April 2 and conclude with the Finals on August 3, according to a league press release. All regular-season games will take place at the NBA 2K League Studio in Long Island City, New York, and will be live-streamed on Twitch.

Jordan Crawford Set To Play In China

February 22nd, 2019 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

Jordan Crawford‘s 2018/19 international tour will continue in China, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando, who hears from a source that the veteran NBA guard has agreed to a deal with the Sichaun Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association.

It has been an eventful season so far for Crawford, who had apparent deals with teams in Germany and China fall through in November and January, respectively. Crawford subsequently reached a contract agreement with Ironi Nahariya in Israel and spent a month with the team, averaging 17.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 3.8 APG in five games before becoming a free agent again.

A first-round draft pick in 2010, Crawford has appeared in 281 career regular season NBA games, averaging 12.2 PPG on .411/.317/.826 shooting. His most recent NBA stint came when he finished the 2017/18 campaign with the Pelicans, playing in five regular season games and a couple more playoff contests for the club.

The CBA season ends before the NBA season does, and Sichaun doesn’t project to be a playoff team, so Crawford could find himself on the lookout for a new home again before too long. While he may try to catch on with an NBA team down the stretch like he did last season in New Orleans, that seems like a longer shot this time around.

MarShon Brooks To Play In China

February 21st, 2019 at 8:07am CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 21: Brooks has officially signed with Guangdong, Carchia relays. The team has also finalized its deal with Beasley and has kept Weems under contract, Carchia notes.

FEBRUARY 19: After being released by the Bulls last month, veteran guard MarShon Brooks appears to have lined up his next destination. A source tells Emiliano Carchia of Sportando that Brooks has agreed to a deal with China’s Guangdong Southern Tigers.

Brooks, 30, had an unusual NBA season, having found himself involved of a three-way trade rumor involving the Grizzlies, Wizards, and Suns in December. The three clubs nearly agreed to a deal, but it fell apart when the Suns realized the Grizzlies intended to send them MarShon rather than Dillon Brooks.

Memphis subsequently traded MarShon to the Bulls in a January deal for Justin Holiday, and Chicago waived him a few days later. In 29 games for the Grizzlies this season, Brooks averaged 6.6 PPG on .450/.278/.697 shooting in 13.3 minutes per contest.

Brooks is now poised to join a team that is battling for first place in the Chinese Basketball Association as the postseason approaches. Guangdong was in the news once today already, as the club was said to be finalizing a deal with Michael Beasley as well.

Teams in the CBA are only permitted to carry two international players, and Guangdong also has Sonny Weems under contract. However, Carchia suggests in a follow-up tweet that the club could technically carry three international players if one is inactive. It’s not clear yet what the team’s plan is, assuming both Brooks and Beasley officially sign.

Michael Beasley To Play In China

February 21st, 2019 at 8:06am CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 21: Beasley has officially signed with Guangdong, per Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

FEBRUARY 19: Veteran NBA forward Michael Beasley is set to continue his career overseas, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Beasley is finalizing a deal with China’s Guangdong Southern Tigers. Wojnarowski suggests the deal, which figures to span about two months, will be worth “significant cash.”

Beasley, 30, spent most of the 2018/19 season with the Lakers after signing a one-year contract with the club last summer. However, his role in Los Angeles was limited. He appeared in just 26 games, averaging 7.0 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 10.7 minutes per contest.

The Lakers sent Beasley to the Clippers along with Ivica Zubac in exchange for Mike Muscala in a deadline deal earlier this month. The Clippers subsequently released Beasley, making him an unrestricted free agent.

A previous report from Emiliano Carchia of Sportando has suggested that veteran guard MarShon Brooks was set to replace guard Malcolm Delaney on Guangdong’s roster in China. That deal had yet to be officially finalized, so it’s possible Beasley is filling the spot that Brooks had initially been in line for, but we’ll wait for further confirmation to be sure.

This will be Beasley’s third stint in the Chinese Basketball Association, as he previously spent time with the Shanghai Sharks and the Shandong Golden Stars. While Guangdong is vying for first place in the CBA standings and could make a deep playoff run, Beasley’s season in China still may end before the NBA season does, which would leave the door open for him to return to an NBA team for the postseason.

As for Delaney, he told Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net that he’s in no hurry to sign with another team after leaving Guangdong. Varlas writes that three EuroLeague clubs have been in touch with Delaney, who is hoping for a return to the NBA. He previously spent a pair of seasons with the Hawks from 2016-18.