International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Anthony Bennett Signs With Turkish Club

January 12th, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Forward Anthony Bennett, who was waived by the Nets two days ago, has signed with Fenerbache Istanbul of Turkey, international journalist David Pick tweets. Fenerbache will announce the signing as early as Friday, Pick adds in a separate tweet.

Bennett’s decision to go overseas adds another twist to the saga of one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. The 2013 No. 1 overall pick of the Cavaliers has passed through four NBA organizations, the latest being one of the league’s worst teams. The Nets parted ways with Bennett to make room for another forward, Quincy Acy.

Bennett became an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday after passing through waivers.

This past off-season, Bennett signed a two-year contract deal with the Nets, including a fully-guaranteed $1MM this season. Brooklyn gave him a chance to reestablish himself, as he appeared in 23 games, including one start. He failed to make a strong enough impression while averaging 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 11.5 minutes.

Still just 24, Bennett has appeared in a total of 151 games for the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Raptors and Nets, averaging 4.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 12.6 minutes per contest.

Bennett’s ties with the GM of the Canadian national team, Maurizio Gherardini, led him to Fenerbahce, Pick adds. Gherardini also has an association with the Turkish team.

International Notes: Bennett, Greene, Kelly

January 11th, 2017 at 6:38pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Anthony Bennett, who was recently waived by the Nets, may head overseas to pursue his next basketball opportunity, sources tell Sam Amico of Pro Basketball Digest. Amico adds that the former No.1 overall pick is also considering the D-League as an option with an eye on signing a few 10-day contracts with NBA clubs.

Bennett flashed promise at UNLV but struggled mightily during his three stops in the NBA. Amico notes that Bennett’s poor performance during his rookie season played a role in Cleveland’s decision to fire then-GM Chris Grant during the middle of the 2013/14 campaign.

Here are a few more international updates on players with NBA ties:

Former Kings big man Donte Greene, a 2008 first-rounder who last played in 2012, has joined Puerto Rican team Capitanes de Arecibo, according to an announcement from the club (hat tip to Sportando). Greene, who turns 29 next month, said back in August that he continues to hope for one more shot from an NBA team.
Maccabi Kiryat Gat of Israel has released former Nets guard Tyshawn Taylor, according to international journalist David Pick (Twitter links). The team will use the roster spot to bring Josh Selby aboard. Selby, who was the No. 49 pick in the 2011 draft, previously played in Israel for Bnei Herzliya.
Sasha Djordjevic, the coach of Bayern Munich, is recruiting Nicolas Laprovittola to play for his team, Pick reports (Twitter link). Laprovittola was waived by the Spurs last month.
Ryan Kelly has garnered interest from Reggio Emilia, a team in Italy, but it’s unlikely he joins the club as he prefers to pursue NBA opportunities, according to Emilio Carchia of Sportando. The Hawks waived Kelly last week.

Luke Adams contributed to this post

And-Ones: Austin, Facebook, Postponement, Oriakhi

January 7th, 2017 at 9:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Baylor standout Isaiah Austin, whose NBA dreams were derailed by health problems, has signed his first professional contract, tweets international journalist David Pick. Austin will join Red Star Belgrade affiliate FMP in the Adriatic League. He was considered to be a late first-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft before being diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. Austin received medical clearance to play again in late November. “He was told he’d never get a chance to play again, so he’s thrilled to get on the court,” said Austin’s agent, Dwon Clifton. “His talent is there; he hasn’t lost it; he loves the game.” (Twitter link).

There’s more basketball news to pass on tonight:

The NBA is preparing to stream its first game on Facebook, although it will only be available in India, the league announced on its website. The Kings will host the Warriors Sunday in the team’s fourth annual Bollywood Night, which features a celebration of Indian culture. It will be streamed to India on the Facebook pages of the NBA and both teams. “We are always looking for ways to utilize technology for opportunities to connect with our diverse group of fans throughout the world and are thrilled to engage with our followers in India tomorrow night,” said Warriors president and chief operating officer Rick Welts.
Tonight’s game between the Pistons and Trail Blazers was postponed because of severe weather conditions in Portland, according to a league statement. It will be made up Sunday night.
Alex Oriakhi, whose rights are owned by the Kings, has signed to play in Mexico, relays Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 6’9″ forward began the season in Turkey. His rights were acquired in the 2014 deal that sent Isaiah Thomas to Phoenix.

Texas Notes: Bogut, Barea, Nene, Ennis

December 26th, 2016 at 8:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks center Andrew Bogut, who has been sidelined since December 5th with a bone bruise on his right knee, could be back on the court this week, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Coach Rick Carlisle announced the news today on Bogut, who started 16 games before the injury. The 32-year-old, who was acquired in a trade from Golden State to sure up the Mavericks’ interior defense, is averaging 3.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per night. He was considered a prime candidate to be traded again when Dallas was at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, but Mavericks may consider keeping him as they inch back toward playoff contention. The way he and the team play between now and the February 23rd trade deadline could determine how long he stays in Dallas.

There’s more basketball news out of Texas:

Carlisle also indicated good news might be coming about J.J. Barea, according to Sneed (Twitter link). The backup guard, who has been out with a muscle strain in his left leg, still has no timetable to return, but his coach says it’s “on the shorter end of things.” Barea has only been available for 11 games this season.
The Rockets‘ plan for veteran center Nene involves more games and fewer minutes, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. With starting center Clint Capela out a month or more with a fracture in his left fibula, Houston needs Nene to play in back-to-back games. The Rockets play the Suns tonight and the Mavericks on Tuesday, and coach Mike D’Antoni plans to limit him to fewer than 20 minutes in the second game. “I think it’s working out,” D’Antoni said. “I talked to him [Monday]. He said he’s feeling great. I would like to avoid some back-to-backs, but we can’t right now. The sooner we get Clint back the better.”
Tyler Ennis hasn’t played much since coming to Houston in a September trade, but he is hoping to be part of the Canadian National Team, Feigen relays in a separate story. Ennis met tonight with Suns assistant Jay Triano, who serves as Canada’s coach, to discuss his future role with the squad. “I’ve always played for the national team,” Ennis said. “With the Canadian guys we have in the NBA now, there’s more interest in playing. Hopefully, one summer, we’ll get everybody to come and play. We’re all pretty young.”

And-Ones: CBA, Roster Spots, Bynum, Senegal

December 21st, 2016 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Negotiators for the league were determined to make it more difficult to assemble “super teams” under the new collective bargaining agreement, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical. In a brief video, Wojnarowski recounts a meeting this summer in which Commissioner Adam Silver told team owners that he was troubled by Kevin Durant‘s move to Golden State, fearing it would impact competitive balance. Warriors owner Joe Lacob defended his organization, saying it managed its salary cap in a way to enable the signing of a max player. In negotiations, the league tried to give small-market stars more incentive to re-sign with their current teams. Wojnarowski says the new system creates a “far more punitive financial choice” for players who want to leave for larger cities or more competitive teams. However, he adds that some small-market owners are concerned that the league didn’t go far enough with its rules changes.

There’s more basketball news tonight:

The new CBA will add two roster spots for each team, which will be two-way contracts for players who shuffle back and forth from the D-League, notes Chris Reichert of The Step Back. In a transcript from an interview with onthenbabeat.com, Reichert notes that the salary range for those players will be $50K to $75K, which is more than typical D-League players receive. The rise in NBA minimum salaries will also benefit D-League players because the 10-day contracts that teams can offer starting in January are based off minimum salaries adjusted for a player’s years of experience.
Veteran guard Will Bynum has signed a contract with the D-League, according to a tweet from D-League Digest. The 33-year-old was among the last players cut by the Hawks in training camp. He spent the majority of his 360-game NBA career with the Pistons, but also played for the Warriors and Wizards. He played most of the past two seasons with the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China.
The NBA plans to open an academy in Senegal next year, writes Gerald Imray of The Associated Press. This will be the sixth international academy for the league, which already has three in China and one in Australia, with another in India set to begin in April.

Sixers Rumors: Noel, Holmes, Korkmaz

December 19th, 2016 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

Sixers center Nerlens Noel recently changed agents, and his new representatives are working together with the team to try to find a potential trade for the disgruntled big man, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Given the 76ers’ lack of leveraage, the team will have a hard time extracting decent value in any deal, and there’s no sense that anything is close right now, according to Kyler. Still, he adds that “there is some urgency to getting the public dispute resolved.” For now, Noel is not a part of the Sixers’ regular rotation.

Here’s more out of Philadelphia:

The decision to remove Noel from the rotation drew most of the headlines, but Richaun Holmes is also the victim of the numbers game in Philadelphia, having logged back-to-back DNP-CDs. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer details, head coach Brett Brown suggested last night that he feels worse for Holmes than Noel, who missed the first month and a half of the season with a knee injury. “Richaun has been here since Day 1,” Brown said. “I feel that is something that’s on my mind as much as Nerlens.”
There’s plenty of blame to go around in the Noel situation, according to Derek Bodner of PhillyMag.com, who notes that Noel, Brown, former GM Sam Hinkie, and current GM Bryan Colangelo all played a part.
International basketball reporter David Pick has an update on Sixers draft-and-stash prospect Furkan Korkmaz, tweeting that the 2016 first-rounder – who is playing in Turkey – has been traded from Anadolu Efes to Banvit.

And-Ones: Motiejunas, Neal, Jerrett, 2017 FAs

December 18th, 2016 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Now an unrestricted free agent, Donatas Motiejunas has more freedom than ever to decide the next step in his basketball career, even if he can no longer sign with the Nets. As he looks for a new NBA home, Motiejunas released a statement today on Twitter, announcing that he has “a lot more to give to the game of basketball, and can’t wait to get back on the court.”

“I invest so much into my craft and have worked extremely hard to stay healthy and prove myself on the basketball court, which was evident last season,” Motiejunas said. “I look forward to immediately contributing to a new team and ultimately winning championships.

“I want to thank the great fans in Houston for all of their support. I really enjoyed my time in the community. The city and people will always hold a special place in my heart as the place where my NBA career began.”

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

After veteran NBA guard Gary Neal signed a D-League contract earlier this week, he landed with New York’s affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, as Chris Reichert of The Step Back tweets.
Former Arizona big man and 2013 second-round pick Grant Jerrett has signed with the Beijing Ducks, Stephon Marbury’s team in China, according to international basketball journalist David Pick (Twitter link).
Keith P. Smith of RealGM.com identifies 11 players on track for 2017 free agency who may be flying under the radar a little, including JaMychal Green (Grizzlies), Patty Mills (Spurs), and Bojan Bogdanovic (Nets).
Jason Concepcion of The Ringer examines some of the players who are off to underwhelming starts this season after signing lucrative new contracts over the summer, with Hornets forward Marvin Williams leading the way.

Henry Sims To Play In China

December 15th, 2016 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

Journeyman center Henry Sims is headed overseas, according to international basketball journalist David Pick, who reports (via Twitter) that Sims has struck a deal with the Shanxi Brave Dragons in China. The Chinese club has cut former NBA big man Samuel Dalembert to clear room on its roster for Sims.

An undrafted free agent out of Georgetown, Sims made his NBA debut in 2012/13, ultimately appearing in 135 total regular season contests for New Orleans, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn over the course of four seasons. In those games, the 26-year-old averaged 7.6 PPG and 5.0 RPG, making 47.1% of his shots from the floor.

After participating in camp with the Jazz this fall, Sims started this season in the D-League, putting up 18.0 PPG and 8.7 in 11 games for the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s NBADL affiliate. A report earlier this week indicated that Sims’ D-League contract had been bought out, signaling that he was likely headed to a team in Europe or Asia.

With the move, Sims be moving from a Salt Lake City club that was 2-10 to a Shanxi team that is playing better ball, with a 9-8 record so far in CBA play. Former Grizzlies second-rounder Jamaal Franklin, who is averaging an impressive 37.2 PPG so far, will be among Sims’ teammates in China.

Steve Blake Probably Finished In Australia

December 13th, 2016 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Veteran point guard Steve Blake has likely played his last game in the Australian league, according to Fox Sports.

The 36-year-old, who played for the Pistons last season, signed with the Sydney Kings in October after he was unable to get a training camp invitation from any NBA team. Blake was granted an indefinite leave of absence this week to return to the United States to be with a sick family member, and his coach, Andrew Gaze, doesn’t expect him to return.

“The high probability is he won’t be back,” Gaze told EON Sports Radio. “We’re hopeful that he may be, but I think it’s going to be a difficult one.”

Blake was used as a reserve by the Kings and averaged fewer than 6.0 PPG in nine games. However, managing director Jeff Van Groningen insisted that his departure had nothing to do with his performance on the court.

Blake spent 13 years in the NBA, playing for eight franchises. During an interview last month with the Blazers Edge fan site, he acknowledged that a return to the NBA was unlikely, but said he would be interested if he got an opportunity.

Lorenzo Brown, Royce White Join Non-NBA Teams

December 8th, 2016 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA draftees Lorenzo Brown and Royce White have signed with new teams, and will be headed to China and Canada, respectively, according to reports. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Zhang Duo) has the details on Brown, who will join China’s Zhejiang Golden Bulls, while Chris Reichert of The Step Back tweets that White has signed with the London Lightning in Canada’s NBL.

Brown, who was in camp with the Pistons this fall, was waived after losing the battle for the team’s third point guard spot, and reached an agreement with Russia’s Unics Kazan last month. However, the 26-year-old reportedly failed his physical with the Russian team, leaving him looking for work elsewhere.

The 52nd overall pick in the 2013 draft, Brown has logged 63 total NBA regular-season appearances for the Sixers, Timberwolves, and Suns. The former N.C. State standout spent much of the 2015/16 campaign with Detroit’s D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids, averaging 18.3 points, 5.8 assists and 2.9 turnovers in 33.3 minutes per game, before he signed with the Pistons near the end of the season.

As for White, the former 16th overall pick only ever appeared in three NBA regular-season games, back in 2014. An anxiety disorder, which included a fear of flying, complicated White’s ability to contribute to an NBA team, though a handful of clubs, including the Rockets, Sixers, and Kings, attempted to make it work. The 25-year-old continues to seek out professional basketball opportunities, but has acknowledged that advocating for mental health awareness is more important to him than trying to return to the NBA.