International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Ben Bentil To Play In China

November 18th, 2016 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

After appearing in just a single D-League game for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, rookie power forward Ben Bentil is headed to China as an injury replacement, according to Adam Johnson of D-League Digest, who adds (via Twitter) that Fort Wayne is expecting Bentil back later in the season.

It has been an eventful offseason for Bentil, who left Providence after his sophomore year to enter the NBA draft, then was selected 51st overall by the Celtics. Boston, however, had a crowded roster and didn’t have room for Bentil — the team hoped to send him to its D-League affiliate in Maine after giving him a $250K guarantee. Instead, Bentil briefly signed with the Pacers – who gave him a $50K guarantee – and joined Indiana’s D-League affiliate in Fort Wayne.

In his first and only contest with the Mad Ants, Bentil led the club to a blowout victory with a team-high 27 points and 10 rebounds in 45 minutes. Just a few days later though, it appears he has received a more enticing offer from a Chinese team.

Terms of Bentil’s new deal aren’t known, but if it’s a standard CBA contract, he’ll be in China until at least February, and potentially longer than that if his team makes a postseason run. Dakota Schmidt of Ridiculous Upside tweets that Fort Wayne expects Bentil back in about two months, so the 21-year-old may not play the full CBA season.

Because he was waived by Celtics, Bentil’s NBA rights are no longer held by Boston, meaning he could be picked up by any of the league’s 30 teams upon his return if he impresses overseas.

And-Ones: Rose, Wilson, Childress, Telfair

November 17th, 2016 at 10:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

An appeal has been filed in the civil lawsuit that accused Knicks guard Derrick Rose and two of his friends of sexual assault, according to the Associated Press. A jury ruled against Rose’s ex-girlfriend, who was seeking $21.5MM over the alleged gang rape, the AP story continues. The appeal filed Thursday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals claims that pertinent evidence was excluded and jury instructions were tainted, the AP report adds.

In other developments around the league:

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is joining a group of investors seeking to build an NBA and NHL arena in the city, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com reports. Wilson wants to have an ownership stake if the NBA awards a franchise to the city or if a current team moves there, Kapadia adds. “I’ve told you guys I’ve been really authentic about wanting to own a team one day and being a part of something really special and doing that,” Wilson told Kapadia and other media members. “And even though I’m young, I definitely have a business mindset. And I want to be able to help people and give back and help change this community, continue to change this community for the better.”
Approximately 30 NBA scouts will be in attendance for this weekend’s National Prep Showcase in New Haven, Conn., Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com writes. Shooting guard Hamidou Diallo, who is eligible for the 2017 draft, is the main attraction, Zagoria adds.
Former NBA player Josh Childress has agreed to a contract with San-en NeoPhoenix in the Japanese League, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Childress played in Australia the past two seasons, Carchia adds. The 33-year-old forward made his last NBA appearance in the 2013/14 season, when he played four games for the Pelicans franchise.
Ex-NBA guard Sebastian Telfair has signed a one-month deal in China as an injury replacement for another former NBA player, Dwight Buycks, international journalist David Pick tweets. Telfair, 31, made his last NBA appearance in 2014/15, when he saw action in 16 games with the Thunder.

D.J. Kennedy To Play In China

November 14th, 2016 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Nuggets last month, D.J. Kennedy will head back overseas and continue his career in China, reports international basketball journalist David Pick. According to Pick (via Twitter), Kennedy has signed a deal with China’s Foshan Lions.

Kennedy, who turned 27 this month, originally went undrafted out of St. John’s back in 2011. Although he has participated in various training camps over the years with the Grizzlies, Mavericks, and Nuggets, Kennedy’s only NBA regular season experience consists of two games with the Cavaliers during the 2011/12 campaign — he averaged 6.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 1.5 APG in 29.5 minutes per outing.

Kennedy has split the remainder of his playing career between the NBA D-League and international teams. He spent the 2015/16 campaign with the Russian club Enisey Krasnoyarsk, appearing in 40 games and averaging 14.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 3.7 APG. Kennedy’s shooting line on the year was .451/.287/.809.

The Nuggets paid Kennedy a partial guarantee of $50K to come to training camp with the team this fall, but cut him along with Axel Toupane and JaKarr Sampson about a month ago.

The Foshan Lions cut former UConn standout Ryan Boatright to accommodate the signing of Kennedy, according to Pick.

And-Ones: Youth Academy, Prigioni, Pelicans

November 9th, 2016 at 9:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA will team with Basketball Australia to create a youth academy in Canberra, according to A.J. Neuhart-Keusch of USA Today. Known as NBA Global Academy, the facility will be an elite training center for young players. Located at the Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport, the academy is designed to be a “global hub” for international prospects. The NBA has three similar facilities in China. “NBA Global Academy will allow top prospects from around the world to train with and compete against their peers in a structured environment under the supervision of NBA-trained coaches and in collaboration with BA’s internationally recognized coaches,” said Brooks Meek, NBA vice president of international basketball operations.

There’s more basketball news tonight:

Barcelona has confirmed its interest in 39-year-old point guard Pablo Prigioni, relays Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. Head coach Georgios Bartzokas said the team has its eye on Prigioni, who was waived by the Rockets last month, but cautioned that it’s far from a done deal. “Every guard in the market with European passport interests us,” Bartzokas said. “Prigioni, with his great career and potential is one of them. But the most important thing is to bring a player that fits into our system. It’s not just about the potential, quality or level of the player. It’s about whether he fits with us and whether he’s able to play well with our players.”
The Pelicans top a list of teams that should be very worried by their slow starts, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. New Orleans has an 0-8 record and is hampered by injuries to Tyreke Evans, Quincy Pondexter and Lance Stephenson, who was waived over the weekend. The Pelicans are also without starting point guard Jrue Holiday, who remains on a leave of absence to care for his ailing wife. Bontemps says there are whispers that coach Alvin Gentry may be fired if the team doesn’t start winning soon. The other teams on Bontemps’ list are the Wizards, Knicks, Mavericks and Timberwolves.
Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard is the latest player to incorporate strobe lights into his training, according to Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com. The flashing lights, which simulate photographers’ flashes, were first incorporated by Michael Jordan in the 1990s.

Josh Smith To Play In China

November 8th, 2016 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA forward Josh Smith will be heading overseas for the coming season, according to international basketball journalist David Pick, who reports (via Twitter) that Smith is joining the Sichuan Whales, the reigning champs in the Chinese Basketball Association. A source tells Pick that the short-term deal will be worth $1.5MM+.

For Smith, it’s a change of direction, as he had reportedly turned down a lucrative offer to play in China earlier this year. Back in September, the 30-year-old said that his “main goal” was to continue playing in the NBA, and that if he had “jumped to leave [his] NBA chances behind, it would’ve been an act of desperation.” A month and a half later, apparently with no appealing NBA opportunities available, Smith is heading to China after all.

A 17th overall pick back in 2004, Smith has already spent 12 seasons in the NBA, despite the fact that he won’t turn 31 for another month. In 891 career regular season contests for the Hawks, Pistons, Rockets, and Clippers, the veteran forward has averaged 14.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.9 BPG, and 1.2 SPG. He has also appeared in 73 career postseason games.

In Sichuan, Smith will be joining a team coming off a championship win earlier this year. Former NBA players Mike Harris and Hamed Haddadi are among the leading scorers for the Blue Whales.

Chinese Team Interested In Josh Smith

November 6th, 2016 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Josh Smith may be nearing a deal to play in China, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. The Sichuan Whales are interested in the 30-year-old forward, who spent 12 years in the NBA.

Smith divided last year between the Clippers and Rockets, playing 55 total games and averaging 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per night. He also spent nine years in Atlanta and a season and a half with Detroit.

Smith, who wasn’t invited to any training camp, gave an interview in September where he said he understood that he needed to change his mindset to continue his NBA career. He also claimed the perception of him around the league changed when he was released by the Pistons after signing a four-year, $58MM deal. Smith agreed to a buyout with Detroit, so he will earn $5,331,729 annually through the 2019/20 season.

Ex-Piston Lorenzo Brown Headed To Russia

November 3rd, 2016 at 6:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Point guard Lorenzo Brown will sign with Russia’s Unics Kazan in the Euroleague, league sources informed Chris Reichert of The Step Back (Twitter links).

Brown was forced to consider other options after being a late training camp cut by the Pistons. He battled Ray McCallum for the third point guard spot behind Reggie Jackson and Ish Smith, a competition that McCallum won. It turned out to be a moot point when coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy opted to claim Beno Udrih off waivers from the Heat just before the season opener and waive McCallum.

Detroit signed Brown to a 10-day contract late last season and then decided to keep him during the postseason, when it was swept in the opening round by the Cavaliers. Brown, who had a non-guaranteed deal, never appeared in a game with the Pistons.

Brown’s last NBA action came in January, when he was on two 10-days with the Suns. He averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 assists and 1.1 turnovers in 7.6 minutes per game across eight appearances with Phoenix.

Brown spent much of the season 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. The relationship between the Pistons and the former N.C. State standout, who was the 52nd pick in the 2013 draft, dates to the 2014 preseason, when Brown was on Detroit’s training camp roster.

Brown, 26, appeared in 29 games with the Timberwolves in 2014/15, including seven starts, and played 26 games for the Sixers in his rookie year.

Jorge Gutierrez To Play In Turkey

November 3rd, 2016 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent guard Jorge Gutierrez will head overseas after being cut last month by the Nets, according to international basketball journalist David Pick, who reports (via Twitter) that Gutierrez is signing with Turkish team Trabzonspor.

An undrafted point guard out of the University of California, Gutierrez has appeared in 47 total NBA games since 2014, debuting for the Nets and also spending time with the Bucks and Hornets. For his career, he has averaged 2.9 PPG, 1.5 APG, and 1.1 RPG, while shooting 50.0% from the field. Gutierrez has spent more time over the past several seasons in the D-League, playing 122 contests for the Canton Charge.

Gutierrez was one of a handful of players waived by the Nets during preseason roster cutdowns, joining Chase Budinger and a few other teammates on the waiver wire. Like Budinger, he’ll play professional ball internationally rather than heading to Brooklyn’s D-League affiliate with Beau Beech, Yogi Ferrell, and Egidijus Mockevicius.

The timing of the move is interesting, as the Nets may be in need of point guard help, having announced today that Jeremy Lin will miss at least the next two weeks with a strained hamstring. With Greivis Vasquez and Caris LeVert also ailing, the Nets’ backcourt is thin and Gutierrez is a player with whom the club is familiar.

Still, Brooklyn has 15 guaranteed contracts on its books, so the team is unlikely to make a roster move for a short-term fix. And in any case, it seems Gutierrez wouldn’t be an option, now that he has committed to Trabzonspor.

And-Ones: Budinger, Allen, World Peace, O. Johnson

November 2nd, 2016 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Nets last month, Chase Budinger has headed to Spain to join Baskonia. As Eurohoops.net details, Budinger says he’s excited to follow in the footsteps of former Baskonia big man Luis Scola, whom Budinger describes as a “mentor.” There will be no shortage of former Nets on the roster this season for Baskonia, as the team also features Andrea Bargnani, Shane Larkin, and Tornike Shengelia.

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

Now that Ray Allen has formally announced his retirement, what’s next for the future Hall-of-Famer? Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders explores that subject, recalling that when he spoke to Allen back in 2014, the veteran sharpshooter expressed interest in eventually getting into coaching.
The Lakers were in Indiana last night to play the Pacers, and veteran forward Metta World Peace took the opportunity to express some remorse about his time in Indiana earlier in his career, per Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. According to World Peace, he can “never forgive” himself for letting so many people in the Pacers organization down.
Former second-round pick Orlando Johnson, who appeared in regular-season games with the Suns and Pelicans last season, has signed a three-month deal with Russian team UNICS Kazan, as relayed by Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. Johnson was in camp with the Bucks this fall, but didn’t make Milwaukee’s regular season roster.

And-Ones: Prigioni, Teague, Evans, Hummel

October 29th, 2016 at 10:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pablo Prigioni, who was waived by Houston on Monday, is drawing interest from a team in Spain, according to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. The 39-year-old point guard has an offer from Barcelona that he is reportedly considering. Prigioni played for the Knicks, Clippers and Rockets in four NBA seasons.

There’s more NBA-related news tonight:

Former NBA guard Marquis Teague has been released by his Israeli team, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. The younger brother of Pacers guard Jeff Teague, Marquis Teague played 88 games for the Bulls and Nets but has been out of the league for the past two seasons.
Ex-NBA players Jeremy Evans and Robbie Hummel have signed with Khimki Moscow, Pick reports (Twitter link). Evans, who was waived by the Pacers last week, had a guaranteed $1,227,286 contract. Hummel had a $150K guarantee from the Nuggets, who released him last week.
Three recently waived players were part of a D-League trade today, reports Chris Reichert of The Step Back (Twitter link). The Northern Arizona Suns dealt Xavier Munford, Cory Jefferson and Alec Brown to the Greensboro Swarm in exchange for three draft picks. Munford, a 24-year-old shooting guard, was released by the Clippers, Jefferson was cut by the Cavaliers and Brown was waived by the Suns.