International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Okafor, Ferrell, Rookies, Player Empowerment

November 25th, 2023 at 10:09am CST by Tristan Tucker

Signing with Zaragoza in Spain hasn’t gone exactly according to plan for former No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor, with the team stumbling out to a 3-7 record after he signed this summer. According to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia, Okafor is now departing Zaragoza to sign with a Chinese club, the Zhejiang Lions, who will pay for his buyout.

It sounds like the magnitude of the offer received from Zhejiang was the biggest sticking point for Okafor, and that it was more than he could’ve received from Zaragoza, as detailed in a piece from BasketNews.com.

Zaragoza head coach Porfirio Fisac openly discussed his thought process on the matter before Okafor left, as relayed by BasketNews.com.

“If he leaves, for me right now in his career, it’s a mistake,” Fisac said. “I think he’d be mistaken. He’s played 15 or 20 games and is in good physical condition. It is true that he still has a lot to improve, but we cannot put more pressure on him in terms of changes of pace and efforts.

“We are taking care of him. If he stays here, his career will be extended by 10 years. If he goes somewhere else, he will play five more years. It all depends on where the money is or whether you want to earn it today or later. Everyone has their own way of thinking.”

Okafor, 27, holds six seasons of NBA experience across stints with the Sixers, Nets, Pelicans and Pistons. His last NBA appearance came in 2020/21 with Detroit. He averages 10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 247 games (116 starts) for his career.

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Former NBA guard Yogi Ferrell is receiving overseas interest, with Serbian club Partizan reaching out to the 30-year-old guard, according to Eurohoops.net. Partizan is currently dealing with injury issues in the backcourt, leading to their interest in Ferrell. Ferrell appeared in 259 games (53 starts) across five seasons in the NBA with the Nets, Mavericks, Kings, Cavaliers and Clippers. His last NBA appearance came in 2020/21 and he holds career averages of 7.7 points and 2.3 assists.
While Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama have seemingly made the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award a two-man race early in the season, the entire crop of first-year players has been impressive. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie took stock of rookies across the league, ranking Dereck Lively, Brandon Miller, Ausar Thompson, Jordan Hawkins and Cason Wallace as the next five (in order) behind Holmgren and Wembanyama on the league’s rookie ladder. It’s a different take on the rookie class than what ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton offered last week — ESPN’s duo was a touch higher on Detroit’s Marcus Sasser and lower on Lively, though all of Marks, Pelton and Vecenie agreed Holmgren was the overall most impressive rookie so far.
This summer’s trade requests from Damian Lillard and James Harden added another chapter to the NBA’s player empowerment saga. According to Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett, NBA owners are seeking ways to prevent or minimize the practice of players demanding trades in the fashion we’ve been accustomed to. “I think the whole player empowerment piece that has been running in the league for last couple of years? I think it’s about run its course, because so many just haven’t worked out,” Bulpett’s Eastern Conference source said.

Kings Waive Filip Petrusev

November 24th, 2023 at 10:30pm CST by Rory Maher

10:30pm: Petrusev has been officially waived, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

10:05pm: The Kings plan to waive big man Filip Petrusev, a league source tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

According to Wojnarowski, the Kings intend to keep their 15th standard roster spot open “for the foreseeable future” once the move is official. Petrusev is expected to sign a contract overseas, Woj adds.

James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com reports (via Twitter) that the Serbian forward/center will be signing with EuroLeague team Olympiacos — there were rumors linking Petrusev to the Greek club last week.

Petrusev, 23, was the 50th pick of the 2021 draft. He was stashed overseas for a couple years before signing a two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Sixers this offseason. Philadelphia traded him to the Clippers in the James Harden deal, and he was immediately flipped to Sacramento for cash.

Although Petrusev was on a two-year deal, only his salary for 2023/24 included guaranteed money — he’ll make $559,782, half of the rookie minimum (or the equivalent to a two-way salary). That will also be the Kings’ cap hit when Petrusev clears waivers, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Petrusev, who played college ball at Gonzaga, won a EuroLeague championship with Anadolu Efes in 2022, earned a Serbian League title with Crvena Zvezda in 2023, and was part of the Serbian national team that finished second at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Now he’ll be heading back to Europe after what must have been a frustrating NBA experience — he was on three different rosters just a week into his rookie season.

Overall, Petrusev appeared in three games this season — one with Philadelphia, two with Sacramento — for 10 total minutes.

The Kings will have 17 players under contract once Petrusev is released, with all three of their two-way spots filled.

And-Ones: Wembanyama, Amazon, Mitrou-Long, NBA Vets

November 21st, 2023 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The minimum salary for a first-year player this season is a little under $1.2MM. Contrast that with Victor Wembanyama, whose uniform can fetch more than half that amount.

A jersey worn by the Spurs’ big man in his NBA debut just sold at the Sotheby’s for $762K, BasketballNews.com tweets. It’s the highest amount ever paid for a rookie jersey.

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Amazon is bidding for an NBA rights package and the company isn’t just looking for regular season games. Amazon Global Head of Sports Jay Marine told John Ourand and Andrew Marchand in a podcast (hat tip to RealGM) that the company would want to add playoff games to its Prime Video service beginning in 2025. Amazon Prime currently holds right for most Thursday NFL games.
Former NBA guard Naz Mitrou-Long has signed with Greece’s Olympiacos, according to a team press release. Mitrou-Long appeared in 20 NBA games, most recently with Indiana during the 2019/20 season.
The underrated impact of veteran NBA players who see little action but provide sage advice and leadership on the bench and in the locker room is detailed by The Athletic’s John Hollinger.

And-Ones: Bronny, LeBron, Shaq, Bacon, Vaughn

November 20th, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bronny James took another step toward making his collegiate debut on Sunday, as he warmed up with his USC teammates prior to a game for the first time this season, according to an ESPN report. LeBron’s son suffered cardiac arrest in July during a team workout.

“He went through warmups with the team. He’s a big part of our program and our team. He’s a terrific teammate,” USC coach Andy Enfield said. “We look forward to hopefully one day getting him back on the court, but when that day is, that’s not my decision. We’re going to be patient and go through the process.”

Bronny was considered a potential first-round pick prior to his health issues.

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Shaquille O’Neal has previously expressed he’d like to own a piece of an NBA franchise in Las Vegas if the league expands there. He hinted that LeBron James might also be part of the ownership group, according to Sportando’s Alessandro Maggi. “If there’s ever an NBA team coming here, I’d definitely like to be involved,” O’Neal said. “With LeBron, without LeBron, I just want to be involved.”
Former NBA wing Dwayne Bacon has signed with China’s Shanghai Sharks, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando tweets. Bacon played in Greece last season and also joined an Israeli team for three exhibition games in the U.S. this fall. The former second-round pick’s last NBA campaign was in 2020/21 with Orlando.
Former first-round pick Rashad Vaughn has signed a contract with Greece’s Apollon Patras BC, Sportando relays. Vaughn, who was drafted by the Bucks with the No. 17 pick in 2015, spent the 2022/23 season in the NBA G League with the Cavaliers’ affiliate, the Cleveland Charge. His last taste of NBA action came in 2017/18, when he played a combined 28 games with Milwaukee, Orlando and Brooklyn.

And-Ones: Diallo, T. Cook, J. Green, Expansion, More

November 18th, 2023 at 3:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA big man Cheick Diallo, who opened this season playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, intends to return to Kyoto Hannaryz, the Japanese team he played for in 2022/23, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link).

Diallo appeared in 180 NBA games from 2016-20, but has bounced around since then, playing in the G League and multiple international leagues, returning to the NBA for just three contests in 2021/22.

In other international basketball news, former NBA forward Tyler Cook has signed with Spanish club Joventut Badalona, per a press release from the team. Cook played in a total of 65 games for five different NBA teams between 2019-22, but wasn’t in the league at all last season. He played in the G League in 2022/23 and had a brief stint in Australia this fall.

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Former NBA forward Johnny Green, who made four All-Star appearances between 1959-71, including three for the Knicks, has passed away at age 89, according to Richard Goldstein of The New York Times. Known as Jumpin’ Johnny, Green was a college star at Michigan State before recording over 12,000 points and 9,000 rebounds in the NBA.
Asked during an appearance on Sportsnet’s The Raptors Show (Twitter video link) about comments he made recently referencing the idea of expansion to a Canadian city like Montreal or Vancouver, commissioner Adam Silver stressed that the NBA has received interest from those markets but isn’t prepared to seriously explore the possibility yet. “It’s not an active discussion right now,” Silver said.
The early returns for the NBA’s first ever in-season tournament “have been pretty positive,” Silver said during that same radio appearance (Twitter video link). In addition to seeing a significant jump in television ratings for tournament games, Silver is encouraged by the buy-in from people around the NBA. “The players are really into it, and the coaches and teams have been very engaged and excited about it,” Silver said. “That’s what’s most important and what will ultimately translate into the most interest from the fans.”
Sam Amick, Josh Robbins, and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic take stock of the best and worst of the NBA’s first few weeks, identifying the Mavericks, Rockets, and Timberwolves as the teams that have most outperformed expectations and the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks as a few that have underwhelmed.

And-Ones: F. Jackson, G. Davis, W. Bynum, Cooks, More

November 16th, 2023 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

French team ASVEL confirmed that it has parted ways with former NBA guard Frank Jackson, terminating his contract with the club (Twitter link).

The expectation is that Jackson will move from France to China, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando, who hears that the 25-year-old will sign a lucrative contract with a team in the Chinese Basketball Association. Jackson appeared in 214 total NBA games for New Orleans, Detroit, and Utah from 2018-23.

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Former NBA players Glen Davis and Will Bynum are the latest to be convicted in relation to a scheme to defraud the league’s health insurance plan, according to a report from The Associated Press. While their sentences likely won’t be as lengthy as that of Terrence Williams, who was deemed the ringleader of the plot and given 10 years in prison, Davis and Bynum will “probably” face some jail time, says Michael McCann of Sportico (subscription required).
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic takes a look at which NBA draft prospects were most impressive at this year’s NCAA Champions Classic, identifying three Kentucky players – freshmen Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham and sophomore Adou Thiero – as a few of the youngsters who have improved their stock at the start of the college season.
Former Wizards forward Xavier Cooks received multiple two-way contract offers before deciding to sign with a Japanese team, sources tell Olgun Uluc of ESPN.com. According to Uluc, the belief is that Cooks prioritized “significant” guaranteed money overseas rather than trying to work his way up the NBA ladder.
Within the same ESPN story, Uluc says that the Cavaliers, Pistons, Jazz, Kings, Clippers, and Wizards are among the teams who have had representatives in Australia this fall to scout the draft prospects in the country’s National Basketball League.

And-Ones: Cousins, Expansion, 2024 Cap Room, Netflix, More

November 14th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center DeMarcus Cousins, who last played in Puerto Rico, is drawing “strong” interest from a team in the Chinese Basketball Association, sources tell Orazio Cauchi of BasketNews.com. While it’s unclear which team in China is pursuing Cousins, one of BasketNews’ sources believes that a deal will be reached.

As Cauchi explains, Cousins – who has earned four All-Star nods and been named an All-NBA player twice – was already in China for a series of promotional events. Negotiations with the mystery CBA team have reportedly gotten more serious since he arrived in the country.

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While Las Vegas and Seattle are the destinations most frequently cited for the next round of NBA expansion, commissioner Adam Silver said during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics telecast on Monday (Twitter video link via The Shift) that he wouldn’t rule out a pair of Canadian cities as eventual homes for NBA franchises. “I know there’s interest from Montreal, we’ve heard from them,” Silver said. “There’s still ongoing interest in Vancouver. … There will be more opportunity (in Canada) over time.”
Keith Smith of Spotrac recently took a closer look at each team’s projected spending power for the 2024 offseason, naming the Magic, Sixers, and Pistons as the clubs that are in the best position to create significant cap room.
Netflix has conveyed some interest in broadcasting the NBA’s in-season tournament in future seasons, sources tell John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. The 2023/24 in-season tournament games are airing on ESPN, TNT, and regional sports networks, but that could change in the NBA’s next media deal.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report ranked the best players and prospects on two-way contracts, with Pelicans sharpshooter Matt Ryan and Celtics big man Neemias Queta earning the top spots on his list.

Xavier Cooks Reportedly Joining Japanese Team

November 14th, 2023 at 7:40am CST by Luke Adams

After being waived last month by the Wizards, forward Xavier Cooks has agreed to join the Chiba Jets in Japan’s top basketball league (B.League), reports Olgun Uluc of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Cooks, who was born in Australia, has spent most of his professional career playing for the Sydney Kings after going undrafted out of Winthrop in 2018. After helping lead the Kings to a National Basketball League title earlier this year, the 28-year-old signed a four-year contract with the Wizards in March that included two guaranteed seasons — 2022/23 and ’23/24.

Cooks appeared in 10 games down the stretch last season with Washington, averaging 3.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per night. However, the team overhauled its front office in the offseason, replacing the decision-makers who initially brought him aboard.

When the Wizards faced a roster crunch this fall, with 17 players on guaranteed contracts battling for 15 standard roster spots, Cooks was one of the odd men out despite his guaranteed $1,719,864 salary, which he’ll still receive from Washington.

Cooks is set to join a Chiba Jets team that plays its home games in Funabashi, just east of Tokyo. The club – which features one other former NBA player, D.J. Stephens – is off to an 8-6 start this season in B.League play and has won all three of its games in the East Asia Super League.

And-Ones: Mexico, Silver, Wall, Harding, Knight, Jackson

November 13th, 2023 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Commissioner Adam Silver dropped a hint that the league would consider having an NBA franchise in Mexico City, ESPN’s Eric Gomez writes.

“We see this as a gateway, essentially, to the rest of Latin America,” Silver said of the city. “We think, whether it be additional G League franchises in Mexico City and ultimately a larger footprint here in Latin America or ultimately the dream of an NBA franchise coming to Mexico City one day.”

Silver added that the league would definitely play another game or two in Mexico City next season. Orlando and Atlanta played there last week.

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In his latest notebook on Substack, Marc Stein confirms that free agent John Wall remains focused on trying to find another NBA opportunity, as he suggested last week. Wall practiced with the South East Melbourne Phoenix on a recent trip to Australia since he’s part of the franchise’s ownership group, but he’s not looking to play there. Wall appeared in 34 games with the Clippers last season.
Former WNBA star Lindsey Harding — the only woman currently serving as a head coach of an American men’s professional basketball team — made history as the first female NBA or G League coach in the Stockton Kings’ opener on Friday, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon notes. Nancy Lieberman served as head coach for the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ affiliate, from 2009-11 when the minor league was called the D League.
Italy’s Happy Casa Brindisi has shown interest in former NBA guard Brandon Knight, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Knight, who appeared in 451 NBA regular season games, was most recently in the NBA during the 2021/22 season, when he played five games with Dallas.
Another former NBA guard, Frank Jackson, is expected to part ways with France’s ASVEL Villeurbanne, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Jackson, who has appeared in six EuroLeague games, missed the EuroLeague derby against AS Monaco last week and was absent in the French league game against Dijon over the weekend. Jackson played one game with Utah last season and saw action in 53 games with Detroit the previous season.

John Wall Continues To Seek New NBA Opportunity

November 10th, 2023 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

Five-time All-Star John Wall hasn’t been on an NBA roster since he was traded from the Clippers to the Rockets and then waived by Houston in February. However, he’s still attempting to make it back into the league, as he confirmed during an appearance in Melbourne, Australia, per BasketNews.com.

Wall is in Melbourne to visit with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, the National Basketball League team he owns a stake in.

“Whenever I can help the game grow in different countries and in different places, it’s super exciting for me to be hands-on and come and watch these guys working, to let them see the type of work I put in individually at the level I’m at and trying to get back to the NBA,” said Wall, who did some workouts with the team on Friday and will watch the Phoenix in action on Sunday.

“I love the game, I still get up every morning at 6:00 am, work out. I’m still dedicated to getting back in, I think something will happen soon,” Wall continued. “For me, I still love the grind, I still love to get up and put the work in. You just saw me work out for an hour, hour-thirty. No matter what, I still love the game. If I still have the hunger and desire to be [in the NBA], I’ll continue to chase my dream to get back in. It’s just being patient, staying ready, and just letting God do his work, and being ready whenever your name is called.”

Wall is no stranger to NBA comebacks. He missed he entire 2019/20 season due to heel and Achilles injuries before returning the following season for the Rockets. He was also held out of the entire 2021/22 campaign while under contract with Houston before getting an opportunity with the Clippers last season.

While he’s no longer the explosive scorer and play-maker he was earlier in his career, Wall has put up strong offensive numbers in his two most recent seasons, averaging 16.3 points and 6.1 assists in 27.6 minutes per game across 74 total appearances (43 starts). However, his shooting line was just .405/.313/.725 during that time and injuries have diminished some of the 33-year-old’s lateral quickness on defense.

Wall, who held a private workout for teams in July, remains focused on potential NBA opportunities, though he also didn’t rule out the possibility of someday suiting up for his NBL team.

“You never know what the future might hold down the road,” Wall said when asked about the idea of playing for the Phoenix. “I’m not going to make any promises. It’s super exciting to put the jersey on. They surprised me. I came with my own workout stuff on, and they said, ‘We’ve got shorts, we’ve got a jersey.’ I turn around, I got my college number with the name on the back. … That’s some memorabilia I get to take home, and hopefully, I can get all the guys to sign it before leaving so I can put it into my little trophy case.”