International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: TNT Lawsuit, Diamond Sports, Handy, Johnson, More

November 15th, 2024 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

Rumors began to circulate on Wednesday that the NBA and TNT Sports have opened settlement talks in an attempt to resolve the lawsuit Warner Bros. Discovery filed against the NBA earlier this year, according to Michael McCarthy and A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports.

“I know [both sides] want to solve this,” one source told Front Office Sports.

“It has to be soon,” another source said. “They don’t want to let it drag on.”

Warner Bros. Discovery, TNT’s parent company, sued the NBA after the league refused to recognize its matching rights and argued that TNT’s offer didn’t match the specific terms of the league’s deal with Amazon Prime. A settlement has always been considered the most likely outcome, since neither the NBA nor TNT is believed to be seeking a lengthy trial process that results in confidential details becoming public.

As McCarthy and Perez note, settlements are typically financial, but it’s not out of the question that the league could award TNT a smaller broadcast rights package after leaving the network out of its latest round of media rights deals with Disney, NBC, and Amazon.

We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of the FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports), will emerge from bankruptcy following a federal judge’s ruling on Thursday, according to Evan Drellich of The Athletic. Viewers will have the option of subscribing on a season-long, monthly, or per-game basis to their local Diamond Sports network to watch NBA broadcasts, per The Associated Press. Diamond, which broadcasts games for 13 NBA teams, will also offer subscriptions through Amazon Prime Video, though the exact details of that arrangement have yet to be announced, Drellich adds.
Phil Handy, a veteran NBA assistant coach who won titles with the Lakers, Raptors, and Cavaliers, will be the head coach of a team in Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league debuting in January, says Marc J. Spears of Andscape. Handy became a coaching free agent in the spring when the Lakers fired all of their assistants after letting go of head coach Darvin Ham. Handy is one of six Unrivaled head coaches announced on Friday by the league (Twitter link).
In the wake of rumors that Anadolu Efes wing Stanley Johnson is exploring other professional options, the former NBA lottery pick stated on Twitter that he’s “very happy” with Efes and doesn’t plan on leaving the Istanbul-based club anytime soon. Johnson has had a very modest role in EuroLeague competition so far, averaging just 2.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game across seven outings.
John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a closer look at 10 relatively unheralded role players who have gotten off to strong starts this season, including Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Grizzlies big man Jay Huff, and Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome, among others.

And-Ones: Trade Possibilities, Contract Decisions, Bell, Johnson, Rookies

November 14th, 2024 at 10:14pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Several should-be playoff contenders have struggled through the earlier parts of the season, either due to injuries or pieces not fitting together. While in-season moves don’t usually pick up until after the New Year, closer to February’s trade deadline, several teams appear to be scouring the market for help.

The Bucks are chief among those teams, stumbling out to a 4-8 record in the early part of the season. In an Insider-only piece, a group of ESPN writers agree that the Bucks’ most likely course of action is to see if their three-point shooting evens out. Milwaukee doesn’t have much flexibility, but players like Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. are shooting below their typical averages. Waiting it out might be the best and only course of action for now, although Jamal Collier notes that they’ve expressed interest in a defensive wing.

The Heat have several questions about their future after not agreeing to an extension with Jimmy Butler. Butler’s ankle injury has complicated matters further, but Tim Bontemps writes that the Heat aren’t in any rush to make moves. They entered the season wanting to see how their team looked in the first half of the season, and according to Bontemps, that thought process hasn’t changed.

While New Orleans has the flexibility to make a trade, its season is hampered by numerous injuries. Michael C. Wright indicates that the Pelicans seem more likely to stand pat this season and not make major moves since they’ve never paid the luxury tax and don’t seem to be in any rush to do so with a team that sits at 3-9. Brandon Ingram could make some sense as a trade piece, since he was unable to agree to an extension with the Pels before the season, but his trade market would be limited given his unrestricted free agent status at the end of the year.

The Knicks and the Sixers haven’t jumped out to the starts they’ve wanted, but they appear likely to approach that situation in different ways. New York needs frontcourt help, but should get Precious Achiuwa and Mitchell Robinson back from injuries at some point this season. After trading for both Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, a major move doesn’t seem to be in the cards. However, the Sixers – who also need frontcourt size – could dangle KJ Martin‘s $8MM pseudo-expiring deal in any move. They’ve always been aggressive under president Daryl Morey, and that’s not likely to change.

While several teams need help, it seems as though most should-be contenders don’t have many options available to them on the trade market — for now.

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In the new CBA landscape, managing finances has been more crucial for NBA teams than ever before. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report breaks down every team’s most pressing upcoming contract decision, including calls the Hawks, Mavericks and Magic must make on stars Trae Young, Luka Doncic and Paolo Banchero, respectively. According to Pincus’s sources, the Suns and Kevin Durant will add two seasons at $123.8MM to his contract next summer. Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas, Miami’s Butler, Cleveland’s Caris LeVert and Minnesota’s Julius Randle will be at the center of some of the more interesting decisions explored by Pincus.
The Indiana Mad Ants – the Pacers‘ G League affiliate – added Jordan Bell to their roster and waived Tyler Polley, according to a team release (Twitter link). Bell has spent part of the last two seasons with the Mad Ants, averaging 12.1 points in 60 games played. Bell was the 38th overall pick in the 2017 draft, playing the first two seasons of his career with the Warriors and winning a championship with them in 2018. Polley signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers this offseason.
Former NBAer Stanley Johnson may be on his way out of Turkish club Anadolu Efes, according to BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas. Anadolu Efes was Johnson’s first European team, but he’s been exploring other options amid a potential departure and interest from other European clubs. Johnson, the eighth overall pick in 2015, has 449 games of NBA experience, making 104 starts. He holds career averages of 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in the NBA and has made just six EuroLeague appearances so far, ranking just 11th on his team in minutes played.
A pair of Grizzlies first-year players sit atop The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s first edition of this season’s rookie player rankings. Zach Edey, who is averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and Jaylen Wells, who’s averaging 11.2 PPG on 37.0% three-point shooting, rank first and second in Vecenie’s rankings. The Wizards also have reason for excitement, with three rookies ranking in the top 11. Jared McCain ranks third while No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher is No. 6 in the rankings. Undrafted rookie Ajay Mitchell is eighth.

Harry Giles Joining Shanxi Loongs

November 12th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent big man Harry Giles has signed with the Shanxi Loongs of the Chinese Basketball Association, as Dario Skerletic of Sportando relays. The team posted a photo on the Chinese social media site Weibo of Giles wearing Shanxi gear.

Giles, 26, has appeared in a total of 165 regular season games since being drafted with the 20th overall pick in 2017, including 23 contests last season for the Nets and Lakers. He was a five-star recruit out of high school and was viewed as a probable lottery pick before his career was derailed by knee injuries, which forced him to miss his entire rookie campaign and parts of subsequent seasons.

Giles holds career averages of 5.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 11.7 minutes per game for four NBA teams, including the Kings and Trail Blazers.

The former Duke standout was with the Hornets in training camp this fall, but didn’t earn a spot on the team’s regular season roster, having been cut at the end of the preseason.

Giles is joining a Shanxi team that is off to an 8-2 start in CBA play this season. The club’s two leading scorers are also ex-NBA players — Brandon Goodwin, formerly of the Nuggets, Hawks, and Cavaliers, is averaging 24.1 points per game for the Loongs, while former Thunder, Pistons, and Wizards swingman Hamidou Diallo has put up 18.9 PPG.

And-Ones: NBA Academies, Free Agents, M. James, More

November 8th, 2024 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA intends to close its Global Academy in Australia and its Latin America Academy in Mexico at the end of their respective seasons, reports Jonathan Givony of ESPN. As Givony explains, the league’s intent is to reallocate more resources to “larger, non-traditional basketball countries” that don’t have strong existing infrastructure.

The league will focus on markets that are “deemed most essential for globalizing the NBA,” according to Givony, who points to China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Korea, and Japan as examples. The plan is to open a new Global Academy hub in a more central country relative to those markets, with Asia or the Middle East viewed as the most probable locations, Givony continues.

“Our goal is to grow the game globally, increase the level of play around the world, and help those who need it most,” the NBA’s head of international basketball operations Troy Justice told ESPN. “We want players from 80 countries to be represented on NBA rosters, not 43, like we have now. There’s so much talent out there. We just need to help support their growth.”

As Givony points out, recent lottery picks like Josh Giddey (Australia), Dyson Daniels (Australia), Bennedict Mathurin (Latin America) developed their skills at the two NBA Academies that are shuttering.

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

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report lists five veteran free agents that he believes could help virtually any NBA team right now. Pincus’ list includes Markelle Fultz, Justin Holiday, Robert Covington, and Bismack Biyombo, along with Lonnie Walker, who technically isn’t a free agent but has an NBA opt-out clause in his deal with Zalgiris Kaunas.
A longtime star in Europe, veteran guard Mike James has only made 49 career NBA appearances with the Suns, Pelicans, and Nets. The AS Monaco standout and reigning EuroLeague MVP said during a recent appearance on SKWEEK’s Best In Class podcast (hat tip to BasketNews.com) that he thinks NBA teams view him as “a risk” due to his success overseas. “Every time I talk with them – not me personally but my representatives – they kind of feel like, ‘Yeah, but if it doesn’t go well for you, you just get mad and leave and go back to Europe,'” James said. “Everybody just kind of thinks that if I’m not playing as much as I want, I’m going. Everybody kind of considers me like I’ve outgrown the role that they want to put me in, but they need to put me in that role for me to get a bigger role. So, it’s like a give-and-take at some point.”
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Jeremy Woo takes a look at some of the early-season standouts among first- and second-year NBA players, highlighting the breakout potential being shown by Raptors guard Gradey Dick and Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly and identifying Grizzlies second-rounder Jaylen Wells as one of the most impressive 2024 draftees so far.

International Notes: Walker, Bitim, Roberson, Beverley

November 8th, 2024 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

After opting for the EuroLeague over an opportunity with the Celtics’ G League affiliate, Lonnie Walker went scoreless in his first game with Zalgiris Kaunas, writes Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Walker missed all eight of his shots and committed two turnovers in 13 minutes, but he wasn’t discouraged about his debut.

“I could not put a basketball in the ocean, but this is my first game,” he said. “… I played one bad game, but we continue to have a hell of a season. I am not excited nor upset about how I played.”

This is Walker’s first EuroLeague experience and he noticed a few differences from the NBA, including more physicality and the absence of a defensive three-second rule, but said it’s mostly the same style of play. His contract includes an NBA buyout clause until February 18, and the Nuggets reportedly already have some interest, but for now Walker is focused on adapting to his new surroundings.

“This is a new environment, but I work my tail off day in and day out, and I trust and believe in my work,” he said. “I want to come back, shoot a lot more shots, and be ready for the next game, both mentally and physically.”

There’s more international news to pass along:

Fenerbahce has finalized a deal to loan former Bulls forward Onuralp Bitim to Bayern Munich for the rest of the season, per Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. After spending one year in the NBA, Bitim signed a contract this week with the Istanbul club that runs through the 2027/28 season. Fenerbahce views him as a long-term asset, Urbonas adds, but currently has a crowded roster. In Munich, Bitim will play for German national team head coach Gordon Herbert on a squad hit by early-season injuries. The agreement includes a clause allowing Fenerbahce to reclaim Bitim if Bayern fails to reach the playoffs.
Former NBA swingman Andre Roberson is in advanced talks to join ASVEL Villeurbanne in the French League following a brief stint with Cholet, Urbonas adds in a separate story.
On his latest podcast (Twitter video link), Patrick Beverley said he has “some decisions to make” about his future with Hapoel Tel Aviv. Beverley revealed that former NBA big man Johnathan Motley recently left the team because he no longer feels safe in Israel and wants to join a EuroLeague team in Serbia. Beverley added that it’s not in his nature to back out on a commitment, but he has received interest from EuroLeague clubs including Real Madrid as well as some NBA teams that he hasn’t been authorized to mention.

Onuralp Bitim Returning To Europe

November 5th, 2024 at 9:47am CST by Luke Adams

After spending the 2023/24 season in the NBA, Turkish forward Onuralp Bitim will head back overseas for the ’24/25 campaign, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

According to Urbonas, Bitim is on track to sign a long-term contract with the Istanbul-based club Fenerbahce. However, Fenerbahce has a crowded rotation on the wing, so the team is expected to loan the 25-year-old to Bayern Munich in Germany for the rest of this season.

Having played professionally in Turkey for several years, Bitim made the move stateside in 2023 and opened the NBA season on a two-way contract with the Bulls. He was promoted to Chicago’s standard roster in February and began to see some action at the NBA level around that time.

Bitim, who made his NBA debut on Feb. 22, ultimately appeared in 23 total games for Chicago, averaging 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .381/.273/.800. His season ended due to a detached retina, which required multiple surgeries and an uncomfortable recovery process.

Bitim remained under contract with the Bulls until last month, when he was among the club’s preseason cuts.

While Bitim’s NBA numbers were underwhelming, he was a solid contributor at the G League level in 22 games for the Windy City Bulls, putting up 14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on .415/.363/.909 shooting in 30.1 minutes per contest. In 2022/23, he made the All-EuroCup Second Team for Bursaspor in Turkey after averaging 18.1 PPG and 3.2 APG in 18 EuroCup outings.

International Notes: French Rookies, Yao, Mannion, Larkin, More

November 1st, 2024 at 3:02pm CST by Rory Maher

French teenagers Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Alex Sarr (Wizards) and Tidjane Salaün (Hornets), who were selected first, second and sixth overall in June’s draft, have gotten off to slow starts to begin their NBA careers, per John Hollinger of The Athletic. Risacher (.354/.238/.583 shooting line) and Sarr (.297/.238/.833) are struggling with offensive efficiency, while Salaün isn’t yet a regular member of Charlotte’s rotation.

As Hollinger writes, that outcome was always expected, as all three players were viewed as relatively raw prospects, drafted more for what they could be than what they are now. While Risacher and Sarr have shown promising flashes on defense, they’ve also struggled with the size and strength of the NBA, something Risacher’s teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic is familiar with, having played in Serbia and Turkey before signing his first NBA contract.

“Athleticism in the NBA is very different,” Bogdanovic said. “There is not a league on the planet where you can see this type of length, athleticism and talent on the floor. Just adjusting to the speed of the games and the pace.”

Hollinger asked Risacher about his early adjustment to the league in training camp, and the 19-year-old was modest in his reply.

“Back in France I was super athletic, and now I’m just a regular dude,” Risacher said.

Time will tell whether or not the three rookies will become impact players in the NBA, but for now, their teams will have to be patient as they develop, Hollinger notes.

Here are a few more international notes:

Hall-of-Famer Yao Ming has resigned from his role as president of the Chinese Basketball Association, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. Yao, who played NBA nine seasons with the Rockets, was president of the CBA for the past seven years.
Former NBA guard Nico Mannion is signing a three-year contract with Italy’s Olimpia Milano, reports Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. Mannion’s current club, Pallacanestro, will receive a buyout of €300,000. Mannion’s NBA rights are controlled by Golden State, the team that selected him No. 48 overall in 2020. The 23-year-old spent the 2020/21 season on a two-way deal with the Warriors and would be a restricted free agent upon his return to the NBA as long as Golden State keeps issuing him two-way qualifying offers.
Former first-round pick Shane Larkin will return to the Turkish national team for the 2025 EuroBasket tournament, according to Eurohoops. Head coach Ergin Ataman recently announced the news in a podcast appearance, adding that another nationalized citizen, Scottie Wilbekin, will be on the roster as well. It’s unclear if Wilbekin will actually be ready to play by next summer, as he suffered a torn ACL this fall.
NBA veterans Bruno Caboclo and Patrick Beverley are currently playing in Israel with Hapoel Tel Aviv, but they’re both drawing interest from EuroLeague clubs, according to Maggi. Caboclo has reportedly received a contract offer from Real Madrid, which has multiple players sidelined by injuries. The Spanish powerhouse may be eyeing Beverley as well, though it’s unclear if he’s open to leaving his current team.

Kenneth Lofton Jr. Joins Shanghai Sharks

October 31st, 2024 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Bulls earlier this month, forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. has officially joined the Shanghai Sharks in the Chinese Basketball Association.

Lofton suited up for the Sharks for the first time on Thursday, per Asia-Basket.com, compiling 18 points and 10 rebounds across 19 minutes in his CBA debut.

Lofton, 22, went undrafted out of Louisiana Tech in 2022. He spent his rookie season with the Grizzlies and remained in Memphis for the start of the 2023/24 season before being waived last December when the team needed to open up a roster spot at the conclusion of Ja Morant‘s suspension. Lofton also played for the Sixers and Jazz last season and was in camp with Chicago this fall.

Although Lofton didn’t see much action at the NBA level in ’23/24, he finished the year strong in Utah, averaging 13.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 22.8 minutes per game across four April outings for the Jazz.

He also had a big year in the G League, earning All-NBAGL First Team honors after putting up 25.1 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 1.6 BPG in 19 regular season games (30.1 MPG) for the Delaware Blue Coats and the Salt Lake City Stars.

Lofton isn’t the only former NBA player on his new team. Former first-round pick D.J. Wilson and ex-Celtics guard Tremont Waters are also playing in Shanghai. According to GTV Hoops (Instagram link), veteran point guard Devonte’ Graham has agreed to join the Sharks too, though Graham has yet to suit up for the club.

Lonnie Walker To Play In EuroLeague

October 30th, 2024 at 5:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Free agent guard Lonnie Walker will sign with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague, agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Walker signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics in late August in hopes of winning a roster spot in training camp. He reportedly impressed team officials, but Boston is operating under second apron restrictions, so it would have cost roughly $8.8MM in luxury tax penalties to keep Walker, on top of his $2.1MM salary. He was waived shortly before the start of the season.

There was speculation that Walker would join the team’s G League affiliate in Maine and try to work his way back to the NBA. The Exhibit 10 deal would make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he had spent at least 60 days with the team. However, Walker wasn’t included on Maine’s training camp roster, which was announced over the weekend.

Walker reportedly drew interest from Real Madrid, but he opted to play for another EuroLeague club in Lithuania.

His new contract includes an NBA buyout clause until February 18, Charania adds. The Zalgiris Kaunas roster features former NBA players Ignas Brazdeikis and Alen Smailagic.

Walker, 25, played last season with Brooklyn, where he averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 58 games. He also spent four years with the Spurs and one with the Lakers.

And-Ones: Chiozza, McRae, 2025 Mock, Fouls

October 28th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Former NBA point guard Chris Chiozza signed with Manisa Basket, according to a release from the team (Twitter link). Chiozza joins the Turkish club after spending last season with Baskonia and the 2022/23 season with the G League’s Long Island Nets.

Chiozza, 28, went undrafted in 2018 out of Florida. He signed a 10-day deal with the Rockets in 2019, catching on for the rest of the season. He was then waived and spent consecutive years on two-way contracts with Washington, Brooklyn and Golden State. His biggest role came in Brooklyn in 2019/20, averaging 6.4 points and 3.1 assists in 15.4 minutes per game across 18 appearances (two starts).

In all, Chiozza holds career averages of 3.3 PPG and 2.4 APG in 91 career games. He last appeared in an NBA game in ’21/22 with Golden State.

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Former NBAer Jordan McRae signed with Italian club Givova Scafati, according to Sportando. A second-round pick in 2014, McRae holds 123 games of NBA experience. He played for Cleveland, Phoenix, Denver, Detroit and Washington over the course of his career and was part of the Cavaliers’ 2016 title team that overcame a 3-1 series deficit. McRae found his biggest success at the NBA level from 2018-20, averaging 9.5 points and 2.0 assists in 56 games (four starts) with the Wizards.
To little surprise, in his most recent 2025 NBA mock draft, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has the Nets selecting Duke’s Cooper Flagg at No. 1 overall. Rutgers’ Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey round out the top three, while VJ Edgecombe comes in at No. 4. UNC’s Drake Powell (No. 6), Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis (No. 8), Texas’ Tre Johnson (No. 9) and BYU’s Egor Demin (No. 14) are a few of Wasserman’s other notable lottery picks.
Fouls and free throws have defined the opening portion of the regular season, The Athletic’s John Hollinger writes. The 99 combined free throws attempted by the Sixers and Raptors on Friday were the most combined by two teams in a game since 2017, and the free throw rate is up by over 20% across the league. Hollinger explores the phenomenon with points of view from several coaches. “There’s been an emphasis historically, over the last several years, on freedom of movement. That concept having specific application in pick-and-roll is something that’s significant,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. ”Coaches adjust, players adjust to how things are being called, and if that’s something we have to adjust to, we will.“