International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Team USA, Contracts, EuroBasket Qualifiers, BIG3

August 6th, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Team USA got revenge on the Select Team during Saturday’s scrimmage, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, who writes that the senior team won 84-61 after three periods, which were 10 minutes each.

As Vardon notes, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr. started both days for Team USA. On Friday, Cameron Johnson was the fifth starter, while Anthony Edwards received the nod on Saturday.

Given that the team performed much better yesterday, it seems like Edwards might have the edge for a starting nod, though head coach Steve Kerr still isn’t ready to commit to anything.

Despite what he’s said publicly in terms of the lineup, it’s clear that Kerr has a major role in mind for Brunson, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“I think Jalen is such a natural leader,” Kerr said. “Because he’s a point guard, he immediately comes to mind. He’s the one who’s leading the ‘1, 2, 3 USA’ chant. Some guys just, it just comes naturally to them.”

With the Select Team heading home and the Americans having a non-contact practice on Sunday, the next test for Team USA as it prepares for the 2023 World Cup will come during Monday’s exhibition game against Puerto Rico, Vardon adds.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Which NBA players have benefited the most from the salary cap rising 10% each of the past two years? ESPN’s Bobby Marks provides a chart (via Twitter) of salary comparisons over the past four league years, and notes the highest earners have actually received the biggest bump in terms of relative volume.
The 32-nation qualifying field for the 2025 EuroBasket tournament has been set, as Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando relays. The qualifiers will take place over three different windows between February 2024 and February 2025.
BIG3 co-founder Ice Cube has a handful of former NBA veterans on his wish list, including DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, Dwight Howard and Jamal Crawford, he tells Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscriber link). The 12-team 3-on-3 league started at the end of June and runs through August 26, with the championship held in London, England.

Ben McLemore Signs With AEK Athens

August 6th, 2023 at 5:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent shooting guard Ben McLemore has signed a one-year contract with Greece’s AEK B.C., also known as AEK Athens, the team announced today (via Twitter).

It will be the first European stint for McLemore, who was the seventh overall draft pick in 2013. McLemore’s last NBA stop came with Portland in 2021/22, when he averaged 10.2 points while shooting 36.2% from three-point range in 64 games (20.1 minutes).

Last season, McLemore played in China after he was unable to find an NBA opportunity. He held a private workout last month during Las Vegas Summer League, with several teams — including the Knicks — reportedly attending. Obviously nothing came of that, so the 30-year-old will be heading to Europe to continue his professional career.

McLemore played for the Kings, Grizzlies, Rockets, Lakers and Trail Blazers over the course of his nine-year NBA career, which spanned from 2013-22. In total, he appeared in 556 regular season games (267 starts, 22.5 minutes), averaging 9.0 points and 2.3 rebounds on a .414/.363/.780 shooting line.

AEK Athens is a member of the Greek Basketball League, which has been dominated by Olympiacos and Panathinaikos over the past 30 years. AEK also competes in the Basketball Champions League.

And-Ones: Kerr, Expansion, Team USA, Giles, Barea

August 5th, 2023 at 1:12pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who is currently guiding Team USA as it prepares for the upcoming World Cup, is enthusiastic about the possibility of NBA expansion, particularly to Las Vegas and Seattle, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“It feels right,” Kerr said. “Obviously it’s not my department, but Vegas and Seattle seem to be such smart franchises. It’s a shame that we ever lost the Sonics in the first place. But as you look forward and you think of what we need, we need a couple of Western time slots. Think about all the doubleheaders on TV you have where the second game is starting at 8:40 central time. We lost a couple of West Coast time slots back when Seattle and Vancouver left the league. It hurt the TV schedule, which hurt the whole league schedule.

“You factor in Vegas for the time slot. But also just how great of a venue this is for summer league, USA Basketball, the fans here have proven they’ll come out, they love the Aces. The Knights just won the Stanley Cup, the Raiders are filling it up every Sunday. So this seems like a really good next team.”

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

The U.S. Select Team outplayed Team USA in a scrimmage on Friday, emerging victorious by a final score of 47-39 after two 10-minute periods. According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, Kerr was unfazed by the senior team’s defeat. “It’s a time-honored tradition of USA Basketball,” Kerr said. “Everybody knows the Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley story from ’92 (defeating the Dream Team in a scrimmage ahead of the Barcelona Olympics). In 2019, for the last World Cup, the Select Team came in, kicked our butts, and that’s the whole point. You want to get great talent to come in and challenge you and that’s what the Select Team did today.”
Harry Giles‘ agent, Daniel Hazan, tells Ian Begley of SNY.tv that the free agent big man recently worked out for the Magic and has a workout scheduled with the Warriors next week (Twitter link). Giles will be in Miami on Saturday working out for Brooklyn. The former first-round pick is eligible for a two-way contract and all three clubs have at least one two-way spot available, as our tracker shows. Giles, who dealt with major knee injuries early in his career, last played for Portland in 2020/21.
Former NBA veteran J.J. Barea will be the new head coach of Puerto Rico’s Guaynabo Mets, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). It will be the longtime guard’s first coaching stint, Charania adds.

Ricky Rubio Pausing Career To Focus On Mental Health

August 5th, 2023 at 10:11am CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio, the MVP of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, won’t be participating in the 2023 World Cup this summer, announcing in a statement through the Spanish Basketball Federation (Twitter link) that he’s taking a break from basketball to focus on his mental health.

“I have decided to stop my professional activity to take care of my mental health,” Rubio said. “I want to thank all the support I have received from the FEB (Federación Española de Baloncesto) to understand my decision. Today #LaFamilia makes more sense than ever. Thank you. I ask to respect my privacy to be able to face these moments and to be able to give more information when the time is right.”

Rubio’s Spanish teammates Willy Hernangomez, Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Llull were among those who took to social media to post messages in support of his decision, while Spain head coach Sergio Scariolo wrote in depth about Rubio.

“In La Familia, people have always come before results,” Scariolo said. “All my love and support to Ricky, and my admiration for his transparency and, through it, his ability once again to lead by example.”

The decision to release the news through the Spanish Basketball Federation – rather than the Cavaliers – suggests that, for now, Rubio’s hiatus will only affect the national team. But with no timeline specified for his return to basketball, there’s no guarantee he’ll be available this fall for Cleveland. Of course, Rubio’s mental well-being comes before basketball.

Rubio, 32, is a 12-year NBA veteran who has made 712 total appearances (614 starts) across the regular season and playoffs. The Spanish guard began his career as the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Timberwolves. He stayed in Spain for a couple more seasons before suiting up for Minnesota in 2011. After departing the Wolves, Rubio made stops in Utah and Phoenix before rejoining the Timberwolves in 2020/21. Following that season, Rubio was acquired by Cleveland via trade.

The veteran guard hasn’t yet played a full season with the Cavaliers. Rubio tore his ACL in December 2021 after appearing in 34 games for Cleveland and thus, wasn’t able to make his ’22/23 debut until January 2023.

Raul Neto Signs With Fenerbahce

August 5th, 2023 at 8:46am CST by Tristan Tucker

Free agent point guard Raul Neto is signing with Turkish club Fenerbahce after spending the last eight seasons in the NBA, according to an official release. Nearly two weeks after reports surfaced that he was working on signing with the club, Neto’s deal, a one-year pact with an option for the second year, is finalized.

Neto, a 31-year-old point guard from Brazil, averaged 3.3 points and 1.6 assists in 48 games with the Cavaliers last season after signing a one-year deal with the team in the summer of 2022. Neto’s role with Cleveland never expanded past third-string point guard and, as such, he played just 10.5 minutes per game, his lowest average since the 2016/17 season, his sophomore year in the NBA.

Neto began his career in Utah before playing in Philadelphia, but he never got a major role in either city. Before signing with Cleveland, Neto had an underrated stop in Washington. The veteran guard signed with the Wizards in 2020 and emerged as a key rotation piece for a competitive Washington team. In two seasons in D.C., he averaged 8.1 points and 2.7 assists, his highest average for any one franchise in the league. Neto became a playoff starter for the Wizards, starting in three of five of their games in the ’20/21 season and averaging 6.4 points in the playoffs.

Neto, the No. 47 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, has 464 games of NBA experience (102 starts) in the regular season and the playoffs. After being selected in that year’s draft by the Hawks, Neto’s rights were traded to the Jazz. Neto didn’t play with the Jazz until the ’15/16 season, in which he made 53 starts. After spending time with four NBA franchises, Neto is making the move back overseas. Neto played with Acunsa GBC of the Spanish ACB from 2011-14 and then with Spain’s UCAM Murcia CB in the ’14/15 season.

Neto is the latest signing by a Fenerbahce club with plenty of NBA connections. Fenerbahce recently signed Nate Sestina, who went to training camp with the Nets in 2020, and Georgios Papagiannis, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. Yam Madar, a draft-and-stash piece by the Celtics who may come stateside in future seasons, is also playing for Fenerbahce in the upcoming season.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot Signs One-Year Deal With ASVEL

August 3rd, 2023 at 3:51pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent wing Timothe Luwawu-Cabbarot is returning to his native France, having signed a one-year deal with ASVEL Villeurbanne, the team announced in a press release.

“It’s a great honor to attract one of the very best French players of the moment,” ASVEL president Tony Parker said, per BasketNews.com. “I know Timothe perfectly, and I have no doubts about everything he can bring to the team. I’m very happy he trusts our project, and I can’t wait to see him wear our jersey.”

Luwawu-Cabbarot, 28, was drafted 24th overall by Philadelphia in 2016. He spent six seasons in the NBA, playing for the Sixers, Thunder, Bulls, Nets, and Hawks from 2016-22.

In 2021/22, the 27-year-old appeared in 52 games for Atlanta, averaging 4.4 PPG and 1.6 RPG on .398/.361/.854 shooting in 13.2 minutes per contest. He holds career averages of 5.9 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 328 regular season games.

The veteran swingman signed a training camp deal with Phoenix prior to last season, but didn’t make the team’s roster and was released before ’22/23 began. He wound up returning to Europe, signing a deal with Italy’s Olimpia Milano. His contract expired in April, making him an unrestricted free agent.

ASVEL competes in both the LNB Pro A — France’s top basketball division — and the EuroLeague, which is widely considered the second-most competitive league in the world.

International Notes: Mirotic, Wall, Galloway, McCaw, More

August 3rd, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Former NBA forward Nikola Mirotic has signed with Olimpia Milano in Italy, the team announced in a press release. The new contract for the 2021/22 EuroLeague MVP will run through 2026.

“I am happy to become part of this great family that is Olimpia Milano and to be able to contribute to making this team and this prestigious company more and more competitive,” Mirotic said. “… I am also very happy to be back playing for coach (Ettore) Messina, whom I met when I was starting out. I’m sure next season will be a fun one and our fans will be proud of us.”

Mirotic played five NBA seasons with the Bulls, Pelicans and Bucks before returning to Europe in 2019. The contract he signed with Barcelona was the largest in the EuroLeague at the time, but it was terminated last month with two years remaining.

After his original negotiations with Milano collapsed, Mirotic worked out a three-year agreement with KK Partizan in Serbia. However, he decided not to sign the contract, citing unspecified “threats and insults.” The franchise claimed it could guarantee his safety and was skeptical about his stated reasons for backing out of the deal.

There’s more international news to pass along:

John Wall is disputing a report that surfaced on Wednesday that he’s also talking to Olimpia Milano, tweeting, “Where Do Y’all Get Ur Info from? False News!!” Wall played 34 games for the Clippers last season before being traded and waived in February. He held a private workout for several teams last month in Las Vegas.
Langston Galloway has signed with Pallacanestro Reggiana in Italy, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews (Twitter link). The eight-year NBA veteran is part of the Select Team that’s scrimmaging against Team USA’s World Cup squad. He played for College Park in the G League last season.
Patrick McCaw has joined Filou Oostende in Belgium, the team announced. He spent last season with the G League champion Delaware Blue Coats after winning three NBA titles with Golden State and Toronto.
Former NBA guard Semaj Christon has signed with Germani Brescia in Italy, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Christon participated in a free agent mini-camp with the Timberwolves in June.
Former Pistons shooting guard Deividas Sirvydis has a new contract with Lietkabelis Panevezys in Lithuania, according to Urbonas.
G League forward Robert Woodard II has joined ADA Blois Basket, the team tweeted. The 40th pick in the 2020 draft signed with the Thunder last October and spent the season in the G League.

Alize Johnson Signs With Korean Team

August 3rd, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Alize Johnson, who spent part of last season with the Spurs, has signed with KCC EGIS in Korea, agent George Langberg tells Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (Twitter link).

The 27-year-old power forward inked a deal with San Antonio last summer, but was waived before the start of training camp. He rejoined the team in late November and had brief appearances in four games before being released again two weeks later. He spent the rest of the season in the G League with Austin and Wisconsin.

Johnson held private workouts in Las Vegas last month for both the Knicks and Celtics, but wasn’t able to earn a training camp invitation from either team. This will mark his first time playing overseas after five years in the NBA and G League.

The Pacers selected Johnson with the 50th pick in the 2018 draft, and he got into 31 combined games during his two seasons with Indiana. He signed with the Nets and Bulls in 2021, and later got 10-day contracts from both the Wizards and Pelicans.

Johnson has played 76 total games for six NBA teams and holds career averages of 2.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per night.

And-Ones: 2024 Draft, Flagg, J. Harper, What-Ifs

August 2nd, 2023 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

The projected NBA draft class of 2024 doesn’t have a clear-cut No. 1 prospect like Victor Wembanyama in 2023, but it features a handful of potential high-impact players who could make legitimate cases for that No. 1 spot with strong seasons, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

For now, O’Connor’s “way-too-early” big board for the 2024 draft is headed by G League point forward Matas Buzelis, followed by his Ignite teammate Ron Holland at No. 2. Baylor freshman Ja’Kobe Walter, UConn freshman Stephon Castle, and another Ignite prospect, power forward Izan Almansa, round out O’Connor’s top five.

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

Although he won’t be eligible for the 2024 draft, 16-year-old phenom Cooper Flagg looks like a potential No. 1 overall pick in 2025 or 2026, says Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. Deveney spoke to multiple NBA evaluators to get a sense of what to expect from Flagg. “The kid is going to be a star, as long as he puts in the work,” one GM told Heavy.com. “The book on him is that he has a really good work ethic so you don’t expect that to be a problem, but you can’t tell with guys that young, how they will develop.”
Veteran point guard Jared Harper, who has appeared in NBA games for the Suns, Knicks, and Pelicans, has re-signed with Valencia Basket, the Spanish club announced in a press release. Harper first signed with Valencia last September after finishing the 2021/22 season on a two-way deal with New Orleans.
In a pair of entertaining articles for ESPN.com, Tim Bontemps takes a look back at the biggest “what-ifs” in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference over the past five years. Lonzo Ball‘s knee injury, Kawhi Leonard‘s free agency departure from Toronto, the Warriors’ decision to draft James Wiseman over LaMelo Ball, and the Rockets’ and Lakers’ trades for Russell Westbrook were among the sliding doors moments explored by Bontemps.

Southwest Notes: Sengun, Spurs’ Arena, Konchar

August 1st, 2023 at 7:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rockets center Alperen Sengun will play for the Turkish national team in the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament in Istanbul from Aug. 12-20, Sportando relays, via a Fanatik report.

It was previously reported that Sengun wouldn’t play. Turkey hosts the second of the two pre-Olympic qualifiers in Europe. Turkey will face Ukraine, Bulgaria and Iceland in Group C while Group D include Croatia, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands. The two top teams from each group will advance to the knockout stages and the tournament winner will move on to next year’s Olympic qualifiers.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Spurs’ arena is undergoing a name change. The Spurs have found a new naming-rights sponsor in Frost Bank, according to Madison Iszler of the San Antonio Express News. Spurs Sports & Entertainment plans to sign an agreement with the San Antonio-based bank. The AT&T Center’s marquee became available in 2021, when the telecommunications company decided not to renew its naming rights deal. The Spurs were unable to find a new partner at that time, so they extended their agreement with AT&T through last season.
John Konchar gets favorable reviews in advanced analytics and four of the top five Grizzlies lineups in net rating last season included Konchar. He also has offensive upside to go along with his solid defense, which is why he’ll be a big part of Memphis’ plans in 2023/24, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
The Rockets added Joshua Obiesie to their camp roster. Get the details here.