International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Turkey May Be Next Stop For Sam Dekker

December 3rd, 2021 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Sam Dekker, who began the season with the Raptors, is expected to sign with Bahcesehir in the Turkish League, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

The 27-year-old forward was on Toronto’s opening night roster, but he was waived in early November before his contract became fully guaranteed. He got into one game and played just one minute during his time with the Raptors.

The move would mark a return to Turkey for Dekker, who played for Turk Telecom during the 2020/21 season. He also spent a season in Russia during his time away from the NBA.

Dekker was selected by the Rockets with the 18th pick in the 2015 draft. After two years in Houston, he was traded to the Clippers in the Chris Paul deal, then had short stays with the Cavaliers and Wizards. He appeared in 201 NBA games, averaging 5.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per night.

And-Ones: Bulls-Heat Pick Forfeiture, Next Stars, Trade Market, Williams, Donovan

December 2nd, 2021 at 7:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

NBA executives and player agents believe the Bulls and Heat received a proverbial slap on the wrist for violating league policies in the free agent acquisitions of Kyle Lowry and Lonzo Ball, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report writes.

The teams will have to forfeit their next available second-round pick, but that is unlikely to prevent other teams from trying to circumvent the rules in pursuit of free agents. Second-round picks appear more available than ever, Fischer notes.

As part of the league’s investigation and subsequent penalty, Chicago and Miami can’t trade any of their currently held future second-round draft picks until the forfeiture is resolved, Fischer reports.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Due to the success of LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey, Australia is increasingly viewed by European prospects as a springboard to the NBA, according to Ken Maguire of The Associated Press. According to NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger, the Next Stars program has become so popular, the league had to turn “people away in droves.” Four of this season’s seven Next Stars are from Europe and another French prospect is playing for the New Zealand Breakers.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks takes an in-depth look at this year’s trade market, breaking down the league’s players into three categories — those with expiring contracts; those on multi-year deals; and those with trade restrictions. Marks notes that only the Thunder can acquire a player via cap space, so the rest of the teams will need to trade salaries that match within 125%, 175% or $5MM, depending on how much salary is changing hands and whether or not the teams are taxpayers.
The Suns’ Monty Williams and the Bulls’ Billy Donovan have been named the league’s Coaches of the Month for games played in October and November, NBA Communications tweets. Phoenix is on the verge of setting a franchise record for most consecutive victories, while Chicago has a 14-8 record.

And-Ones: I. Thomas, Trade Candidates, Lin, Noel, Draft

December 1st, 2021 at 4:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Team USA only won one of two games in the first round of qualifiers for the 2023 World Cup this week in Mexico, but veteran guard Isaiah Thomas played against both Cuba and Mexico, leading the U.S. with 42 total points and 13 assists in 49 minutes across the two contests.

After putting up 21 points in Team USA’s win over Cuba on Sunday, Thomas reiterated his desire to get back onto an NBA roster, while leaving the door open to the possibility of playing in an international league.

“The ultimate goal is to get back in the NBA,” he said, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link). “I just love playing the game of basketball. So, obviously, at some point, if the NBA isn’t an option I’ve got to look at options overseas. … I love competing and I love playing.”

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

In the latest HoopsHype Podcast, Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan identified some potential trade candidates among the group of the players who will become eligible to be dealt on December 15 or January 15. Nuggets wing Will Barton, Pelicans swingman Josh Hart, Rockets center Daniel Theis, and a few Pistons veterans are among the players Scotto and Gozlan discussed.
Former NBA point guard Jeremy Lin has returned to the Beijing Ducks for another season, as EuroHoops relays. Lin, who has been out of the NBA since winning a title with Toronto in 2019, said in a statement that “playing basketball in China feels at home.”
After filing suit against his former agent Rich Paul, Knicks center Nerlens Noel now finds himself at odds with the players’ union. As Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic explains, the NBPA’s standard player agent contract states that disputes should be settled through arbitration, which Noel has circumvented by taking his issue with Paul to court.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz (Insider link) updated their top-100 big board for the 2022 NBA draft on Tuesday and shared some insights on several college prospects. Auburn’s Jabari Smith made a significant impression on Schmitz, who said he was “blown away” by what he saw from the 18-year-old and considers him a potential dark horse to be next year’s No. 1 pick.

Yogi Ferrell To Resume Career in Slovenia

December 1st, 2021 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

After recently parting ways with Greek club Panathinaikos, Yogi Ferrell has lined up a new opportunity in Europe, having signed for the rest of the season with KK Cedevita Olimpija, the Slovenian club announced in a press release.

Ferrell, 28, appeared in a total of 259 regular season NBA games from 2016-21 with the Nets, Mavericks, Kings, Cavaliers, and Clippers. The veteran point guard finished last season with the Clippers, appearing in eight total regular season games for L.A. He averaged 4.6 PPG and 2.1 APG in 12.0 MPG, then logged garbage-time minutes in nine postseason contests.

Although Ferrell was under contract for 2021/22, his salary was non-guaranteed, so the Clippers waived him in September without taking on any dead money. Ferrell signed with Panathinaikos in October, but was unhappy with the limited role he played for the team.

Ferrell’s new team is based in Ljubljana, Slovenia and competes in the ABA League and the EuroCup. Olimpija is off to a 5-4 start in ABA play and has a 2-3 record in EuroCup play.

Marc Gasol To Play For Girona

November 25th, 2021 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, veteran center Marc Gasol has announced that he’ll resume his playing career with Girona, a team based in Catalonia, Spain (video link). Gasol is also the owner and president of the franchise, which plays in the LEB Oro, Spain’s second league.

A three-time All-Star and the NBA’s 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, Gasol spent the 2020/21 season with the Lakers, but his relationship with the team soured after L.A. signed Andre Drummond as its new starting center in the second half. The Lakers didn’t re-sign Drummond during the offseason, but added centers Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan, paving the way for Gasol’s exit. He was traded to the Grizzlies in a salary-dump deal and Memphis subsequently waived him.

Gasol’s desire to return home to Spain was a factor in his split with the Lakers. Reports all the way back in mid-September indicated that he would likely end up joining Girona, but it took him a little while to finalize that decision. FC Barcelona was among the other teams in Europe that attempted to recruit Gasol as he weighed his options.

Gasol, who will turn 37 in January, would likely have NBA suitors if he decided to return stateside. Although he’s not the perennial All-NBA candidate he once was, the veteran big man remains a savvy defender and a strong passer who can stretch the floor on offense.

However, it’s unclear whether or not Gasol intends to attempt an NBA comeback either in 2022 or further down the road. He said today that he’ll weigh his future after playing out the season with Girona.

Gironia is off to a 2-7 start in LEB Oro play so far this season, so Gasol will be looking to reverse the team’s fortunes and push for a playoff spot.

And-Ones: Ferrell, Red Sox Owners, Mobley, Allen

November 25th, 2021 at 11:14am CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA guard Yogi Ferrell has left Greece’s Panathinaikos in order to seek a better opportunity, per Stavros Barbarousis of EuroHoops.net. Ferrell was unhappy with his limited role — he was averaging just eight minutes in five EuroLeague games. The 28-year-old point guard was waived by the Clippers in September after spending the last five years in the NBA.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Fenway Sports Group wants to buy an NBA team once its acquisition of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins is completed, Axios’ Dan Primack reports. FSG has been buying marquee franchises in different geographic markets. It not only owns the Boston Red Sox, it also has also acquired a NASCAR team and the Liverpool F.C. soccer club. Additionally, it has an investment in Spring Hill Group, a content production firm co-founded by LeBron James.
Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley tops ESPN’s first rookie power rankings this season. Writer Mike Schmitz ranks the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes and the Pistons’ Cade Cunningham second and third, respectively. Mobley is currently out due to an elbow injury.
Tony Allen has asked the Grizzlies to postpone his jersey retirement until next season, according to Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Allen is currently dealing with federal charges for his alleged role in a multi-million dollar health insurance fraud scheme. Allen’s jersey retirement was scheduled for January 28.

And-Ones: Okobo, I. Thomas, Team USA, Trade Deadline

November 24th, 2021 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Suns point guard Elie Okobo, who was the No. 31 overall pick in the 2018 draft, has been out of the NBA since the 2019/20 season and is playing in France this year. However, the 24-year-old tells Dionysis Aravantinos of HoopsHype that he envisions himself returning stateside at some point — he’s just not sure when.

“I didn’t really set goals about a return timetable, a deadline, or whatever,” Okobo said.” I want to improve, be ready, and I want to make sure I’m not going back to the NBA as a rookie, I want to set a certain standard, I want to come back with a status of a great EuroLeague player. I obviously want to have a long NBA career, but right now I’m focusing on the team and myself.”

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

Veteran guard Isaiah Thomas, who continues to seek an NBA comeback, is changing representation, according to Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com (Twitter link). Thomas is in the process of finding a new agent after previously being represented by Bernie Lee.
USA Basketball has officially added big man Will Davis II to its roster for the upcoming qualifying games for the 2023 World Cup. Since initially announcing the 12-man squad for the event, Team USA has replaced Jordan Bell, Frank Mason, Orlando Johnson, and DaQuan Jeffries with Justin Anderson, Haywood Highsmith, Davis, and Thomas.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report tries his luck at predicting which teams could be most active in trade talks leading up to the February deadline. Lottery teams like the Kings, Thunder, Magic, and Pistons are among those Pincus views as the best candidates to make moves.

Khyri Thomas Signs With Spanish Team

November 24th, 2021 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA shooting guard Khyri Thomas has signed with Bilbao Basket, a Spanish team that competes in the Liga ACB, according to agent Misko Raznatovic (Twitter link). Thomas had been a free agent since being waived during training camp last month by the Rockets.

The 38th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Thomas appeared in 34 games for Detroit in his first two NBA seasons, but saw limited action, averaging just 2.3 PPG and 1.0 RPG in 10.5 MPG. After being traded to Atlanta and waived during the 2020 offseason, Thomas caught on with Houston near the end of the 2020/21 campaign, playing well in five games with the team (16.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 3.6 RPG in 30.6 MPG).

Thomas’ deal with the Rockets covered multiple years, but it wasn’t guaranteed beyond ’20/21, so the team was able to part ways with him last month without taking on any dead money. The 25-year-old was cut to make room on the roster for Houston to complete its trade for Sekou Doumbouya.

Thomas will be one of several players on Bilbao’s roster with NBA experience. Big men Jeff Withey and Angel Delgado also played in the NBA, as did shooting guards Andrew Goudelock and Damien Inglis. The Spanish club is looking to bounce back from a 3-8 start to the season.

And-Ones: 2022 Free Agents, M. Richardson, Capitanes

November 23rd, 2021 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

In his early look at 2022’s top free agents, John Hollinger of The Athletic ranks Bulls guard Zach LaVine as the No. 1 player in next year’s class, ahead of stars like Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Nets guard James Harden. As Hollinger explains, LaVine will be just 27 years old when he reaches free agency, which means his next contract is a good bet to cover his prime years. Beal will be 29 and Harden will be entering his age-33 season, so the final seasons of long-term deals would be a little riskier in those cases — especially for Harden.

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

Former NBA first-round pick Malachi Richardson is continuing his professional career in Poland, having signed with King Wilki Morskie Szczecin, according to the team. The 22nd overall pick in the 2016 draft, Richardson hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2018/19 season and most recently suited up in Italy.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Mexico City Capitanes’ first season in the NBA G League has them based out of an apartment complex in Fort Worth, Texas without a home arena. Scott Cacciola of The New York Times takes a closer look at an unusual start for the G League’s first Mexican franchise, which won’t actually play in Mexico in 2021/22.
With the Lakers and Knicks set to face one another in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, Sopan Deb of The New York Times explores why Sportico and Forbes have given both teams valuations north of $5 billion and why the value of a big-market franchise like the Lakers or Knicks isn’t really dependent on whether or not they’re winning.

Terrance Ferguson Expected To Play In Greece

November 22nd, 2021 at 12:43pm CST by Rory Maher

NOVEMBER 22: Ferguson is no longer expected to finalize his deal with AEK Athens, according to Christos Tsaltas of Greek outlet SDNA. Instead, Ferguson is on track to join Lavrio BC, another club in Greece.

NOVEMBER 19: Former NBA wing Terrance Ferguson is expected to join Greek team AEK Athens, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando.

Basketball writer/insider Luca D’Alessandro tweets that the team has been waiting for a “ban” to be lifted to make the signing official. Essentially, AEK Athens can’t officially finalize deals with new players until they’ve settled all debts with previous players, as Antigoni Zachari of EuroHoops detailed last month.

Ferguson, who is still just 23 years old, was selected by the Thunder with the 21st overall pick in the 2017 draft and played his first three seasons with the club, from 2017-20. During that time he started 124 out of 191 games and held averages of 4.5 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 20.7 MPG with a .406/.337/.753 shooting line. He spent last season with the Sixers, but couldn’t crack the team’s rotation and only appeared in 13 games for a total of 47 minutes.

Ferguson is an electric athlete and decent defender, but evidently was unable to develop his offensive skills enough to stick in the NBA after his rookie contract expired.

He showed flashes of potential with the Thunder, but was traded to the Sixers in the deal that sent Danny Green to the Sixers in exchange for Al Horford. He was later traded to the Knicks last March in a complicated move that brought George Hill to Philadelphia and involved several second-round picks, but was subsequently waived by the Knicks.