International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kosta Koufos To Play For G League Ignite

October 11th, 2021 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center Kosta Koufos is returning stateside, but he’ll be playing in the G League, rather than the NBA, reports Marc Stein of Substack (Twitter link). According to Stein, Koufos is signing with the G League Ignite.

Koufos, 32, was a first-round pick in 2008 and has appeared in over 700 total games in the NBA (counting postseason contests) for Utah, Minnesota, Denver, Memphis, and Sacramento. However, he has been out of the league since playing for the Kings in 2018/19, having spent the last two seasons in the EuroLeague with CSKA Moscow and Olympiacos.

According to Stein, Koufos – who posted regular season averages of 5.7 PPG and 5.0 RPG in 11 NBA seasons – received multiple offers from European teams this offseason, but decided to sign with the Ignite instead.

The G League Ignite is the league’s developmental team for top prospects who are not yet draft-eligible. That group of prospects – which will include Jaden Hardy this year – is supplemented by a handful of experienced veterans who serve as mentors to their young teammates. In 2020/21, Amir Johnson and Jarrett Jack were among those veteran mentors. This year, Koufos will play that role.

Although the Ignite won’t take part in the standard G League regular season in 2021/22, the team will compete in the league-wide Showcase Cup tournament that will tip off in early November. Their full roster will be announced at some point before then.

Greek Team Announces Deal With Yogi Ferrell

October 10th, 2021 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Yogi Ferrell has signed with Panathinaikos with Greece, the team announced (via Twitter). There was a report of negotiations two weeks ago, but it took time to finalize a deal as Ferrell was hoping to land another NBA opportunity.

The deal is a lucrative one-year contract, a source told Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw (Twitter link). It also contains an NBA out.

The 28-year-old point guard was waived by the Clippers last month after spending the last five years in the NBA. He came to L.A. on a 10-day contract in April and signed with the team for the remainder of the season, averaging 4.6 points and 2.1 points off the bench in eight games. He had a non-guaranteed $1.98MM salary for 2021/22 before the Clippers cut him loose.

Ferrell also played two games for the Cavaliers in January and was in the G League with the Salt Lake City Stars.

This will be Ferrell’s first experience in the EuroLeague, notes Antonis Stroggylakis of EuroHoops, who adds that the guard’s contract will run through the rest of the season. Ferrell began exploring his options in Europe earlier this summer in case he didn’t get invited to an NBA training camp, according to Stroggylakis, who notes that Panathinaikos is a traditional league power, but could use backcourt help.

Kenneth Faried Signs In Russia

October 9th, 2021 at 1:29pm CST by JD Shaw

Veteran NBA big man Kenneth Faried has signed a deal in Russia with CSKA Moscow, the team announced today. This marks the third overseas contract for Faried during his career, along with the second one signed in just the past two weeks.

Faried previously agreed to play with Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico on October 1, but the contract included an out for the EuroLeague, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (Twitter link).

“I am excited to be a part of the NBA team of EuroLeague and such a big organization such as CSKA Moscow,” Faried said, as relayed by EuroHoops. “I am excited to be able to contribute with my presence to help achieve many mutual goals together and I am appreciative for the opportunity to play.”

Faried most recently played with Portland during Summer League in Las Vegas, joining other veterans such as Michael Beasley and Emmanuel Mudiay. He holds eight years of NBA experience, making past stops with Denver, Brooklyn and Houston.

Faried was also drafted No. 22 overall in 2011 after spending four seasons at Morehead State. In 478 NBA games, the 31-year-old holds career averages of 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 24.5 minutes per game.

Michael Beasley Joins Puerto Rican Team

October 5th, 2021 at 6:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Longtime NBA power forward Michael Beasley has inked a new deal with Puerto Rican club Cangrejeros de Santurce, per Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Carchia notes that Beasley will join the club just in time for the BSN playoffs next weekend.

The second overall selection out of Kansas State in the 2008 draft ahead of future All-Stars Russell Westbrook (the No. 4 pick) and Kevin Love (the No. 5 pick), the well-traveled Beasley suited up for 11 NBA seasons with the Heat, Timberwolves, Suns, Rockets, Bucks, Knicks and Lakers. Los Angeles was Beasley’s most recent regular season NBA destination, during the 2018/19 season.

Beasley had reportedly been under consideration for a training camp invitation from the Trail Blazers, after playing for the club’s 2021 Summer League team.

The 32-year-old is known as a solid jump shooting stretch four who never developed as a defender. Across 609 NBA games, he holds averages of 12.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 1.3 APG, plus a .465/.347/.759 shooting line.

Beasley will suit up alongside fellow former NBA player J.J. Barea, notes Marc Stein of Substack (via Twitter).

And-Ones: Faried, Injuries, Revenue Sharing, Ignite

October 4th, 2021 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA big man Kenneth Faried signed with Puerto Rican team Leones de Ponce last week, as our JD Shaw tweets.

Faried, who will turn 32 next month, hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2018/19 season, but hasn’t given up on getting back into the league. He reportedly received some consideration from the Knicks in the spring, then played for Portland’s Las Vegas Summer League team in August and worked out for the Lakers in September. For now though, Faried’s professional career will continue outside the NBA.

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

ESPN’s team of basketball writers took a league-wide look at the injuries that will (or could) compromise players’ availability for opening night, checking in on where in the recovery process those players are and when we might see them back on the court.
Within a larger story about the Pelicans‘ ownership situation and succession plan, team president Dennis Lauscha shared an interesting tidbit, telling Jeff Duncan and Lee Zurik of NOLA.com that commissioner Adam Silver has said the NBA’s next Collective Bargaining Agreement will include an “enhanced revenue sharing model” to further assist smaller-market teams. Kurt Helin of NBC Sports has more details.
Paolo Uggetti of The Ringer takes a deep dive into the G League Ignite, exploring where the NBA G League’s developmental team stands after its first season and how the league envisions the program growing in the coming years.

JaKarr Sampson To Play For Italian Team

September 27th, 2021 at 11:14am CST by Arthur Hill

After spending the past two seasons with the Pacers, JaKarr Sampson has reached an agreement to play in Italy. Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna announced in a press release that it will sign Sampson to a two-year deal that runs through June 30, 2023.

“Jakarr Sampson is a 28 year old athlete, with 200 NBA games of experience, and with characteristics of physicality and dynamism that we believe are useful to our roster,” said general manager Paolo Ronci. “On behalf of Virtus Segafredo I welcome JaKarr, who will be in Bologna in the next few days after completing the paperwork for the issuance of a visa to enter Italy.”

Sampson signed with the Sixers in 2014 after going undrafted out of St. John’s. He also had brief stops with the Nuggets, Kings and Bulls before coming to Indiana in 2019. He got into 29 games last season, starting four, and averaged 4.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per night.

There was a report last month that the Lakers might have interest in Sampson, but without a training camp invitation he decided to play overseas.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Signs With Turkish Team

September 27th, 2021 at 8:25am CST by Rory Maher

SEPTEMBER 27: Hollis-Jefferson has signed with Besiktas, agent Adie von Gontard confirmed to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Givony, Hollis-Jefferson’s contract with the Turkish club will include an NBA out clause.

SEPTEMBER 23: Veteran NBA free agent forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is expected to sign with Besiktas of Turkey, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

The 23rd overall pick in the 2015 draft, Hollis-Jefferson had a productive first four seasons with the Nets from 2015-19, showcasing athleticism, energy, defensive versatility, and strong rebounding for a player his size (6’6″). He put up 9.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 23.6 MPG over those seasons, with a .444/.223/.739 shooting line. The 22.3% on three sticks out, but it was on just 0.8 attempts per game.

Hollis-Jefferson also had a nice run off the bench for Toronto a couple of years ago, but struggled to catch on with NBA teams last season, playing in just 11 games for the Trail Blazers on a couple of 10-day contracts before finishing out the season with the team.

It’s a little surprising that a player who’s had a solid track record and is still just 26 years old couldn’t find another NBA home this summer. However, the league has trended away from players similar to Hollis-Jefferson in recent years, as his unique skill set isn’t as valued without a reliable outside shot or the size to match up against true centers.

Urbonas notes that Besiktas features several former NBA and G League players, and will be participating in the Basketball Champions League, which begins on October 4.

Yogi Ferrell In Talks With Greek Team?

September 26th, 2021 at 9:25am CST by Arthur Hill

9:25am: A source told JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link) that no deal between the sides is imminent. Ferrell continues to keep his options open for an opportunity with an NBA team.

9:15am: Yogi Ferrell, who was waived by the Clippers three weeks ago, is in talks to join Panathinaikos in Greece, writes Dario Skerletic of Sportando. The news was first reported by Gazzetta.gr.

The 28-year-old point guard appeared in eight games for L.A. last season after joining the team in April on a 10-day contract and then signing for the rest of the year. He also played two games for the Cavaliers in January and averaged a combined 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the season. In addition, Ferrell was in the G League bubble with the Salt Lake City Stars.

He had a non-guaranteed $1.98MM salary for the upcoming season, but the Clippers decided to explore other options for backcourt help. The Thunder were rumored to have interest in Ferrell, but it appears he will be headed overseas.

Ferrell began his career with the Nets in 2016 after going undrafted out of Indiana. He later signed with the Mavericks and enjoyed his best season in 2017/18, playing all 82 games and averaging 10.2 PPG. He then spent two years with the Kings and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Jazz last offseason, but never played for Utah.

Kobi Simmons Signs In Poland

September 25th, 2021 at 3:34pm CST by JD Shaw

Free agent guard Kobi Simmons has signed in Poland with Stal Ostrow, agents Aaron Turner and Kshaun Daley of Verus Basketball told Hoops Rumors.

This marks the first career overseas stint for Simmons, who went undrafted in 2017 after spending one collegiate season at Arizona. He’s made past NBA stops with the Grizzlies, Cavaliers and Hornets.

Simmons appeared in 15 G League games with the Greensboro Swarm last season, averaging 18.3 points, six assists and 32.9 minutes per contest. The 24-year-old was also one of the top performers in the G League during the 2019/20 season, holding per-game averages of 17.4 points and 5.6 assists.

Simmons played 32 NBA games with Memphis in 2017/18 and one game with Cleveland in 2018/19. He was with Portland for summer league last month.

And-Ones: Beauchamp, Hayward, Turner, Hands, Silver, Vaccinations

September 23rd, 2021 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The G League Ignite team has signed MarJon Beauchamp, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Beauchamp, ranked No. 47 on ESPN’s prospect list for the Class of 2020, elected not to sign with a college due to questions about his amateur status. He attended four high schools and most recently a junior college.

“I thought this was the best route I could go,” Beauchamp said. “I’ve been off the radar for a while, but I’m glad to get an opportunity from [G League executives] Rod Strickland and Shareef Abdur-Rahim. … I’m confident that I can be a top pick next year with this platform. “

Beauchamp joins five-star high school recruits Jaden Hardy, Scoot Henderson and Michael Foster on Ignite’s roster, as well as Australian Dyson Daniels, a projected top-20 pick.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Gordon Hayward, Myles Turner and Joel Embiid are expected to fully participate in their training camps, according to David Aldridge of The Athletic, who offers a number of updates on prominent players that headed into the offseason with injuries. Some others, including Victor Oladipo, have not yet been cleared for camp activities, while Nets stars Kyrie Irving and James Harden are expected to be ready for action when the regular season begins.
Jaylen Hands has signed to play in Germany with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets. Hands most recently played in the Las Vegas summer league with the Cavaliers. The former UCLA standout was a second-round pick in 2019.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver offers congratulations to Tamika Tremaglio, who has been named the incoming NBPA executive director, NBA Communications tweets. “We look forward to working with her, NBPA President CJ McCollum and all the players as we continue to build on our strong partnership and grow our game globally,” Silver added. “I also want to thank Michele Roberts for her leadership in navigating one of the most challenging stretches in the NBA’s history and wish her well as she begins a new chapter.”
Vaccination rates among players have reached 90 percent, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The numbers have been climbing with the opening of training camps approaching.