International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Kilpatrick, Bennett, Bates, Mahmoud, 2022 Draft, Baker

August 25th, 2021 at 7:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Israel’s Hapoel Jerusalem continued its push to sign former NBA players, adding Sean Kilpatrick and Anthony Bennett to its roster, according to the team’s social media feed (Twitter links). Kilpatrick played in Turkey last season and hasn’t appeared in an NBA contest since 2018. Bennett, a former No. 1 overall pick, had his contract with a Puerto Rican franchise terminated last month. He hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2016/17 season. As previously noted, Hapoel Jerusalem also announced the signing of Pistons and Cavaliers big man Thon Maker.

We have more from the basketball world:

Emoni Bates, considered the best high school prospect in the country, has committed to the University of Memphis, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. He reclassified into the Class of 2021 but still won’t be eligible for the NBA draft until 2023 because his 19th birthday isn’t until January 2023. A 6’9″ small forward from Ypsilanti, Michigan, Bates committed to Michigan State last summer, but he de-committed in April.
Anas Mahmoud played with the Raptors in the Las Vegas summer league and is looking to become the first homegrown Egyptian player to make the NBA. Blake Murphy of The Athletic takes a closer look at the 7-footer, who could be ticketed to the G League if he doesn’t gain a spot on the Toronto roster. “I’ll probably be the first Egyptian coming out of the Egyptian league,” Mahmoud said. “I was a little different (from other Egyptians who have made the NBA) because I only got here right (before) college and went back to play in the (Egyptian) league. It’s a pleasure and it’s an honor.”
Gonzaga power forward Chet Holmgren, Duke power forward Paolo Banchero and G League Ignite shooting guard Jaden Hardy top ESPN Jonathan Givony’s initial top-100 list for the 2022 draft. Givony also explores a number of storylines surrounding next year’s projected draft class, including the lack of point guard depth.
Former NBA guard Ron Baker quietly retired last year and he’s got a new job, according to Shelby Kellerman of the Wichita Business Journal. Baker has been hired as a project manager in Ascension Via Christi’s strategy and business development department. Baker, 28, appeared in 96 games during his NBA career, including a combined 15 with the Knicks and Wizards during the 2018/19 season.

Justin Patton Agrees To Sign With Hapoel Eilat

August 25th, 2021 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Another NBA big man is headed to Israel, as Justin Patton has agreed to sign with Hapoel Eilat, according to a report from Yakov Meir of Israel Hayom (via Twitter). A source confirmed the news to our JD Shaw (Twitter link).

Word of Patton’s agreement comes on the heels of former No. 10 overall pick Thon Maker signing a deal with Israeli club Hapoel Jerusalem.

Patton, 24, was selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2017 draft and began his career with the Timberwolves, having been included in the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota. However, a series of foot injuries limited the center’s availability in his first few years in the NBA as he bounced around from Minnesota to Philadelphia to Oklahoma City to Houston.

In four total seasons, Patton has appeared in just 22 NBA games. Thirteen of those appearances came in 2020/21, as he spent several weeks on a two-way contract with the Rockets, averaging 5.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 1.1 BPG in 19.0 minutes per contest. He was released in April, then suited up for the Jazz and Knicks in Summer Leagues in Utah and Las Vegas earlier this month.

Thon Maker Signs With Hapoel Jerusalem

August 25th, 2021 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA lottery pick Thon Maker has signed with Hapoel Jerusalem for the 2021/22 season, the Israeli team announced in a press release.

Maker, who was selected with the No. 10 pick in the 2016 draft, spent his first two-and-a-half NBA seasons with the Bucks before being traded to the Pistons. The seven-footer finished his rookie contract in Detroit, then joined the Cavaliers to start the 2020/21 season before being waived in January. The Heat and Knicks reportedly considered signing the 24-year-old later in the season, but opted against it.

In 263 total regular season games in the NBA, Maker averaged a modest 4.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 0.7 BPG on .435/.327/.680 shooting in 13.8 minutes per contest.

Besides playing in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, Hapoel Jerusalem also competes in the Israeli State Cup and the Basketball Champions League.

Haywood Highsmith To Sign Exhibit 10 Deal With Sixers

August 24th, 2021 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward Haywood Highsmith, who appeared in five games with the Sixers during the 2018/19 season, will reportedly be returning to the team this fall.

Highsmith signed last month with Vanoli Cremona, but the Italian club announced today in a press release that the 24-year-old has exercised the opt-out clause in his contract. According to Vanoli Cremona, Highsmith will be signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Philadelphia.

Highsmith, who went undrafted out of Wheeling in 2018, spent most of the first two seasons of his professional carer playing for the Delaware Blue Coats, the 76ers’ G League affiliate. In 89 NBAGL games (29.5 MPG), he averaged 11.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.6 APG on .423/.338/.679 shooting. He spent the 2020/21 season with the Crailsheim Merlins in Germany.

Since the Sixers project to have a full regular season roster, Highsmith looks like a long shot to make the 15-man squad. A return to Delaware may be in the cards for the forward, who would be eligible to earn a bonus of up to $50K if he spends at least 60 days with the Blue Coats.

Emmanuel Mudiay Signs With Lithuanian Team

August 23rd, 2021 at 4:27pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran point guard Emmanuel Mudiay has inked a one-year contract with the Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas, per an official team announcement.

The 25-year-old was selected with the No. 7 pick by the Nuggets in the 2015 draft. Across his 300 NBA games played between 2015-20, Mudiay averaged 11.0 PPG, 3.8 APG, and 2.9 RPG on .401/.323/.744 shooting. Beyond his tenure with the Nuggets, Mudiay also suited up for the Knicks and Jazz. His last NBA stint was spent with Utah during the 2019/20 season.

Mudiay received offers to play in the G League and in Europe in 2020/21, according to a recent report, but turned them down in hopes of catching on with an NBA team. The former lottery pick, who played on the Trail Blazers’ Summer League team this year, was once again angling for an NBA comeback. However, his agreement with Zalgiris Kaunas had been anticipated as a contingency plan.

Though this marks Mudiay’s first appearance with a European team, this is not his first experience in a non-NBA pro league. Back when he was an elite high school prospect, the 6’3″ Mudiay opted to bypass college, instead signing a one-year, $1.2MM deal with the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China for the 2014/15 season before entering his name into NBA draft consideration.

Mudiay still has to report to the team in Lithuania and undergo a physical examination.

International Notes: M. James, Dorsey, Douglas

August 23rd, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Although Mike James‘ contract with CSKA Moscow keeps him under team control through 2023, the EuroLeague club let him join the Nets at the end of the 2020/21 NBA season. Now, it’s unclear what the next step is for James, who remains under contract with his Russian team for two more seasons.

As Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com details, James is returning to Moscow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean CSKA intends to have him return to the team. According to a report from Michalis Gioulenoglou of Gazzetta.gr, James will meet team president Andrey Vatutin and coach Dimitris Itoudis in Russia to discuss his future.

“The club and the player have not agreed on the terms of termination of the contract, so Mike, like other basketball players who have agreements with CSKA, will be at the club’s location,” the team said in a statement. “At the same time, James will train individually, without connecting to work with the main team.”

According to Urbonas, there’s a belief that James will be able to work out an agreement with CSKA Moscow that allows him to remain in the NBA. The veteran guard recently worked out for the Lakers.

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

Greek club Olympiacos has signed former NBA shooting guard Tyler Dorsey to a one-year contract, according to a press release. Dorsey, who appeared in 104 games for Atlanta and Memphis from 2017-19, was said earlier this offseason to be receiving some NBA interest. However, it appears the former Oregon standout will remain in the EuroLeague after spending the last two seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Another former NBA guard, Toney Douglas, has also signed a deal to play in Greece. He’s joining Iraklis BC for the 2021/22 season, the team announced today (Twitter link). Douglas has appeared in 394 total NBA regular season games for seven teams, but has been out of the league since 2017.
As we relayed earlier today, Jordan Bone – the 57th overall pick in the 2019 draft – has signed with Turkish team Beşiktaş after spending his first two professional seasons in the NBA.

Jordan Bone Signs With Turkish Team

August 23rd, 2021 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent guard Jordan Bone has signed with Turkish team Beşiktaş, the club announced today in a press release.

Bone, 23, was the 57th overall pick in the 2019 draft. He spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Pistons, then began the 2020/21 campaign on a two-way deal with the Magic before he was waived in February.

In his one-and-a-half NBA seasons, Bone saw limited playing time, appearing in just 24 total games. He averaged 2.8 PPG, 1.2 RPG, and 1.1 APG in 10.4 minutes per contest for Detroit and Orlando.

The 2021/22 season will be Bone’s first in Europe. He’ll suit up for a Beşiktaş squad that competes in the Turkish Basketball Super League in addition to the FIBA Europe Cup.

Pistons’ Second-Rounder Koprivica Signs With KK Partizan

August 23rd, 2021 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

Center Balsa Koprivica has signed with KK Partizan, the Serbian club announced today in a press release. According to the team, the deal is for three years.

Koprivica, who spent two seasons at Florida State, averaged 9.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 1.4 BPG in 24 games (19.5 MPG) in 2020/21. He declared for the draft following his sophomore year and was selected with the No. 57 overall pick. Although the Hornets technically drafted him, they did so on behalf of the Pistons, who officially acquired his draft rights after the new league year began.

Koprivica was one of four players the Pistons added in last month’s draft. While Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Livers received standard contracts and Luka Garza got a two-way deal, there wasn’t room on the roster for Koprivica, who will be stashed overseas for at least a season. His new contract with Partizan covers three years, but I expect it will include NBA outs.

Koprivica, 21, was born in Belgrade and lived in Serbia until 2012, so his deal with Partizan represents a homecoming.

As our tracker shows, Koprivica is the fourth player from the 2021 draft class to be stashed overseas, joining Rokas Jokubaitis (Knicks), Juhann Begarin (Celtics), and Filip Petrusev (Sixers).

International Notes: Adams, McRae, Hayes, Wooten

August 22nd, 2021 at 9:18am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Connecticut guard Jalen Adams has signed a one-year contract with Hapoel Jerusalem, writes Johnny Askounis of EuroHoops.

Adams played for the Raptors in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 17.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in five games. He also had a workout for the Celtics in late July.

The 25-year-old has played in the G League and in France since going undrafted in 2019. He was in the G League bubble last season with the Erie BayHawks.

There are more overseas signings to report:

Former NBA guard Jordan McRae has signed with Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in France, according to EuroHoops. The 30-year-old was with five teams from 2015/16 to 2019/20 and last played for the Pistons. He spent last season with Beijing.
Nigel Hayes, who worked out for the Sixers and Celtics last month, has reached a contract agreement with Barcelona, EuroHoops reports. The 26-year-old had brief stops with the Lakers, Raptors and Kings during the 2017/18 season and has played overseas since then, spending last season with Galatasaray in the Turkish League.
Kenny Wooten, who played in the G League last season, has joined Ironi Ness Ziona in Israel, writes Allessandro Maggi of Sportando. Wooten, 23, signed a two-way contract with the Knicks in January of 2020, but never appeared in an NBA game. The Rockets claimed him off waivers before the start of last season and he played for Rio Grande Valley in the G League.

And-Ones: Offseason Roundup, 2022 Free Agency, Evans, Nogueira

August 21st, 2021 at 1:04pm CST by Eli Cohen

Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 breakthrough cases, the expectation around the NBA is that things will return roughly to normal for the 2021/22 season, writes ESPN’s Tim Bontemps in his offseason roundup.

Bontemps polled 10 executives and scouts on some of the most pressing questions of the offseason, such as who the best player will be this season (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant tied for first), the best moves of the offseason (the Heat signing Kyle Lowry won out over the Magic drafting Jalen Suggs and the Wizards getting off Russell Westbrook‘s contract), the worst moves (DeMar DeRozan‘s signing with the Bulls), and others.

The executives also gave their thoughts on why fewer teams seem to be tanking this season and who should be considered the favorites to win the title.

We have more news from around the world of hoops:

2022 was at one point considered a loaded free agency class, writes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link), but after the most recent round of extensions, the big names have been whittled down to Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine. Marks predicts some, if not all of Josh Richardson, Aaron Gordon, Jalen Brunson, Tyus Jones and Mitchell Robinson will sign extensions before the season starts and quotes a Western Conference executive who says that due to scarcity of stars on the market, he expects the regular season trade scene to be extremely active. Marks also breaks down the teams who have or could have cap space next summer.
2012 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion Jeremy Evans, who spent five seasons with the Jazz and two more with the Mavs and Hawks, has signed with the Greek team Panathinaikos, according to Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw (Twitter link).
JD Shaw also tweets that former Raptor Lucas “Bebé” Nogueira, who was picked just one spot after Antetokounmpo in the 2013 draft, has come out of retirement to play for Sao Paolo in his home country of Brazil. As Shaw notes, Nogueira had announced his retirement in February.