Arnoldas Kulboka Rumors

Davon Reed Signs With Ukrainian Team

July 20th, 2023 at 3:29pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent wing Davon Reed has signed with Prometey BC, the team announced on Instagram (hat tip to Dario Skerletic of Sportando). Former Hornets forward Arnoldas Kulboka will also be joining the Ukrainian club, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link).

The 32nd pick of the 2017 draft out of Miami, Reed spend his rookie season with the Suns, who released him prior to the 2018/19 season. He caught on with the Pacers on a two-way deal before spending the next couple seasons in the G League and playing international ball in Taiwan.

Reed returned to the NBA in ’21/22 on a two-way deal with the Nuggets, having a solid season as a 3-and-D bench member, averaging 4.4 PPG and 2.3 RPG on .503/.430/.667 shooting in 48 games (13.9 MPG). Last summer, he signed a two-year contract for the veteran’s minimum to return to Denver, but only the first year was guaranteed.

The 28-year-old saw his minutes reduced in ’22/23 with the additions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown and Christian Braun, as Reed averaged just 9.0 MPG in 35 games for the Nuggets. He was sent to the Lakers at the February trade deadline, and was subsequently waived on the last day of the regular season.

According to Prometey BC, Nuggets players insisted that Reed be given a championship ring after Denver won its first title last month. The Ukrainian side also said Reed drew EuroLeague interest this summer, but no deals came to fruition due to his lack of experience in Europe.

Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Prometey BC, also known as Prometey Slobozhanske, spent last season playing in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League, which will continue in ’23/24. The team finished first in its group during the ’22/23 EuroCup competition, ultimately losing in the semifinal.

Kulboka, another former second-round pick who has spent most of his career in Europe, appeared in two games with Charlotte in ’21/22 on a two-way deal. The Hornets didn’t give him a qualifying offer last summer, making him an unrestricted free agent, and he signed a one-year deal with Greece’s Promitheas Patras.

The Lithuanian guard/forward averaged 14.9 PPG and 6.0 RPG on .453/.426/.800 shooting in 18 EuroCup games last season.

Arnoldas Kulboka Signs With Greek Team

July 5th, 2022 at 7:20am CST by Luke Adams

Former Hornets forward Arnoldas Kulboka is headed back to Europe, with Greek team Promitheas Patras B.C. announcing in a press release that it has signed Kulboka to a one-year contract for the 2022/23 season.

The 55th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Kulboka initially remained overseas, playing for Brose Bamberg in Germany and Bilbao in Spain before coming stateside for the 2021/22 season.

Kulboka signed a two-way contract with the Hornets last August, but only played a total of five minutes in two appearances with Charlotte, spending most of his first NBA season with the Greensboro Swarm in the G League.

The 24-year-old Lithuanian averaged 14.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.3 APG on .443/.411/.884 shooting in 30 regular season NBAGL games (28.6 MPG). He also put up 13.2 PPG with a .458 3PT% in 13 Showcase Cup contests (24.9 MPG).

Although Kulboka showed some promise in the G League, he didn’t receive a two-way qualifying offer from the Hornets last week and became an unrestricted free agent, opening the door for him to return to Europe. He figures to have a far larger role with his new team in Greece than he would’ve had with any NBA club.

Southeast Notes: Anthony, Yurtseven, Dedmon, Hornets

December 4th, 2021 at 1:16pm CST by JD Shaw

Magic guard Cole Anthony is an early-season candidate for Most Improved Player, Josh Cohen of NBA.com writes. Anthony is averaging 20.2 points and 6.0 assists per game on 43% shooting from the floor, up from last season’s averages of 12.9 points, 4.1 assists and 40% shooting.

“I think it is a reflection of his work ethic,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “It’s a reflection of his confidence, and it’s also the confidence that his teammates have in him to be willing to take those shots.

“But again, you also have a group of guys on the floor that are willing to take shots, That’s what we’ve created and it’s the equalness of each guy willing to want to step in to be able to make the big play, so whoever it is they’re willing to have their number called and step in and make a play.”

Anthony is averaging 34.4 minutes per game (compared to 27.1 MPG in 2020/21), but his shooting marks have also improved across the board. The Magic drafted the 21-year-old with the No. 15 pick in 2020.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Heat rookie Omer Yurtseven stepped up in the absence of Bam Adebayo against the Pacers on Friday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. Yurtseven received a season-high 19 minutes, recording 12 points, five rebounds and two blocks. His production allowed P.J. Tucker to remain at power forward for most of the contest.
Heat center Dewayne Dedmon is prepared to continue starting until Adebayo returns, Winderman writes in a separate article for the Sun Sentinel. Dedmon registered a team-high +11 net rating against Indiana. Despite losing by 26 to Cleveland two days prior, the team still managed to outscore the Cavs by two points in the 31 minutes Dedmon played.
The Hornets are recalling Kai Jones, James Bouknight and Vernon Carey Jr. from the team’s G League affiliate, according to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Boone also notes in a separate tweet that two-way players Arnoldas Kulboka and Scottie Lewis are being recalled. As we previously relayed, Charlotte is missing four players due to the health and safety protocols.

Hornets Sign Scottie Lewis, Arnoldas Kulboka

August 3rd, 2021 at 7:54pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Hornets have signed Scottie Lewis and Arnoldas Kulboka to two-way deals, per a team press release.

Lewis is a 6’5″ defensive specialist out of the University of Florida whom the Hornets selected 56th in this year’s draft. As a sophomore, Lewis averaged 7.9 PPG, 1.5 SPG and 1.0 BPG but failed to take much of a step forward as an offensive prospect. He is considered one of the better defensive and athletic players in this year’s draft.

Kulboka was the 55th pick in the 2018 draft and has been a draft-and-stash prospect since then. The 6’10” forward averaged 9.2 PPG and 4 RPG while shooting 42.5% from three on 4.6 attempts a night for Bilboa Basket, and has played for the Hornets during the past two Summer Leagues (2018/19 and 2019/20).

Lewis and Kulboka will supplant Nate Darling and Grant Riller as Charlotte’s two-way players.

Kulboka Weighing Two-Way Option With Hornets?

June 26th, 2021 at 9:23am CST by Dana Gauruder

A draft-and-stash prospect is reportedly considering a move to the NBA.

Lithuanian forward Arnoldas Kulboka is expected to leave his European team and one of his options is a two-way contract with the Hornets, Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando relays, via Chema de Lucas.

Kulboka officially re-signed with Spanish club Bilbao Basket for two more seasons last June, so he apparently had an opt-out clause. The 23-year-old Kulboka was selected by the Hornets with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2018 draft. His agent stated prior to that contract agreement with Bilbao that his client would have made the jump to the NBA this past season if not for the pandemic.

Kulboka, who stands 6’10”, averaged 9.2 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 22.8 MPG while appearing in 33 contests during the 2020/21 European season. He made 42.5% of his 3-point attempts, which increases his appeal. He was a member of the Hornets’ summer league teams in 2018 and 2o19.

The Hornets ended this season with guards Nate Darling and Grant Riller on two-way deals.

And-Ones: Larkin, Kulboka, Brussino, U17 World Cup

June 12th, 2020 at 6:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Shane Larkin won’t return to the NBA unless he’s guaranteed consistent playing time, Andrew Favakeh of Fansided.com reports. Larkin has established himself as one of the top point guards in Europe and played for Istanbul’s Anadolu Efes this season. In his last NBA stint in 2017/18, Larkin played 54 games for the Celtics. “I will not go back to the NBA as a third point guard,” Larkin said. “So, if any team asks about that, we’re not even gonna answer the phone.”

We have more from around the basketball world:

Hornets’ draft-and-stash prospect Arnoldas Kulboka has officially re-signed with Spanish club Bilbao Basket for two more seasons, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 22-year-old Lithuanian forward was selected by the Hornets with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2018 draft, but has yet to sign an NBA contract. His agent previously stated that that if not for the coronavirus pandemic, his client planned to join Charlotte next season. It’s uncertain whether there are any opt-outs in Kulboka’s newest contract.
Former NBA wing Nicolas Brussino has re-signed with Spain’s Casademont Zaragoza, Carchia notes in a separate Sportando story. The Argentinean was averaging 9.8 PPG and 4,0 RPG in ACB. Brussino’s last appearance in the NBA came during the 2017/18 season, when he played four games with Atlanta.
The FIBA U17 World Cup has been cancelled, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets. It had previously been postponed until August. FIBA will look into holding the event next year, Givony adds.

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Kulboka, Magic, Gordon, Heat

May 29th, 2020 at 12:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Lithuanian forward Arnoldas Kulboka is remaining with Spanish club Bilbao Basket for next season after receiving interest from Zalgiris Kaunas in his home country, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 22-year-old was selected by the Hornets with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2018 draft, but has yet to sign an NBA contract.

According to Donatas Urbonas (Twitter link), Kulboka’s agent Tadas Bulotas said that if not for the coronavirus pandemic, his client was planning to join the Hornets this year. As leagues take different approaches to COVID-19, the NBA offseason will no longer necessarily line up with the offseason for European leagues, complicating decisions for players looking to make the jump one way or the other.

Kulboka could potentially revisit the possibility of joining the Hornets in 2021.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

NBA scouts believe Magic forward Aaron Gordon is best suited to play power forward and also feel as if he tries to do more than he should in Orlando, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “I think the thing for him is he just has to realize that he has to accept that he is going to be a high-level role player — a borderline All-Star if he plays his role really well,” one scout told The Athletic. “I think in his mind there are times when he sees himself in the same vein as some of the superstars, and I think sometimes that can get in his way.”
In a separate mailbag article for The Athletic, Robbins examines the Magic‘s free agency outlook and discusses whether it would make sense for the team to experiment with playing Nikola Vucevic and Mohamed Bamba alongside one another.
After spending most of the NBA’s hiatus in California, Heat forward Andre Iguodala has returned to South Florida, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. In Miami, Iguodala will be able to take advantage of the team’s reopened practice facility for individual workouts. Jimmy Butler and Solomon Hill are now the club’s only players not in town, Winderman notes.

Southeast Notes: Haslem, Kulboka, Simpson, Simon

August 7th, 2019 at 8:35pm CST by clarkcrum

Heat veteran forward Udonis Haslem, who re-signed with Miami for a 17th season just yesterday, will not commit to this being his final season, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel.

Winderman adds in a separate tweet that Haslem will not treat the 2019/20 season as a farewell tour, but given Haslem’s primary status as a reserve for the Heat, it’s probably too presumptive to conclude from that alone that this won’t be his last season.

Finally, Winderman opines that unless someone like former Heat player Yante Maten ends up flourishing for another team in the near future, the signing of Haslem as a veteran locker room presence is well worth using up the last roster spot.

There’s more news out of the Southeast Division tonight:

Hornets draft-and-stash prospect Arnoldas Kulboka, a 21-year-old Lithuanian swingman who was drafted No. 55 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, has officially signed his contract with RETAbet Bilbao Basket of Liga ACB, reports Donatas Urbonas (Twitter link).
Per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, Wizards point guard John Wall believes that teammate Bradley Beal will sign the three-year, $112MM contract extension being offered by Washington despite the financial reasons for not doing so, as we’ve detailed.
The Wizards have officially announced the hiring of Mark Simpson as the team’s new vice president of player performance. Simpson has spent the last three seasons as director of performance for the Clippers, where he oversaw the team’s player load management strategies.
Undrafted St. John’s rookie guard Justin Simon recently underwent a workout with the Heat, but left without a contract, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Southeast Notes: Adebayo, Heat, Miles, Kulboka

July 26th, 2019 at 8:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat center Bam Adebayo has accepted an invitation to Team USA’s training camp in preparation for the FIBA World Cup tournament in China, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. USA Basketball is scrambling for replacements after nine members of the original 20-man roster decided not to participate this summer, a list that includes Paul Millsap, Kevin Love, Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, James Harden, Tobias Harris, Damian Lillard, and CJ McCollum. A 12-man team will represent Team USA in China.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The Heat have named Eric Glass head coach of the G League Sioux Falls Skyforce, according to a team press release. Glass has been in the organization nine seasons and served as a video coordinator and player development coach the last two seasons. Additionally, Adam Simon has been named VP of basketball operations and assistant GM, while Eric Amsler has been promoted to director of scouting and director of player personnel.
C.J. Miles is eager to show he can still be an effective player for the Wizards once he returns from foot surgery, he told Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Miles split time with the Raptors and Grizzlies last season and was traded to Washington this summer in exchange for Dwight Howard. “Last year I just felt like I never really got in a groove after the work I put in to really help my team,” he said. “It just didn’t fit. It’s not personal, it was new coach and a trade happened.” Miles underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a stress fracture in his left foot and will be re-evaluated in six weeks.
Hornets draft-and-stash prospect Arnoldas Kulboka will remain overseas and play in Spain during the upcoming season, Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas tweets. The 6’9” Kulboka, 21, was a late second-round pick last year.

International Moves: Peters, Kulboka, Goudelock

July 23rd, 2018 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Suns forward Alec Peters, the 54th pick in the 2017 draft, is headed to Russia to play for CSKA Moscow, the team announced today. Peters spent the 2017/18 on a two-way contract, appearing in 20 games for Phoenix. He averaged 4.1 PPG and 1.9 RPG in 11.3 minutes per contest. Having not received a qualifying offer from the Suns at season’s end, Peters will continue his career overseas.

“I could not be more excited to join such a prestigious and well-known organization as CSKA Moscow,” Peters said in a statement. “I appreciate the belief of coaching staff and management, who know my set of skills and think that my style of playing will fit the team. I know that I come to the first-class organization and look forward to help the team win the EuroLeague title.”

Here are a few more international transactions of note:

Lithuanian forward Arnoldas Kulboka is back with German club Brose Bamberg after being loaned to Orlandina in Italy last season, according to an announcement from the team (hat tip to Sportando). Kulboka was selected by the Hornets with the 55th overall pick in the 2018 draft, so Charlotte will retain his NBA rights and could have the opportunity to bring him stateside in a future season.
Former NBA guard Andrew Goudelock, who appeared in 49 total games with the Lakers and Rockets, has signed with the Shandong Golden Stars in China, per an announcement from his agency (hat tip to Sportando). International basketball journalist David Pick first reported earlier this month (via Twitter) that Goudelock was signing a $1.5MM+ deal with Shandong to replace Ty Lawson.
French big man Jonathan Jeanne, who was considered a potential 2017 NBA draft pick before he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, has officially signed with Iberojet Palma in Spain after being medically cleared earlier this year.