Patrick Beverley Rumors

International Notes: Walker, Bitim, Roberson, Beverley

November 8th, 2024 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

After opting for the EuroLeague over an opportunity with the Celtics’ G League affiliate, Lonnie Walker went scoreless in his first game with Zalgiris Kaunas, writes Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Walker missed all eight of his shots and committed two turnovers in 13 minutes, but he wasn’t discouraged about his debut.

“I could not put a basketball in the ocean, but this is my first game,” he said. “… I played one bad game, but we continue to have a hell of a season. I am not excited nor upset about how I played.”

This is Walker’s first EuroLeague experience and he noticed a few differences from the NBA, including more physicality and the absence of a defensive three-second rule, but said it’s mostly the same style of play. His contract includes an NBA buyout clause until February 18, and the Nuggets reportedly already have some interest, but for now Walker is focused on adapting to his new surroundings.

“This is a new environment, but I work my tail off day in and day out, and I trust and believe in my work,” he said. “I want to come back, shoot a lot more shots, and be ready for the next game, both mentally and physically.”

There’s more international news to pass along:

Fenerbahce has finalized a deal to loan former Bulls forward Onuralp Bitim to Bayern Munich for the rest of the season, per Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. After spending one year in the NBA, Bitim signed a contract this week with the Istanbul club that runs through the 2027/28 season. Fenerbahce views him as a long-term asset, Urbonas adds, but currently has a crowded roster. In Munich, Bitim will play for German national team head coach Gordon Herbert on a squad hit by early-season injuries. The agreement includes a clause allowing Fenerbahce to reclaim Bitim if Bayern fails to reach the playoffs.
Former NBA swingman Andre Roberson is in advanced talks to join ASVEL Villeurbanne in the French League following a brief stint with Cholet, Urbonas adds in a separate story.
On his latest podcast (Twitter video link), Patrick Beverley said he has “some decisions to make” about his future with Hapoel Tel Aviv. Beverley revealed that former NBA big man Johnathan Motley recently left the team because he no longer feels safe in Israel and wants to join a EuroLeague team in Serbia. Beverley added that it’s not in his nature to back out on a commitment, but he has received interest from EuroLeague clubs including Real Madrid as well as some NBA teams that he hasn’t been authorized to mention.

International Notes: French Rookies, Yao, Mannion, Larkin, More

November 1st, 2024 at 3:02pm CST by Rory Maher

French teenagers Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Alex Sarr (Wizards) and Tidjane Salaün (Hornets), who were selected first, second and sixth overall in June’s draft, have gotten off to slow starts to begin their NBA careers, per John Hollinger of The Athletic. Risacher (.354/.238/.583 shooting line) and Sarr (.297/.238/.833) are struggling with offensive efficiency, while Salaün isn’t yet a regular member of Charlotte’s rotation.

As Hollinger writes, that outcome was always expected, as all three players were viewed as relatively raw prospects, drafted more for what they could be than what they are now. While Risacher and Sarr have shown promising flashes on defense, they’ve also struggled with the size and strength of the NBA, something Risacher’s teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic is familiar with, having played in Serbia and Turkey before signing his first NBA contract.

“Athleticism in the NBA is very different,” Bogdanovic said. “There is not a league on the planet where you can see this type of length, athleticism and talent on the floor. Just adjusting to the speed of the games and the pace.”

Hollinger asked Risacher about his early adjustment to the league in training camp, and the 19-year-old was modest in his reply.

“Back in France I was super athletic, and now I’m just a regular dude,” Risacher said.

Time will tell whether or not the three rookies will become impact players in the NBA, but for now, their teams will have to be patient as they develop, Hollinger notes.

Here are a few more international notes:

Hall-of-Famer Yao Ming has resigned from his role as president of the Chinese Basketball Association, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. Yao, who played NBA nine seasons with the Rockets, was president of the CBA for the past seven years.
Former NBA guard Nico Mannion is signing a three-year contract with Italy’s Olimpia Milano, reports Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. Mannion’s current club, Pallacanestro, will receive a buyout of €300,000. Mannion’s NBA rights are controlled by Golden State, the team that selected him No. 48 overall in 2020. The 23-year-old spent the 2020/21 season on a two-way deal with the Warriors and would be a restricted free agent upon his return to the NBA as long as Golden State keeps issuing him two-way qualifying offers.
Former first-round pick Shane Larkin will return to the Turkish national team for the 2025 EuroBasket tournament, according to Eurohoops. Head coach Ergin Ataman recently announced the news in a podcast appearance, adding that another nationalized citizen, Scottie Wilbekin, will be on the roster as well. It’s unclear if Wilbekin will actually be ready to play by next summer, as he suffered a torn ACL this fall.
NBA veterans Bruno Caboclo and Patrick Beverley are currently playing in Israel with Hapoel Tel Aviv, but they’re both drawing interest from EuroLeague clubs, according to Maggi. Caboclo has reportedly received a contract offer from Real Madrid, which has multiple players sidelined by injuries. The Spanish powerhouse may be eyeing Beverley as well, though it’s unclear if he’s open to leaving his current team.

International Notes: Beverley, Harrell, Windler, Toohey

September 22nd, 2024 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Patrick Beverley‘s new coach with Hapoel Tel Aviv believes he has a lot to learn about the international game after spending the last 12 years in the NBA, according to a BasketNews report. Beverley was one of several high-profile additions for the Israeli team this summer, and coach Stefanos Dedas said in a recent podcast that it’s been challenging to manage all the new talent.

“No, [they are] not easy [to coach],” Dedas said. “Beverley is not easy to coach because he has some habits from the NBA. We talk every day with him. He says, ‘Coach me, coach me, curse me out!’ I say, ‘Don’t give me this [opportunity], it’s what I love.’ I had to change Patrick’s mentality about the preseason. It doesn’t count in the NBA, but here, it counts. You need to win, you need to collect the credit that the play is good and the roster is good. The result matters only during the night of the game, but you have a good feeling because you played well.”

At age 36, Beverley is bringing his trademark fiery approach to Hapoel Tel Aviv, along with a wealth of knowledge he collected as an NBA veteran. His defensive prowess and understanding of the game are assets in any league.

“Nobody says he’s a one-man show player because he was never like this,” Dedas said. “He has the mentality of a high-level role player, guarding the opponent’s best player, drive-kick, pass to the shooter. He knows the job very well.”

There’s more international news to pass along:

Montrezl Harrell, the NBA’s former Sixth Man of the Year, made an immediate impact with Adelaide in his NBL debut, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN. Harrell came off the bench to post 13 points and 12 rebounds in a little over 20 minutes, and he caught the attention of Jaylen Adams, an ex-NBA player who’s now a star in Australia. “He’s a competitor, a big physical guy,” Adams said. “I thought he played good tonight, for somebody who got here a week ago, too. It was fun to compete. It kind of brought the best out of me, and I think it brought the best out of a lot of guys.”
Perth’s coach wants newly signed Dylan Windler to be more focused about seeking his own shots in the NBL than he was in the NBA, Uluc adds. Windler had six points, 10 rebounds and four assists as a reserve in his first game in Australia. “He’s played in the NBA the last four years in a particular role, [but] I actually want him to be a bit more aggressive and probably play a little bit more how he was in college,” coach John Rillie said.
Sam Venecie, draft expert at The Athletic, is impressed by the early-season performance of Alex Toohey (Twitter link). Vecenie views the Australian forward as a first-round talent for 2025.

And-Ones: Toscano-Anderson, Shackelford, Roberson, Beverley

September 5th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Juan Toscano-Anderson is playing for G League United at the third annual NBA G League Fall Invitational this month. The veteran wing is hoping for another NBA opportunity, he told Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle.

“I want to show teams that if they were to pick me up, I can enhance the team atmosphere as a player but also as a teammate in the locker room,” Toscano-Anderson said.

He appeared in 11 games with the Kings last season and spent much of the year playing for the Mexico City Capitanes.

We have more from around the international basketball world:

In other G League news, the Valley Suns received the returning player rights to guard Jaden Shackelford from the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G League team, in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick, the Suns’ G League team tweets. The Thunder signed and waived Shackelford last October and he spent the season with the Blue.
Former NBA swingman Andre Roberson has signed with the French club Cholet, according to Eurohoops.net. Roberson spent most of his NBA career with the Thunder and most recently played five games with Brooklyn in 2020/21. Earlier this year, he participated in an international tournament in Dubai with former NBA players and, in July, took part in the TBT tournament in Louisville.
Patrick Beverley is getting the superstar treatment with Hapoel Tel Aviv. The longtime NBA guard says he feels like LeBron James after appearing in a preseason game in Belgrade, Basketnews.com relays. “I know how LeBron feels. I leave games, and the guys that I play against want pictures. Coaches that I play against want pictures,” Beverley said on his podcast. “The fans that I go against, they boo me, I leave out and it’s 30 kids outside, and they all want pictures. And this is every country we go to.” Beverley agreed to play with the Israeli team in July after finishing last season with the Bucks.

And-Ones: Rookie Scale Extensions, $500MM Players, Beverley, Muhammad, T. Robinson

August 31st, 2024 at 7:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Three of the first four players selected in the 2021 draft have already received rookie scale extensions, but Rockets guard Jalen Green may have to wait until next summer, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Despite a strong finish to last season, there are still questions about Green after three years in the NBA. Houston may want to maximize its cap space for 2025, and Pincus suggests the Rockets’ final offer to Green may not be in the neighborhood of what fellow top four picks Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes received.

That philosophy would also affect Alperen Sengun, who was taken with the 16th pick in 2021. Pincus suggests that Sengun could receive a generous offer before the October 21 deadline if the Rockets are planning to pick up Fred VanVleet‘s $44.9MM option for the 2025/26 season. However, the Turkish center will only have a $16.3MM cap hold if the team plans to decline its option on VanVleet and operate using cap space.

Pincus’ comments are part of his analysis of the entire first round from 2021 and the likelihood of an extension for each remaining player. He gives a C-minus to Cunningham’s new deal, stating that the Pistons assumed unnecessary risk when they could have signed him to a similar contract next summer. The Cavaliers‘ Mobley extension gets a B-minus from Pincus, while the Raptors‘ Barnes extension rates a B-plus.

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

Stephen Curry‘s extension with the Warriors and Paul George‘s max contract with the Sixers will push them above $500MM in career earnings, joining LeBron James and Kevin Durant as the only players with deals in place to reach that figure, notes Steve Henson of The Los Angeles Times. James Harden will top $400MM under his new two-year, $70MM deal with the Clippers, while Chris Paul will get close to that number after joining the Spurs for one year at $10.46MM.
Longtime NBA guard Patrick Beverley made his debut for Hapoel Tel Aviv today in Israel, according to Eurohoops. Beverley, 36, was in the starting lineup and contributed three points, six assists and his typical intense defense in a preseason win over Elitzur Ironi Netanya.
Former NBA players Shabazz Muhammad and Thomas Robinson have signed with Homenetmen Beirut, per Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Muhammad, who joined the Kings’ G League affiliate in January, last played in the NBA during the 2017/18 season. Robinson, a lottery pick in 2012, has been out of the league for seven years.

International Notes: Yurtseven, Lessort, Sochan, Beverley, Cousins

August 27th, 2024 at 12:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Sani Becirovic, the technical director Panathinaikos, confirmed this week that the Greek club has interest in free agent big man Omer Yurtseven, who has spent the past three seasons in the NBA. Panathinaikos’ interest in Yurtseven was reported earlier this month.

“The truth has been written,” Becirovic said, per Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. “We have nothing to hide: he is one of the players we are interested in. There have been contacts, we have studied the case to see if he is a realistic option or not. But there is still some work to be done to reach an agreement.”

If Panathinaikos is able to finalize a deal with Yurtseven, the veteran center would join a frontcourt that also includes Mathias Lessort, whose play at the Olympics helped generate some NBA buzz. However, Becirovic said that he wasn’t worried about Lessort – whose NBA rights are controlled by the Knicks – making the move stateside this offseason.

“Obviously, we want him to stay as long as possible and we will do everything we can to keep him,” Becirovic said. “No, I wasn’t nervous about him leaving because he didn’t have a contract with the NBA. So I was pretty calm about it. There were also rumors that there was a lot of interest in him. The interest was there, but we never got into serious negotiations to make something happen, like with (Guerschon) Yabusele (leaving Real Madrid for the Sixers) for example.”

Here are a few more items of interest from around the international basketball world:

Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, who played for the Polish national team during the 2024 Olympic qualifiers, has committed to representing the country next summer at EuroBasket, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. As one of the four countries co-hosting EuroBasket 2025, Poland has automatically qualified for the tournament.
Patrick Beverley, who is playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel in 2024/25, has lofty goals for his new club, as he stated in a video recently posted to his Twitter account. “I don’t want to win, I want complete domination,” Beverley said. “… I don’t even want games to be close. I just want us to stomp the s–t out of everybody.” The veteran guard is aiming to help lead Hapoel Tel Aviv to a EuroCup title next season in order to earn the team a promotion to the EuroLeague.
Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins has joined Wuxi WenLv, a Chinese team on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour, according to an announcement from FIBA (Twitter link). Cousins, who has been out of the NBA since 2022, has played for professional teams in Puerto Rico, Taiwan, and the Philippines since then.

Jared McCain Seeks Veterans’ Advice As He Prepares For First NBA Season

August 19th, 2024 at 8:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers first-round pick Jared McCain is trying to soak up as much knowledge as he can as he gets ready for his rookie season, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The 16th selection in this year’s draft is studying film and seeking advice from NBA veterans while preparing to carve out a role on a team that’s expected to be among the top contenders in the East.

“Kyle (Lowry) is somebody I watched his college highlights,” McCain said. “Obviously, his NBA highlights, just being a bigger, stockier guard. Tyrese (Maxey) is a younger player that I can learn from. And Joel (Embiid) as an MVP, I can learn just any ins and outs. Paul George, Reggie Jackson, the whole lineup is just people I can learn from. That’s really what I’m most excited for. Even if I don’t play, whatever happens, I’m just here to learn as much as possible so I can take it as far as I can.”

McCain has reached out to a number of current and former NBA point guards to get insight on their approach to the game, Pompey adds. That list includes former Sixers guard Patrick Beverley, who is headed to Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel after finishing last season with Milwaukee.

“It’s funny, he gets a lot of slack for going overseas, not being in the NBA,” McCain said. “But the dude has made over $100 million in the NBA. You can kind of call it what it is. He has done really well in the NBA, and he’s been able to stay on teams. So that’s something that I can do. I just want to learn as much as I can whether it’s bringing energy or being that guy that can be the glue guy.”

Since draft night, McCain has been traveling the country to work on his game. He started with Summer League appearances in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, then returned to Duke to work out with former college teammates. The next stop was the Sixers’ practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, before participating in an unofficial team minicamp held that Sixers assistant coach Rico Hines holds in Los Angeles.

According to Pompey, McCain was back in Philadelphia this week before flying to Carroll, Iowa, for head coach Nick Nurse’s charity golf tournament. He then returned to California to continue working out with his new teammates in preparation for the start of training camp next month.

“I got to do the Podcast P with Paul George podcast,” he said. “Tyrese was in there all of the time. The summer league team was mostly there. So, yeah, it was just getting to know everybody and seeing everybody back.”

McCain was an outstanding three-point shooter in college, connecting at 41.4% from beyond the arc in his only season with the Blue Devils and setting a Duke freshman record by sinking eight threes in a game. That didn’t carry over to Summer League, though, as he shot just 28.6% from the field and 25.5% from long distance. McCain is confident that he can help space the floor for the Sixers, but added that he’ll be happy with any role that gets him on the court.

“If it’s playing team defense and knowing rotations, and being out there, knowing how to play with everybody,” he said, “if that’s what it is, that’s what it is. I just want any chance to play, whether it’s point guard, or shooting guard or anything.”

And-Ones: Risacher, Sarr, Sheppard, LeBron, TV Package, Beverley

July 27th, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

The top two picks in the draft — Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr — were also two of the biggest disappointments during Summer League action, John Hollinger of The Athletic notes.

The Hawks‘ Risacher shot 11-of-28 from the floor in 59 minutes before being sidelined by a quad contusion. The Wizards‘ Sarr shot 0-of-15 from the field in his third game and only scored two points in his fourth outing. The Pacers‘ Jarace Walker and Timberwolves‘ Rob Dillingham were among the other notable players who struggled in Vegas.

On the flip side, third overall pick Reed Sheppard of the Rockets showcased his all-around skills, Hollinger writes. Another standout was Scotty Pippen Jr., who made a strong case to be the Grizzlies‘ backup point guard.

The Ringer’s J. Kyle Mann and ESPN’s experts also shared their thoughts on the biggest takeaways from Summer League action.

We have more from around the basketball world:

LeBron James ranks No. 1 among the top 25 players in this century, according to a poll of ESPN experts. Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal round out the top five.
The new broadcasting deals signed by the league with Disney, NBC and Amazon include national broadcasts on every day of the week during the regular season. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps provides more details on the rights packages.
Patrick Beverley will not face criminal charges for throwing a basketball at a Pacers fan during the playoffs, The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov tweets. A Marion County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman said the county won’t bring charges after it reviewed the Indianapolis police department investigation. Beverley is expected to play with an Israeli team next season.

Patrick Beverley Plans To Sign With Hapoel Tel Aviv

July 16th, 2024 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA guard Patrick Beverley is headed back overseas, announcing via his podcast’s Twitter account that he intends to sign with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel.

“They gave me everything I asked for,” Beverley said of the Israeli team. “… I couldn’t refuse.”

Beverley, who turned 36 last Friday, began his professional career by playing in Ukraine, Greece, and Russia from 2008-12, so he’s no stranger to international basketball. However, he has been in the NBA for the past 12 seasons, appearing in 666 total regular season games with the Rockets, Clippers, Timberwolves, Lakers, Bulls, Sixers, and Bucks during that time.

Known for his defensive tenacity, Beverley holds career averages of 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 26.6 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .413/.371/.760.

While his fiery personality can sometimes be an asset, Beverley’s 2023/24 season ended on a sour note due to a sideline outburst — he repeatedly threw a basketball at Pacers fans in Indiana during the waning moments of the Bucks’ season, at one point hitting an unsuspecting female fan in the side of the head.

The incident resulted in a police investigation and a four-game suspension, which Beverley would have had to serve at the start of the 2024/25 season if he had signed with an NBA team this summer.

Instead, the former Arkansas standout will cross the Atlantic, joining a Hapoel Tel Aviv squad that also recently signed NBA veteran Ish Wainright. The team finished second in the Israeli Basketball Premier League standings in 2023/24 with a 21-8 record, losing the best-of-three championship series to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

And-Ones: Beverley, Second Apron, 2025 Mock, Egan, Plumlee

July 14th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Could Patrick Beverley play overseas next season? The longtime NBA point guard has garnered the interest of Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv, according to a Walla report (hat tip to Sportando).

Beverley, 36, is an unrestricted free agent. He played for the Bucks last season and made highlights for the wrong reasons in the playoffs. He fired a basketball multiple times at Indiana spectators and received a four-game suspension that he’ll serve at the start of the 2024/25 season if he’s in the NBA. Beverley had stated a preference to re-sign with Milwaukee.

The veteran guard played in the Ukraine, Greece and Russia before setting roots in the NBA in 2013.

We have more from around the basketball world:

While many NBA observers have noted the second apron restrictions during this offseason, The Ringer’s Howard Beck makes a case that the negative impact of those aprons has been somewhat overblown. It should benefit the smaller market teams who don’t have the ability to go deep into the luxury tax, as the Warriors and Clippers have in recent years, Beck writes, noting that could help the league overall in its aim of competitive balance.
Yes, highly-touted Cooper Flagg ranks No. 1 in The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s 2025 mock draft, but there are plenty of other standout prospects, in Vecenie’s estimation. Rutgers guard Dylan Harper and forward Ace Bailey, France’s Nolan Traore and Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe are the other prospects who make Vecenie’s early top five.
Longtime NBA assistant Hank Egan is the recipient of this year’s Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced (Twitter link). Egan, 86, most recently coached in the league with Cleveland from 2005-10.
Suns center Mason Plumlee has been elected as a Secretary-Treasurer for the Players’ Association, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Plumlee will begin a three-year tenure as part of the union’s leadership.