Reporting from international outlets throughout the spring has linked NBA point guard Vasilije Micic to Hapoel Tel Aviv, with one April report indicating that Micic was on the verge of signing a $5MM contract with the Israeli club.
While it’s possible that deal will still come to fruition, Micic made it clear in a conversation with Meridian Sport that he hasn’t signed anything yet and suggested that his plans for the 2025/26 season remain up in the air, given that his contract with the Suns includes an $8.11MM team option.
“I really don’t know. The team still has an option on my contract. And that’s a serious clause in the NBA. All I know is that I want to play,” Micic said (hat tip to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops). “There are plenty of rumors. I don’t pay attention. … If I haven’t signed anything, I have nothing to talk about. My contract officially runs until June 30. Before that, it’s all just talk. But I can’t believe in anything until I see something concrete.”
A EuroLeague champion in 2021 and 2022 and the MVP of Europe’s top league in 2021, Micic signed a three-year, $23.6MM contract with Oklahoma City during the 2023 offseason, nine years after he was selected with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. However, his stint in the NBA hasn’t gone as planned.
Micic has been traded twice since arriving stateside and has played a modest role for Oklahoma City, Charlotte, and Phoenix, averaging 6.8 points and 3.9 assists in 19.4 minutes per game across 101 outings in the past two seasons. He has made just 39.5% of his field goal attempts, including 31.5% of his three-pointers, and hasn’t been an asset on the defensive end of the court.
The cap-strapped Suns will probably have little incentive to exercise Micic’s $8.11MM option unless his salary is needed for trade purposes. Even in that scenario, there’s no guarantee the 31-year-old’s new team would retain him, so he’s a good bet to reach free agency at some point this offseason. And even if he doesn’t ultimately finalize a deal with Hapoel Tel Aviv, his desire for a significant role suggests a return to Europe is likely.
Wherever he ends up this fall, Micic figures to be playing overseas this summer. He told Meridian Sport that he “really” wants to represent Serbia in the 2025 EuroBasket tournament after helping his home country claim a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics a year ago.
“Last year was great for us,” Micic said. “… This year, we hope it’ll be even better. Someone’s always missing. If everyone shows up, it’ll be incredible, and hopefully even more successful.”