FIBA, NBA Discuss Potential European League
The NBA has put off expansion domestically in recent years but the league could expand its reach into Europe. There are reportedly serious conversations regarding an NBA-owned league in Europe that could initially compete with the EuroLeague and top pro leagues in individual countries, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon reports.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and his office have had discussions with FIBA officials regarding the possibility of starting a new league overseas.
“There is clear interest (by the NBA) and there are ongoing discussions with FIBA,” Andreas Zagklis, the secretary general for FIBA. “We’ve been having and will continue having discussions with … the company that operates the EuroLeague. It is something that has been on our radar. We tried to bring everyone together. This was not possible. So our job is to continue having serious conversations with our partners at the NBA.”
As Vardon explains, the EuroLeague is a conglomerate of 18 teams comprising two tiers of franchises — 13 permanent members and five that must qualify. The permanent members are shareholders in the EuroLeague and operate under a license, but the license expires after the 2025/26 season.
Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul are mulling whether to allow their licenses to expire. Another European club, ALBA Berlin, would reportedly be excluded from becoming a permanent EuroLeague member if current licensing agreements are extended. Those four clubs have academy systems for developing players that are being studied by the NBA, Vardon adds.
Another issue that is being addressed between FIBA and the NBA regards a minor adjustment to the league’s calendar for the 2027/28 season.
The 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles begin July 14 of that year, approximately three weeks after Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Eight teams will qualify for the Olympics at the World Cup in 2027 but FIBA must host four qualifying tournaments shortly before the Olympics to decide the final four bids to Los Angeles.
FIBA scheduled those qualifying tournaments from June 26- July 2 in 2028. Teams in those qualifiers will undoubtedly have NBA players and FIBA would like to give those national teams a reasonable amount of prep time.
“We cannot play any later because of the Olympics, and we cannot play earlier because we don’t have the availability of the players,” Zagklis said. “The conversation with the NBA is there. I do not expect a major adjustment to their schedule. But if it is a question of one or two or three days, we’ve always been collaborating well and I think we will find a solution.”
Atlantic Notes: Fernandez, Nets Trade Talks, Celtics, Hart, Towns
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez struck a threatening tone after his team’s loss to the Bucks on Sunday. After seeing Brooklyn’s defense allow 67 second-half points, Fernandez had a pointed message for his players.
“If our guys who wear a Brooklyn Nets jersey don’t play harder defense, they don’t have a place in our roster,” he said, per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post.
The Nets shot over 50% from the field but it was offset by the leaky defense, particularly on the perimeter.
“No defense to finish that third [quarter]. No defense to finish the fourth,” Fernandez said. “That’s how you win and lose games in the NBA. … You look at the offensive line, it’s pretty good. It’s just our defense was worse than bad.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets are very active in the trade market, according to an ESPN report, however they are being picky with what types of players they might take back in a trade, according to NetsDaily.com. A source familiar with the Nets discussions says that GM Sean Marks only wants to take back expiring contracts in order to preserve his cap space. However, another source told NetsDaily that Brooklyn might be willing to take on a contract with another year left on it if the draft assets are rich enough.
- The Celtics are taking a high volume of three-point shots and making them. The Athletic’s Jared Weiss details how the defending champion’s offense has changed from last season. One notable difference is that the second unit is not as reliant on Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown to orchestrate the attack.
- Josh Hart is questionable to play in the Knicks‘ NBA Cup quarterfinal game against Atlanta on Wednesday due to a left ankle sprain, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. Karl-Anthony Towns is probable with a right knee ailment.
Raptors Notes: Carton, Barrett, Quickley
Injuries apparently played a role in the Raptors decision to waive two-way player D.J. Carton.
With Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and Bruce Brown dealing with injuries, Toronto wanted to add depth. Carton couldn’t provide that in the short run because he’s expected to miss the next three-to-four weeks with an ankle injury of his own, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
It’s possible that Carton will be re-signed at some point, Scotto adds.
We have more on the Raptors:
- While the team awaits an update on Barnes, who injured his right ankle and foot against the Knicks on Monday, RJ Barrett will have to ramp up his production in Barnes’ absence, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. Barrett wound up with 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists against his former team, and did his best to get the Raptors good looks in crunch time, Koreen notes. However, after this season Barrett could see a much different role if the Raptors get a high lottery pick who commands a high percentage of the offense.
- In an extensive interview with Michael Grange of Sportsnet, Barrett says that playing for coach Darko Rajakovic has been a boon for his career. “He’s very, you know, straight to the point, but very encouraging, very encouraging. He believes in me,” Barrett said. “Whenever a coach has that spirit, you want to run through a wall for him.” Barrett still has two years and over $57MM remaining on his contract but that might be considered a relative bargain with the way he’s expanded his game since he was acquired from the Knicks.
- Quickley had more imaging done on his injured left elbow that has kept him out since Nov. 10, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. He’s progressing, per the Raptors, but he still hasn’t been cleared to ramp up or practice. There’s still no timeline for his return.
Raptors Star Scottie Barnes Suffers Right Ankle Injury
Raptors star Scottie Barnes exited Monday’s game against the Knicks with what the team called a right ankle sprain, according to ESPN’s News Services. However, there is concern that the injury to his right ankle and foot could be more severe.
Barnes was helped off the court by teammates before hopping to the locker room, unable to put weight on his right foot. The injury occurred when he contested Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns‘s shot during the third quarter and Towns came down on Barnes’ foot near the basket (video link).
Initial X-rays were negative, according to head coach Darko Rajakovic, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. However, it’s anticipated Barnes will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. He’ll be reevaluated on Tuesday morning, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet adds (via Twitter).
Barnes has already missed 11 games this season due a right orbital fracture. He entered the game averaging 21 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.8 assists per contest.
Barnes signed a five-year max extension and the contract’s value would increase if he made an All-NBA team this season. However, another extended absence would extinguish any chance of that happening due to the 65-game rule.
Western Notes: Flagler, Durant, Leonard, Ingram
Thunder two-way player Adam Flagler will miss four-to-six weeks due to a right fourth metacarpal fracture, Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman tweets.
The 25-year-old guard out of Baylor has appeared in 11 games with the Thunder this season. He’s averaged 1.4 points and 0.5 rebounds in 3.4 minutes per contest, having played almost exclusively in garbage time.
Flagler is a holdover from last season, as he originally signed his two-way deal in February. He was a critical contributor for the Oklahoma City Blue’s championship squad in 2023/24. In three G League contests this season, he has averaged 25.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.7 APG and 2.3 SPG.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- The Suns are 11-2 with Kevin Durant in uniform and 1-9 without him. Phoenix should be able to overcome Durant’s absences better than that, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com writes. Their futility in the games he’s missed is due in large part to Devin Booker‘s subpar efficiency and spotty defense, as well as Bradley Beal‘s inability to step up his game to fill the void, according to Bourguet.
- Kawhi Leonard appears to be progressing toward a return this month and it would be an ideal time to ease him back into the Clippers‘ lineup, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. The Clippers don’t have back-to-back games until New Year’s Day and will only play six games in the 21-day window that begins on Monday, which should help their injured players heal up. “He’s a defensive-minded guy who can guard the basketball, guard five different positions,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of Leonard. “For him coming into what we’re doing, it shouldn’t be hard for him to get involved.”
- Brandon Ingram‘s ankle injury, which will keep him out of action indefinitely, means the floundering Pelicans must soon make some difficult decisions, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. They must decide what to do with Ingram, a free agent after the season, and whether there’s still a trade market for him. They also must figure out what to do with their other oft-injured star, Zion Williamson.
Rockets Notes: Green, Thompson, Sengun, NBA Cup, VanVleet, Eason
The Rockets didn’t commit a turnover in the final 20 minutes of their win over the Clippers on Sunday despite the absence of Fred VanVleet, who is recovering from a right knee injury.
It was a very encouraging sign for coach Ime Udoka, who leaned on Jalen Green, Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun to organize the offense, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes.
“He’s such a calming influence for the team, that kind of gets us into what we need to a lot,” Udoka said of VanVleet. “We still want guys to grow and learn that. So when he’s not out there, it’s good for us to do it a little bit more. We went to a few different guys to initiate offense.”
We have more on the Rockets:
- Houston will face the Warriors in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday. It’s possible that VanVleet could return to action for the tournament game. Forward Tari Eason, who has missed the last two games while in concussion protocol, could also return Wednesday, according to Feigen.
- Thompson already sees himself as a top-notch defender in his second NBA season, he told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda. “I view myself as one of the best defenders. Obviously, I think it’s very hard to score on me. I think my presence is known on defense,” he said.
- Udoka made several stops in Europe during his playing career. He has some “overseas” advice for Turkish native Sengun, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net relays. “My biggest thing with him is, I say to him, ‘Don’t get the European out of your game. Play through stuff. Stop crying,’” Udoka said.
Mavericks Notes: NBA Cup, Lively, Grimes, Prosper
The Mavericks visit the Thunder on Tuesday in an NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup. The winner goes to Las Vegas for the semifinals, while the loser gets knocked out of the tournament.
“I think it’s great to be able to play to go to Vegas tomorrow,” coach Jason Kidd said, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “This is the second year and it’s our first year being involved this far. It’s a great measuring stick on the road against the best team in the West. I think it’s great for both organizations, a great test for both teams.”
Dereck Lively, who played at Duke, compared it to an NCAA Tournament game.
“It brings me back to my Tournament days, trying to be as competitive as possible, trying to bring as much energy, as much discipline and as much focus as we can to these games. There’s a lot on the line,” he said.
We have more on the Mavs:
- Quentin Grimes says that being teammates with veteran guard Klay Thompson has been a learning experience. “Watching Klay has been huge for me,” Grimes told Grant Afseth in a Sportskeeda post. “Whether he’s having a great shooting night or a rough one, he has no conscience—he keeps shooting like it’s going to go in every time. That’s big for shooters like me. Seeing his consistency and his mentality, where every shot is taken with confidence, has helped me focus on impacting the game and trusting my work. The shots will fall because of the effort you put in.” Grimes, a restricted free agent after the season, is shooting a career-best 42.3% from 3-point range.
- Olivier-Maxence Prosper continues to have a limited role in his second NBA season. The 24th pick of the 2023 draft has seen 10-plus minutes of action in each of the last two games and will look to build off of that. “My game is predicated on energy and effort,” Prosper told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “When I come in, I try to impact game in those ways. I feel like now, every day, whether I’m playing or not playing, is a growth opportunity for me. What I see out there, I try to apply when I get on the court. It’s a long season, a long journey, and I stay the course and learn every game, whether or not I’m playing.”
- In case you missed it, Luka Doncic was named Western Conference Player of the Week. Get the details here.
Pacific Notes: James, Harden, Durant, Kuminga
LeBron James had appeared in all 23 of the Lakers‘ games this season until Sunday. The 39-year-old forward missed Los Angeles’ game against the Trail Blazers because of left foot soreness, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.
James played a season-high 43 minutes on Friday in an overtime loss at the Hawks. He racked up 39 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. He is averaging 23 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds per contest.
The four-time MVP was listed as probable earlier on Sunday before being downgraded to doubtful after the team’s walk-through.
“You don’t want him out of the lineup, that’s for sure, but he has an opportunity to get four days’ rest before we practice again,” coach JJ Redick said. “So, it could be really good for him.”
Austin Reaves missed his fifth straight game because of a left pelvic contusion.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Like James, Clippers guard James Harden sat out for the first time this season on Sunday. Harden was sidelined by a groin injury, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Harden scored a season-low five points against Minnesota on Wednesday, but is averaging 21.6 points, 8.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game on the season.
- Kevin Durant is making good progress from his left ankle sprain, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “We feel like the reports that we’re getting back are very positive,” Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We’ll see how the next day or two go and I think re-evaluate him. It’ll be good for us to get back and give him some love. He’ll probably give us some love. It’s always good to be around Kevin. He’s good for our spirit.” The team stated on Wednesday that Durant would be out at least a week.
- The Jonathan Kuminga era has begun for the Warriors, Marcus Thompson of The Athletic writes. Kuminga has been inserted into Golden State’s lineup at Draymond Green‘s expense in order to infuse that unit with another offensive jolt. “He’s a big weapon for us. … So we’ve got to lean into that. And it may not go well every night, but that’s what we’re trying to build,” Stephen Curry said. Kuminga will be a restricted free agent after the season.
Embiid: Ongoing Knee Issues “Extremely Depressing”
Joel Embiid made a triumphant return to action on Sunday but he was far from jubilant afterward. The Sixers superstar center expressed exasperation to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps over his ongoing left knee issues that have kept him out of action most of the season.
“Depressing. Just trying to figure it out. There’s no injury. Just between the swelling … we’ve got to get it figured out. That’s it,” he said. “I’ve been saying it for the last few months. It’s been extremely depressing. It’s something that hasn’t been figured out, and it’s been extremely annoying, because I would love to play every single game.”
In uniform for just the fifth time this season and the first time since Nov. 20, Embiid logged 33 minutes against Chicago and contributed 31 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
It was just the second time this season that Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George played in the same game. During their 26 minutes on the court together, the Sixers outscored the Bulls by 14 points.
“It’s easier, man. There’s a lot more space out there,” Maxey said of Embiid’s return. “I felt like today, even when he’s out there and I’m not out there, it’s harder to maybe trap or whatever. They can’t trap ball screens, you know what I mean? Either or if they don’t drive, then I can score or shoot 3 or if they drop too much and help too much for me, I’m pocket passing to him and he’s getting a layup or a [midrange jumper] … it makes the game easier.”
Embiid signed a three-year max extension in September and recent reports have detailed the extensive medical testing he underwent prior to the extension agreement. The team had anticipated Embiid’s issues would be manageable and were surprised by the early absences as he continued the rehab process.
“It felt good to have the guys on the floor. I believe if we’re healthy, and we’re on the floor, we have a chance against anybody, and I like what we have,” Embiid said. “I think the whole thing is about health … that’s what it comes down to. I wish I could have been playing from the beginning. I would love to play every single game, every single minute, but sometimes your body just says, ‘No,’ and you can’t do nothing about it. All you can do is just keep working to fix it and get better.”
Central Notes: Cunningham, Pacers, Cavs, Allen, Mobley
The Pistons ended a 16-game losing streak to the Knicks with a 120-111 win at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. Cade Cunningham, who signed a max rookie scale extension in the offseason, carried them to victory with a triple-double, the first time a Detroit player has performed that feat at MSG.
Cunningham told reporters after the game that feels as if he’s moving into the conversation for All-Star consideration.
“I believe I am,” Cunningham said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “Whenever I’m on the court every night, I feel like I’m the best player. I try to do whatever it takes to help my team win, and my teammates have made me look great this year. I’m just trying to help my team win and we’ll see what happens with it.”
In his last 10 games, Cunningham is averaging 24.5 points, 10.0 assists and 7.1 rebounds, Patterson notes.
We have more from the Central Division:
- A 90-minute shootaround session paid dividends for the Pacers on Friday. They snapped a four-game losing streak with a 132-123 win in Chicago. “We spent a lot of time (Friday) morning and really had the longest shootaround that I’ve had since I’ve been here,” coach Rick Carlisle told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “We just had a lot of things that we had to clean up. One of them was our offensive spacing and movement.”
- The Cavaliers had made 40.5% of their threes heading into Sunday’s action, leading the NBA in that category. They are tops in the league from long range and have a 17-0 record when making 35% or more of their three-point tries. “It’s starting to be real, this deep into the season,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson told Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “You can qualify us as a super excellent shooting team.”
- Jerome Allen returned to the Pistons‘ staff this season under J.B. Bickerstaff after previously serving under Dwane Casey. In between, Allen worked in a variety of roles at Detroit Mumford High School and Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press details Allen’s lasting impact at the school.
- Cavs forward Evan Mobley rolled his left ankle on Sunday and was ruled out for the second half, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets.