International Notes: Skapintsev, White, Wiley
Free agent center Dmytro Skapintsev has signed a one-year contract with Hapoel Jerusalem, the Israeli team announced in a press release (hat tip to Sportando). Skapintsev’s deal also features an option for year two, though it’s unclear whether it’s a team, player or mutual option.
Skapintsev, who was briefly on a two-way contract with the Knicks in 2023/24 and appeared in two NBA games with New York, has spent most of the past three years in the G League. The 27-year-old spent two seasons with the Westchester Knicks prior to inking an Exhibit 10 deal with Boston last fall for training camp (he was cut before ’24/25 began).
In 44 total games with the Maine Celtics and Rip City Remix (Blazers’ affiliate) in ’24/25, the 7’1″ Ukrainian averaged 8.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 blocks in 23.8 minutes per contest.
Here are a couple more items of interest from overseas:
- Free agent forward Jack White has signed with Mesin MSK for the upcoming season, the Turkish team announced (via Twitter; hat tip to Olgun Uluc of ESPN). The 28-year-old holds two years of NBA experience, having played for Denver in 2022/23 and Memphis in ’23/24. He suited up for Melbourne United in his native Australia last season and then finished out ’24/25 with Bayern Munich, winning a domestic championship with the German club. White, who played for the Hawks’ Summer League team last month, averaged 13.8 PPG and 9.4 RPG on .513/.326/.659 shooting in 27 games (26.1 MPG) with Melbourne in ’24/25.
- Forward Jacob Wiley is finalizing a contract with Lithuanian club Rytas Vilnius, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link). The 30-year-old, who spent part of the 2017/18 season on a two-way deal with Brooklyn, has enjoyed a long international career, playing for teams in Germany, Greece, Montenegro, Spain and New Zealand over the past several years. Wiley suited up for Spanish club Granada the past two seasons.
- In case you missed it, all of the latest international developments — including Hamidou Diallo‘s two-year deal with Baskonia — can be found right here.
Top Prospect Babatunde Oladotun Reclassifying To 2026
Babatunde Oladotun is reclassifying to the high school class of 2026, making him draft-eligible in 2027, according to Paul Biancardi of ESPN.com. The 16-year-old wing intends to graduate from high school in Maryland next spring.
Oladotun had been ESPN’s No. 1 prospect in the 2027 high school class. He was ranked No. 6 by Rivals, per Joe Tipton of On3.com.
“First and foremost, I am ahead of schedule academically and will graduate next year,” Oladotun told ESPN. “Most of my life, I have played up in age and after playing in the 17U division for Team Durant, I felt comfortable. I have gained 20 pounds over the last year and it never felt like I was playing up. Lastly, I am staying and graduating from Blake High School. It is a great environment, and I have a lot of support.”
Unlike the 2026 draft class, 2027 is generally viewed as lacking in high-end talent. Oladotun could help change that, tweets Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68.
According to Biancardi, Oladotun is a “legitimate three-level scorer” who stands 6’9″ with a 6’11” wingspan. Virtually every top college program is trying to secure the commitment of the young wing — Oladotun is viewed as having considerable long-term upside and could be a top-10 pick in 2027.
“We are looking for a coach that has a long history of teaching and winning,” Oladotun’s father, Ibrahim, told ESPN. “Someone who knows how to use a big guard and has a history of coaching big guards. A coach that also plays an NBA-style offense with quick actions.”
Hamidou Diallo Signs Two-Year Deal With Baskonia
Free agent wing Hamidou Diallo has signed a two-year contract with EuroLeague squad Baskonia, the Spanish team announced today in a press release.
Diallo, who turned 27 years old a week ago, was the 45th overall pick of the 2018 draft after spending one college season at Kentucky. He spend his first two-plus seasons with Oklahoma City prior to being traded to Detroit during the 2020/21 campaign.
Diallo spent two-plus years as a regular contributor for the Pistons, but he went unsigned during the 2023 offseason, later inking a training camp deal with the Wizards, who subsequently released him before the ’23/24 season began. He spent that campaign in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go, though he did sign a 10-day contract with the Wizards in January 2024, briefly appearing in two games.
A 6’5″ guard/forward, Diallo is an unusual player for a wing because he isn’t a great passer or shooter, having made just 27.4% of his career three-point tries (he only attempted 1.0 per game) and 62.3% of his free throws in 265 regular season contests. However, he’s an elite athlete, and a strong defender, rebounder and finisher for his size.
The Queens, New York native spent last season in China with the Shanxi Loongs. Diallo put up big numbers in the CBA, averaging 22.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.2 steals and 0.9 blocks in 41 appearances (25.5 minutes per game). His shooting line was .496/.286/.710.
The Loongs had the second-best record (34-12) during the ’24/25 regular season but were swept in the semifinals of the playoffs by the Beijing Ducks, the eventual runners-up.
This will be Diallo’s first stint in Europe. Baskonia had the third-best home record (12-5) during the ’24/25 EuroLeague season but tied for the worst mark (2-15) on the road and missed out on the playoffs after going just 14-20 overall.
Baskonia also competes in Spain’s top league (Liga ACB) and featured multiple former NBA players last season, including Chima Moneke, Trent Forrest and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, among others.
Wizards Re-Sign Anthony Gill To One-Year Deal
1:12pm: As Robbins tweets, Gill’s signing is now official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.
12:57pm: The Wizards are re-signing free agent forward Anthony Gill to a one-year contract, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Gill has spent the past five seasons in Washington, largely serving as a veteran leader and mentor to his younger teammates. Although he was waived in late June before his $2,546,675 salary for 2025/26 would’ve become guaranteed, multiple reports from Josh Robbins of The Athletic — including at the time of Gill’s release — indicated that both sides were interested in a reunion, so the signing had been anticipated.
After going undrafted out of Virginia in 2016, Gill started his professional career overseas, playing in Turkey with Yesilgiresun Belediye in 2016/17 before spending three years with Russian club Khimki, which competed in the EuroLeague at the time. He parlayed his strong international play into multiple contracts with the Wizards, his first and only NBA team to this point.
Gill, who will turn 33 years old in October — a few days before the season begins — appeared in 51 games in ’24/25, posting modest averages of 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per contest. In addition to the Wizards, the 6’7″ forward was also linked to multiple EuroLeague teams this summer.
As Robbins explained last month, the new deal is a win for both sides, as Gill will earn more on a veteran’s minimum contract ($2,667,947) than his old contract would’ve paid him and the league’s reimbursement policy will reduce the Wizards’ salary cap hit to $2,296,274, equivalent to a player with two years of experience.
Interestingly, the signing of Gill puts the Wizards at 16 players on standard contracts, one above the regular-season limit. While Justin Champagnie is on a non-guaranteed deal, he should be a lock to make the roster after a breakout ’24/25 campaign.
Assuming Gill makes the cut, perhaps one of Washington’s new additions, like Malaki Branham or Dillon Jones, could be the odd man out. For what it’s worth, Jones ($2.75MM) makes far less money than Branham ($4.96MM).
The Wizards also brought back Marvin Bagley III on a minimum-salary deal last month. His contract is guaranteed, but he technically would have the smallest dead-money cap hit.
Nuggets’ G League Affiliate Makes Several Leadership Changes
Former NBA forward Ryan Bowen, who has been an assistant coach with the Nuggets for the past decade (and 12 seasons overall), will be the new head coach of the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s NBA G League affiliate announced in a press release.
“Ryan brings a championship mindset, years of experience, and a deep connection to the Nuggets system,” said Gold president Steve Jbara. “We’re thrilled to welcome him to Grand Rapids and can’t wait to see the impact he’ll make on our players and our community.”
Bennett Durando of The Denver Post reported last month that Bowen would be transitioning to the new job. He will replace another former NBA veteran, Andre Miller, who coached the Gold for the past three seasons. According to Durando’s source, Miller is “leaving on his own terms to pursue other coaching opportunities.”
The press release also announced three additional changes to Denver’s organization:
- Longtime scout and assistant coach Chad Iske has been named the Gold’s general manager, as first reported by Durando. Iske will also be the Nuggets’ vice president of pro personnel.
- Nihal Kolur, who has been a basketball operations associate with the Nuggets since 2022, will be the Gold’s assistant GM and the Nuggets’ director of strategy. Kolur specializes in the CBA, salary cap and roster building.
- Matthew Tynes has been named the Gold’s director of operations and scouting. Tynes has been a basketball operations assistant for the past two years.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Luka, Extension, Reaves, More
Lakers forward LeBron James has been “supportive and understanding” of the team’s commitment to building around fellow star Luka Doncic, ESPN’s Shams Charania said Monday on First Take (YouTube link). Doncic signed a three-year max extension on Saturday, the first day he became eligible to re-up with the Los Angeles.
James is nearing the end of his record-setting career — he turns 41 years old at the end of December — but Doncic is theoretically just entering his prime, as the Slovenian guard is 26. James exercised his $52.6MM player option in June, which will make him an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
While James was not physically present at the press conference to announce Doncic’s extension, he FaceTimed Doncic to congratulate him on the new deal, as first reported by Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) and subsequently confirmed by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“I hope, obviously, [he stays long term],” James told ESPN on April 30. “Laker fans f—ing love him here. L.A. has accepted him. We love him as a teammate, as a brother. But ultimately, he’s got to make a decision for him. S—, I ain’t going to be around much longer.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Dan Woike of The Athletic details Doncic’s decision to extend with the Lakers and the subsequent celebration in Las Vegas that was attended by new owner Mark Walter, governor Jeanie Buss, head coach JJ Redick and several teammates. “He’s only looking forward. And he’s here. He wants to get the best players here. He wants to win, and he knows it starts with him,” said Lara Beth Seager, Doncic’s manager. “And I think that’s what he proved this offseason. ‘OK, everyone wants to say or people think that they know me or I’m not a leader or I’m this way, or I’m that way, I don’t care. They can think and say whatever they want. “I’m gonna show them who I am.’“
- ESPN insiders McMenamin, Zach Kram, Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks examine how the Lakers should build around Doncic both now and in the future, including what types of players they should try to add (rim-running centers and three-and-D wings), what tools they have to use in trades, and their salary cap situation moving forward. Marks points out that just because L.A. could have a significant amount of cap room in 2027 doesn’t mean the team must solely rely on that to try to build out the roster.
- In that same ESPN story, Bontemps writes that while much of the offseason speculation about the Lakers has been centered on James’ future, what they should do with Austin Reaves might be the trickier question. Reaves, who is widely expected to decline his 2026/27 player option (worth $14.9MM) in order to hit free agency next summer, reportedly declined a four-year, $89MM extension in June — the maximum he was eligible to receive — in the hope of landing a bigger payday. “I think he will get $30 [million] plus [annually],” one executive told ESPN, echoing multiple front office sources who were asked about the next deal Reaves could command.
- According to Bontemps, there’s an expectation around the league that Reaves will re-sign with the Lakers, but to reach that $30MM-per-year figure, the 27-year-old guard may have to shine on the biggest stage after struggling in the first-round playoff loss to Minnesota. “This is a big season for him,” one Western Conference assistant coach said. “He’d better bring it in the playoffs, because he’s got to be good enough [to pair with Doncic].”
Latest On NBA’s Potential European League
The NBA continues to explore creating a new European league, including leadership meetings with potential teams, stakeholders and investors over the past week.
According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, commissioner Adam Silver, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum and the NBA’s European and Middle East director George Aivazoglou met with Real Madrid on Thursday in Paris about the possibility of the Spanish powerhouse joining the proposed league.
As Vardon writes, Real Madrid currently has a guaranteed spot in the EuroLeague, but its license expires in 2026. Sources tell Vardon that if Real Madrid decides to join the NBA’s new venture, other EuroLeague teams are considered likely to follow.
Real Madrid is the most decorated EuroLeague team in history. Dating back to when the competition was known as the FIBA European Champions Cup, the Spanish club has racked up 11 championships and made the finals a total of 21 times — both league records.
In addition to Real Madrid, Barcelona (Spain), ASVEL Basket (France) and reigning champion Fenerbahce (Turkey) are viewed as EuroLeague teams that might defect to the NBA’s new league, Vardon reports.
Silver and other top NBA executives have met with Alba Berlin as well, Vardon adds. The German club previously competed in the EuroLeague but will be in the Basketball Champions League for 2025/26.
Sources tell Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal that the NBA is “all-in” on the new European league in part because it thinks “EuroLeague franchises are not being run as high-end businesses and have untapped commercial upside” (hat tip to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports).
According to Friend, the NBA is seeking between $500MM and $1B in licensing fees from prospective teams. While some sources have expressed skepticism that the NBA will be able to extract that high a fee, others are more bullish on the league’s chances.
“Look, the FC Barcelonas and the PSGs and the Manchester Citys, they can do [between $500M and $1B],” one source briefed on the NBA’s plan told Friend.
Daniss Jenkins Re-Signs With Pistons On Two-Way Deal
Guard Daniss Jenkins has re-signed with the Pistons on a two-way contract, according to the official transactions log at NBA.com.
The news was first reported by Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).
Detroit made Jenkins a restricted free agent at the end of June when it tendered him a two-way qualifying offer, which is equivalent to a one-year, two-way deal, with a small portion ($85,300) guaranteed. Jenkins may simply have accepted the QO.
The 6’3″ guard had a well-traveled run through college, playing for the Pacific Tigers, the Iona Gaels and the St. John’s Red Storm. He signed a two-way contract with the Pistons last summer after going undrafted.
While Jenkins’ NBA contributions during his rookie season were very limited – seven appearances for 23 total minutes – he played a significant role with the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, averaging 18.5 points, 6.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 47 games (35.7 minutes per contest). He posted a shooting line of .427/.331/.768 with the Cruise.
In five games during the Las Vegas Summer League last month, Jenkins thrived, averaging 14.0 PPG, 5.4 APG, 2.6 RPG and 1.0 SPG on .449/.421/.783 shooting in just 22.6 MPG.
Jenkins, who was named to the All-NBA G League Rookie Team in 2024/25, will turn 24 years old in a couple weeks. As our tracker shows, he will fill Detroit’s third and final two-way spot, joining Tolu Smith and Colby Jones.
Jenkins will earn $636,435 in 2025/26, half of the rookie minimum, if he remains under contract through the league-wide guarantee date in January. He is eligible to appear in up to 50 games for the Pistons.
Cavs’ Darius Garland Feels ‘Great’ Following Toe Surgery
Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland hosted his first annual celebrity softball game on Saturday, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). While the two-time All-Star was unable to participate in the festivities beyond taking a few swings in the batting cage and throwing out the first pitch, he provided an encouraging health update.
“I feel great. The recovery process is going well. But I’m here for my foundation,” Garland said. “I’m here to spread some positivity around the city of Cleveland and trying to have a good time. I always loved baseball, so I tried to make it a little bit competitive and kind of friendly as well.
“It’s my first one, so I’m kind of nervous, but I hope it’s going to be really cool and everybody really enjoys themselves.”
Garland, who made his second All-Star team last season, underwent surgery in June to repair the left great toe injury that hampered him in the postseason. He’s expected to miss some time to start the 2025/26 season.
Garland’s name has popped up in trade rumors for the second straight offseason, though things have quieted down considerably of late. The Kings and Suns were reportedly among the teams that expressed interest in the 25-year-old.
According to Fedor, seven members of the Cavaliers — including Garland — were present at the event, with the others being Evan Mobley, Jaylon Tyson, Max Strus, head coach Kenny Atkinson, president of basketball operations Koby Altman, and executive Grant Gilbert. Free agent center Tristan Thompson, who has spent the past two years with Cleveland, also participated.
“This city has embraced me since day one, and this event is a way to give that love back,” Garland said, per Fedor. “It’s more than just a game — it’s a celebration with purpose, supporting the work we’re doing through the Darius Garland Foundation to uplift and empower others in a meaningful way.”
Richaun Holmes Weighing Panathinaikos Offer, Hoping To Stay In NBA?
Free agent center Richaun Holmes was waived by the Wizards on July 14. At the end of July, reports indicated that his representatives were talking to Turkish club Fenerbahce, the reigning EuroLeague champions.
Evidently the talks with Fenerbahce weren’t fruitful, but Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops.net hears that Holmes now has a two-year offer on the table from 2024 EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos.
As Barbarousis explains, Holmes is reportedly still holding out hope of landing a guaranteed NBA contract. If that doesn’t happen in the near future, he’s expected to sign with the Greek powerhouse, which made an unsuccessful run at Jonas Valanciunas earlier this offseason.
The 37th pick of the 2015 draft after starring in college at Bowling Green, Holmes has spent the past 10 years in the NBA, suiting up for Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, Dallas and Washington. His most productive season was 2020/21, when he averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 blocks in 29.2 minutes per game across 61 appearances for the Kings.
Holmes, who will turn 32 years old in October, holds career averages of 8.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 0.9 BPG in 19.1 MPG (489 games, including 178 starts). He averaged 7.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 0.7 BPG in 31 games for the Wizards in ’24/25 (17.2 MPG).