International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

International Rumors: Dozier, Oturu, Bryant, Guduric, Moore

June 2nd, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran guard PJ Dozier, who has spent parts of seven seasons in the NBA, is in advanced talks with Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv, reports Aris Barkas of Eurohoops (story via Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops).

Dozier, 28, spent the first few months of 2024/25 with the Timberwolves prior to being released in late December. He only appeared in nine games with Minnesota for a total of 35 minutes. Dozier subsequently signed with Anadolu Efes and is currently competing in the Turkish League playoffs.

As Askounis writes, Anadolu Efes would like to keep Dozier and plans to make him an offer. The 6’5″ wing played for Serbia’s Partizan Belgrade in ’23/24. Both Efes and Partizan are members of the EuroLeague, while Hapoel is set to join as an expansion team in ’25/26, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

Known for his defense, Dozier has played a total of 130 regular season games in the NBA with Oklahoma City, Boston, Denver, Sacramento and Minnesota. The South Carolina native holds career averages of 5.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 15.4 minutes per contest.

Here are a few more notes from overseas:

Former Clippers and Raptors big man Daniel Oturu is finalizing a multiyear contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv, per Moshe Barda and Reef Gross of Israeli media outlet ONE (Twitter link; hat tip to Askounis of Eurohoops). The 33rd overall pick of the 2020 draft, Oturu has spent the past two years with Anadolu Efes.
A third member of Efes, guard Elijah Bryant, has also been linked to Hapoel Tel Aviv, as reported by Barda and Gross of ONE (via Twitter). Gross hears it’s a three-year deal worth in excess of €7.5MM, though the contract has yet to be finalized. Bryant, 30, won a title with Milwaukee in ’20/21 after signing at the very end of the regular season. He has been one of Efes’ best players over the past four years.
Olimpia Milano has extended a lucrative offer to Marko Guduric, per Meridian Sport. The Serbian guard, who played 44 games with Memphis in ’19/20, is under contract with Turkey’s Fenerbahce through 2026, but has an opt-out clause to negotiate with other teams, according to Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops, who reports that Panthinaikos and Crvena Zvezda are interested in Guduric as well. Guduric, 30, recently helped Fenerbahce win the EuroLeague title, Strogglakis notes, recording 19 points (on 8-of-10 shooting) and six rebounds in the final against Monaco.
Former San Jose State guard Omari Moore, who spent a few months with the Bucks on a two-way deal during the 2023 offseason, is signing a one-year contract with the South East Melbourne Phoenix of Australia’s National Basketball League, sources tell Olgun Uluc of ESPN. Moore spent this past season with Darüşşafaka of Turkey’s BSL.

Turkish Team Hopes To Sign Dante Exum, Vasilije Micic

June 1st, 2025 at 11:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce is targeting two NBA players for next season, according to international basketball writer Zafer Ertas (Twitter link), who reports that negotiations have already begun with Dante Exum and Vasilije Micic.

Exum, who’ll turn 30 next month, will be an unrestricted free agent after spending the past two years with the Mavericks. He made a surprise return to the NBA in 2023 after spending the previous two years with FC Barcelona and Partizan Belgrade in the EuroLeague. He was a consistent rotation member as Dallas reached the NBA Finals during the 2023/24 season, appearing in 55 games and averaging 7.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 19.8 minutes per night.

Exum put up similar numbers this year, but he was limited to 20 games having missed the first 48 games of the season while recovering from wrist surgery and nearly a month down the stretch after breaking his hand. Injuries have been a constant for Exum, who was selected by Utah with the fifth pick in the 2014 draft, but was only fully healthy for his rookie season. He also spent time with Cleveland and Houston before leaving for Europe in 2021.

Micic isn’t officially a free agent yet, but the Suns are expected to decline their $8.1MM team option for next season before the June 29 deadline. The 31-year-old point guard made just five brief appearances after being acquired from Charlotte in early February.

Micic was named EuroLeague MVP with Anadolu Efes in 2021 and is a two-time league champion. He made his NBA debut with the Thunder last season, but was never able to establish a consistent role with any of his three teams. He has averaged 6.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 101 total NBA games.

Micic has also reportedly received interest from Real Madrid, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Crvena Zvezda and Olympiacos. A story last week indicated that he wants to be paid five million euros ($5.685MM), which is a pricey sum for a EuroLeague team.

Zalgiris, Deividas Sirvydis Nearing Extension

May 31st, 2025 at 8:06am CST by Rory Maher

Guard/forward Deividas Sirvydis, a former second-round pick (No. 37 overall in 2019) who played 22 games with the Pistons from 2020-22, is nearing a contract extension with EuroLeague club Zalgiris Kaunas, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

Zalgiris is based in Lithuania, Sirvydis’ home country.

According to Urbonas, the 24-year-old wing received “significant interest” on the market this spring after a solid season in which he averaged 8.4 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 38.8% from long distance in 34 EuroLeague appearances (16.5 minutes per game). Although his current contract runs through 2027, it features an opt-out clause, giving him an opportunity to negotiate with other teams.

Urbonas hears that Sirvydis’ new deal with Zalgiris will cover at least one season and could extend beyond the original contract’s expiration date.

International Notes: Maledon, Micic, EuroLeague, Williams-Goss, Kabengele

May 29th, 2025 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA point guard Theo Maledon, who spent the 2024/25 season with ASVEL in France, is expected to sign a three-year contract with Real Madrid, according to Alessando Maggi of Sportando. While the team has yet to officially announce anything, Maggi reports that the two sides have finalized an agreement.

The 34th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Maledon appeared in 177 regular season NBA games across four seasons from 2020-24, spending time with Oklahoma City, Charlotte, and Phoenix. He averaged 7.8 points and 2.9 assists per contest and shot just 37.2% from the field, including 31.0% on three-point tries.

With Real Madrid looking to strengthen its backcourt for the 2025/26 season, former EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micic is also said to be on the Spanish club’s radar, according to a report from Meridian Sport (hat tip to Eurohoops). The Suns hold a $8.1MM team option on Micic for next season, but he’s considered a strong candidate to return to Europe if that option is declined, which seems likely.

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

It has been an eventful week for the EuroLeague. Europe’s top basketball league has approved a plan to expand from 18 to 20 teams, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com, who reports that Valencia Basket, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Dubai Basketball are joining for the 2025/26 season, with ALBA Berlin departing for the FIBA Basketball Champions League. Meanwhile, EuroLeague reps also met with the NBA and FIBA this week in Geneva to discuss the NBA’s proposed European league, as Aris Barkas of Eurohoops details.
T.J. Shorts, Nikola Milutinov, and Tyson Ward headline the list of this summer’s top EuroLeague free agents compiled by Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. While most of the players in Askounis’ top 10 will continue playing overseas, several of them figure to draw legitimate NBA interest.
Former NBA guard Nigel Williams-Goss, the No. 4 free agent on Askounis’ list, intends to sign a three-year contract with the Lithuanian team Zalgiris Kaunas, according to Urbonas. Williams-Goss had a brief NBA run, appearing in 10 games with Utah in 2019/20, but the 30-year-old guard has been thriving in Europe, winning a EuroLeague title in 2023 with Real Madrid and spending the past two seasons with Olympiacos.
Mfiondu Kabengele, a former NBA big man, reportedly has a two-year deal in place with Dubai Basketball. That news was reported by Chema de Lucas (Twitter link) and relayed by Sportando. Kabengele, who appeared in 55 games for the Clippers, Cavaliers, and Celtics in the NBA from 2019-23, spent this past season with Venezia in Italy and earned a spot on the All-EuroCup first team after leading the league in rebounding.

Montrezl Harrell To Remain In Australia On One-Year Deal

May 28th, 2025 at 10:02am CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell will remain in Australia next season. He has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Adelaide 36ers, Olgun Uluc of ESPN reports.

Harrell averaged 20.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game during the 2024/25 season in Australia’s National Basketball League, helping to guide Adelaide to a sixth-place finish and a spot in the play-in. Harrell had offers across Europe and Asia, according to Uluc’s sources, but opted to return to the 36ers after being named to the All-NBL Second Team.

Harrell initially joined Adelaide as a short-term injury replacement but wound up signing a rest-of-the-season deal.

Harrell, 31, played eight seasons in the NBA with career averages of 12.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in 20.5 minutes per contest. He earned Sixth Man of the Year votes for four straight years from 2019-22 with the Clippers, Lakers, Wizards, and Hornets, winning the award as a Clipper in 2020 when he averaged 18.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 63 games.

The 6’7″ forward/center spent the 2022/23 season with the Sixers and re-signed with Philadelphia during the 2023 offseason, but suffered a torn ACL and medial meniscus tear shortly after finalizing that contract. That injury, which required surgery, cost him the entire ’23/24 campaign and prompted the 76ers to waive him in October 2023.

International Notes: Jokic, Bogdanovic, Valanciunas, Micic, Hayes-Davis, Biberovic

May 26th, 2025 at 9:20am CST by Arthur Hill

Serbian basketball federation president Nebojsa Covic is counting on having a full team for this year’s EuroBasket tournament, including Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, according to a BasketNews report. The Serbians have never won the gold medal in the event, but they would be among the favorites if all their stars are available.

The event will take place from August 27 to September 14, which Covic believes will give everyone plenty of time to recover from the rigors of an NBA season.

“I expect us to have a complete squad. I think that those constant questions about Jokic playing can create an unhealthy environment. We are all working on having a complete squad ready,” he said. “NBA stars like Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic now have three months of rest after the seasons they had and that were very demanding.”

Jokic was one of the stars of last year’s Summer Olympics in Paris as Serbia captured a bronze medal and narrowly missed defeating the United States in the semifinals. He has been representing his country in international competitions since 2013.

There’s more international news to pass along:

Kings center Jonas Valanciunas speculated about finishing his career in the EuroLeague as he attended the league’s Final Four in Abu Dhabi, BasketNews relays in a separate story. It won’t happen for a while, as Valanciunas has two years remaining on his current contract. “I want to play in the EuroLeague, I want it for this atmosphere,” he said in an interview with SPORT24. “I want to play basketball, I want to enjoy this atmosphere.” Valanciunas played four seasons in Lithuania before coming to the NBA in 2012.
Suns guard Vasilije Micic wants five million euros ($5.685MM) to play in Europe next season, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. Phoenix holds an $8.1MM team option on Micic for 2025/26, but that’s likely to be declined because he barely played after being acquired from Charlotte in February. Micic has received interest from Hapoel Tel Aviv and Crvena Zvezda, but Maggi states that not many European teams can meet his salary demand.
After capturing the EuroLeague title over the weekend, Fenerbahce is preparing for the possible loss of Nigel Hayes-Davis and Tarik Biberovic to the NBA, per Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. Hayes-Davis, 30, had brief stints with three NBA teams during the 2017/18 season, while Biberovic, 24, is a draft-and-stash prospect who was selected by Memphis in the second round in 2023. “There is serious interest in Tarık and Nigel from the NBA,” Fenerbahce general manager Derya Yannier said. “I don’t know what will happen over there. These are factors that could actually weaken our hand and prolong the process during the summer. Even before they leave, it’s difficult to have a clear view in terms of budget and roster planning.”

And-Ones: Fournier, Hayes-Davis, Mirotic, FA Point Guards

May 25th, 2025 at 8:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA forward Evan Fournier isn’t sure if he’ll play in EuroBasket for France this summer, he told Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops.net. Fournier has earned numerous silver and bronze medals with the French national team in international competitions over the past dozen years.

“First of all, I’m not thinking about it if I’m being honest because the (Greek League) season is not over,” he said. “Sometimes I do think about it but I never come up with a straight answer. Because the truth is I’m mentally here. Physically, I’m fighting some things. If I feel better and 100 percent and mentally I’m good, yes I’ll go to the EuroBasket. If I’m not feeling good, then I won’t.”

Here’s more from around the international basketball world:

Having led Fenerbahce to its second EuroLeague championship in team history, Nigel Hayes-Davis was named Most Valuable Player of the Final Four, according to Stroggylakis. He averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game in the tournament, including a game-high 23 points in the Final against AS Monaco. Hayes-Davis had a nine-game stint with three NBA teams during the 2017/18 season and has reportedly drawn some NBA interest in recent years.
Former NBA big man Nikola Mirotic is close to signing a two-year deal with AS Monaco, Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com reports. Mirotic currently has one year remaining on his contract with Olimpia Milano but he intends to exercise an exit clause included in that agreement. The 34-year-old logged 319 NBA games from 2014-19.
Spotrac contributor Keith Smith divides the potential NBA free agent point guards into tiers, with Kyrie Irving and James Harden — who each hold player options — rated in the All-Star tier. Fred VanVleet (team option), Josh Giddey (restricted) and Dennis Schröder (unrestricted) round out his top five.

International Notes: Thompson Twins, Micic, Brown, McCollum

May 25th, 2025 at 2:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson may represent Jamaica in FIBA competitions and possibly the Summer Olympics, according to Daniel Blake of The Jamaica Observer (Twitter link). Blake states that they have begun the process of applying for citizenship, which they’re eligible to do because their father, Troy, is from Jamaica.

Amen, a first-team All-Defensive selection, became a full-time starter for the Rockets midway through the season and gained a reputation as one of the NBA’s most versatile and athletic players. Ausar overcame a health issue that cut short his rookie year and solidified a starting spot with a Pistons team that produced one of the largest single-season improvements in NBA history.

Blake adds (via Twitter) that Jamaica is making a serious upgrade to its basketball program, with Clippers guard Norman Powell already committed to playing in pre-qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup this summer. Blake states that other targets include Suns center Nick Richards, Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart and Timberwolves forward Josh Minott.

There’s more international news to pass along:

Olympiacos in Greece is expressing interest in Suns point guard Vasilije Micic, per Kevin Martorano of Sportando. Phoenix holds an $8.1MM team option on Micic for next season, but that’s unlikely to be exercised because he only got into five games after being acquired from Charlotte at the trade deadline.
Former NBA guard Lorenzo Brown may be looking to change teams next season with T.J. Shorts expected to join Panathinaikos, writes Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Brown was disappointed with his role in his first season with the Greek powerhouse and wants to find a spot where he can play regularly. “I think I’ve proven myself in this league a bunch of times,” he said. “I just want to play, man, and finish strong. I’ll be 35 in August, but I still have a lot of game left. I can still dunk, still windmill—whatever you need me to do. I just want to play and compete. I think I was a little out of the loop this year. It was a little weird. My brothers fought for me all year. That brotherhood—that’s what matters most.”
Errick McCollum, currently with Fenerbahce in Turkey, told Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops that he received NBA offers earlier in his career, but he opted for the security of playing overseas. The 37-year-old point guard is the older brother of the Pelicans’ CJ McCollum. “I had some opportunities. But the role wasn’t right,” he said. “Sometimes it was third point guard. Not many minutes, minimum contract. It just wasn’t right in my career. For other people, it may be good. But I’m a guy who wants to play. I want to have an impact. Be out there on the court making a difference.”

T.J. Shorts To Join Panathinaikos Unless He Gets NBA Offer

May 25th, 2025 at 10:41am CST by Rory Maher

Free agent point guard T.J. Shorts, who was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team in 2024/25 as a member of Paris Basketball, is finalizing a multiyear contract with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, confirms Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

The Greek reporter Sotiris Vetakis was first to break the news (via Twitter) of Shorts landing with Panathinaikos, adding that the deal will contain an NBA out clause.

Aris Barkas of Eurohoops also hears Shorts is expected to sign with Panathinaikos, but states that the agreement is still tentative because the 27-year-old wants to leave open the possibility of signing with an NBA team. The Grizzlies reportedly have legitimate interest in Shorts, who played under head coach Tuomas Iisalo in both Germany and France.

It remains to be seen what type of contract Memphis might be willing to extend to Shorts, but it’s hard to envision it being as lucrative as Panathinaikos’ offer, Barkas observes. Still, a couple of years ago Shorts said it would be a “dream” to play in the NBA one day.

Despite his diminutive stature — he’s listed at 5’9″ and 161 lbs. — Shorts has been highly productive in Europe since he went undrafted out of UC Davis in 2019. In 33 EuroLeague contests this season with Paris (27.1 minutes per game), he averaged 18.7 points, a league-best 7.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals, with a shooting slash line of .499/.415/.732. He was recently named back-to-back MVP of France’s top basketball league.

Panathinaikos is also believed to be interested in a reunion with former NBA lottery pick Georgios Papagiannis, according to Urbonas. The Greek center, 27, has played seven years with Panathinaikos, last suiting up during the ’22/23 campaign. He has spent the past two seasons with Fenerbahce (Turkey) and AS Monaco, respectively, and is represented by the same agent as Shorts, Barkas notes.

Mario Hezonja Drawing ‘Serious’ NBA Interest

May 25th, 2025 at 9:22am CST by Rory Maher

Former No. 5 overall pick Mario Hezonja is drawing “serious interest” from NBA teams as he contemplates a move away from Spanish EuroLeague club Real Madrid, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

Although Hezonja signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid last summer, his deal contains an NBA out clause in the range of $850K, according to Urbonas’ sources, which is the standard for international players crossing the Atlantic.

According to Urbonas, “several” NBA teams are keeping a close eye on Hezonja’s situation after a solid three-year stint with Real Madrid. The 30-year-old, who played for Panathinaikos (Greece) and UNICS (Russia) from 2020-22, also put up huge numbers during EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers, averaging 30.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game, RealGM notes, though Croatia failed to qualify for the first time in the tournament’s history.

A 6’8″ forward, Hezonja never lived up to his lofty draft status as a young player in the NBA — his stints with Orlando, New York and Portland were plagued by inconsistency in multiple areas. But he did have occasional moments of brilliance, particularly on straight line drives when he could showcase his run-and-jump athleticism, and the outlines of a 3-and-D role player were certainly evident.

More importantly, Hezonja has been one of the better players in Europe over the past five years, and there’s a “real possibility” he could return to the NBA as he weighs his options this offseason, sources tell Urbonas.

While he never played for the Grizzlies, Hezonja was technically paid by Memphis during the 2020/21 season, having been waived before that campaign began.