International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

International Notes: Theis, EuroBasket, Doncic, Cancar, Nebo

August 11th, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA big man Daniel Theis signed with AS Monaco in February, spurning an offer from Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos. Theis apparently could have stayed in the NBA after being waived by the Thunder, Eurohoops.net relays.

“Before coming to Europe, I had an offer from the Knicks,” Theis told Euro Insiders. “Mitchell Robinson was coming back from injury. I spoke with (Tom) Thibodeau and he told me I would be insurance for them if Robinson couldn’t play. I thought, if I stay until the end of the season and don’t play, what chances will I have in the summer? So I said, ‘I’m going to Europe. If I play well, I’ll have better chances.’ Maybe I wouldn’t have come to Europe if (Monaco coach Vassilis) Spanoulis hadn’t called me. I didn’t just look at the money, but the school, the life, everything.”

Theis played for six different NBA teams and had grown weary of being on the move.

“Trades in the NBA are kind of like, ‘Thank you, but you have to go — we traded you to Chicago.’ Then you pass medicals, go back for two days to where you were to get your things and move. It’s tough,” he said. “After some years, you see the business side of the league. Sometimes it’s not that your team doesn’t want you, but another team wants you more. Or sometimes you’re part of a trade because your contract fits better somewhere else. It’s like Panini stickers — you take two, I take one. When you have a family, it’s not easy.”

Here’s more international news:

Alex Mumbru is the current head coach of the German national team. While Germany has plenty of NBA firepower, he told Spanish news agency EFE (hat tip to Eurohoops.net) that he considers Serbia and France the favorites in this year’s EuroBasket tournament. “We have to play well, improve every day, try to play good basketball, and the team has to have chemistry. Pressure? Everyone’s trying to create it,” he said. “I think Serbia and France are the two strongest teams. We have good players, too, and we’re going to the EuroBasket to win and compete seriously. I’m sure we’ll go there with great desire.”
Luka Doncic claimed that Vlatko Cancar and Josh Nebo were blocked from representing Slovenia by Olimpia Milano, according to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. “As far as I understand, the club didn’t allow them to come,” he said “In the end, the Lakers allowed it, Milan didn’t. I’d rather not get involved in it, but that should be the player’s decision. In my opinion. Those two are not at fault.” However, Aris Barkas of Eurohoops reports that an official statement released by Milan’s GM Christos Stavropoulos refuted Doncic’s claim. “Regarding some recent media reports, I would like to clarify on behalf of the club that the health of our players has always been and always will be our priority,” he said. “In the specific cases of Vlatko Cancar and Josh Nebo, I need to point out that both players are recovering from very serious injuries that severely limited their availability during the last season. In agreement with them, a procedure for their gradual return to action will be implemented to safeguard principally their health and long-term competitiveness.”
Barkas calls EuroBasket a can’t-miss tournament due its star power, making it superior to any other international basketball event outside of the Olympics.

Isaiah Mobley Signs With Manisa Basket

August 11th, 2025 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent forward Isaiah Mobley, the older brother of reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, has signed with Manisa Basket, the Turkish team announced today (Twitter link; hat tip to Sportando).

Mobley was the 49th overall pick in the 2022 draft and has played in the NBA in each of his first three professional seasons. However, the 6’8″ forward was unable to establish himself as a reliable rotation option stateside, having made just 23 total appearances for the Cavaliers and Sixers, with averages of 2.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.

Mobley signed a rest-of-season contract with the banged-up Sixers via a hardship exception just before the 2024/25 campaign came to an end. He logged 17 minutes in Philadelphia’s regular season finale, contributing six points, five assists, and four rebounds in a loss to Chicago.

While Mobley doesn’t have an extensive NBA résumé, he has performed well in the G League, including averaging 21.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game for the Cleveland Charge in 2022/23. He also had a big Summer League showing in 2023, earning championship game MVP honors after his 28 points and 11 boards in the final helped lead the Cavs to a Las Vegas title.

Manisa Basket will be looking to bounce back from an underwhelming season that saw the club finish tied for 12th (out of 16 teams) with an 11-19 record in Turkey’s Basketball Super League.

Cole Swider Signs With Anadolu Efes

August 11th, 2025 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

August 11: Swider has officially signed with Anadolu Efes, per an announcement from the team (Twitter link).

August 8: Free agent forward Cole Swider is close to reaching a contract agreement with the Turkish club Anadolu Efes, reports NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link).

Swider, who went undrafted out of Syracuse in 2022, has played in the NBA in each of his first three professional seasons. He spent a year apiece with the Lakers and Heat on two-way deals, then had stints with the Pistons and Raptors in 2024/25.

Swider, 26, has seen limited action in the NBA, appearing in 35 total games and averaging just 8.5 minutes per night. He played regular NBA rotation minutes for the first time in Toronto last season, averaging 7.4 point and 3.1 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game across eight outings for the Raptors.

The 6’8″ forward is known as an outside shooting threat. In 83 career G League games, he has knocked down an impressive 44.6% of his three-point attempts, having never made fewer than 42.9% in a single season. Swider showed off his three-point shot last month as a member of the Lakers’ Summer League team, converting 43.1% of his attempts in eight games at the California Classic and Las Vegas leagues.

Assuming Swider finalizes a deal with Anadolu Efes, he’ll be joining a club that features several former NBA players, including guards Shane Larkin and Rodrigue Beaubois, wing PJ Dozier, and big man Georgios Papagiannis. The Turkish club will also be coached in 2025/26 by Igor Kokoskov, a longtime NBA assistant who spent one year as the head coach in Phoenix in ’18/19.

Anadolu Efes went 20-14 in EuroLeague play this past season and posted a 19-7 record in Turkey’s Basketball Super League, but was eliminated by Panathinaikos in the EuroLeague playoffs and by Besiktas in the BSL semifinals.

International Notes: Giannis, Jokic, Doncic, Osman

August 10th, 2025 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Giannis Antetokounmpo will represent Greece when EuroBasket begins later this month, but he hasn’t been active for any of the team’s preparation games, writes Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. The Bucks star will miss his third straight contest today as his team faces Israel.

Antetokounmpo is training on his own in Athens, and Greek national team coach Vassilis Spanoulis isn’t sure if he’ll join the squad for the next game against Montenegro, which is set for Thursday in Thessaloniki.

“We don’t know yet if he will play in Thessaloniki,” Spanoulis told Greek national television. “Giannis will be on the court when he should be.”

While it’s not unusual for a player of Antetokounmpo’s status to get star treatment, his absence has caused some consternation among Greece’s opponents. Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic expressed disappointment that Antetokounmpo didn’t take part in Saturday’s contest, Barkis adds in a separate story.

“I’m sorry that Giannis is not here; that’s why we scheduled this tournament,” Pesic said. “We have a good relationship with the Greeks; they always respond to us.”

There’s more international news to pass along:

While Antetokounmpo missed a potential battle of perennial MVP candidates, Serbia’s Nikola Jokic dominated with 23 points, 19 rebounds and four assists in a 76-66 victory, according to Eurohoops. The Nuggets star controlled the paint area as Serbia pulled away from Greece in the second quarter.
Slovenian teammates have noticed a change in Luka Doncic that goes beyond his slimmed-down appearance, per Martin Pavncik of Sport Klub. Playing in his first international tournament since joining the Lakers, Doncic has become more of a vocal leader than he was in the past. “Already at the first training session, I noticed that he talks significantly more than in previous years,” longtime teammate Klemno Prepelić said. “I believe this is a challenge that awaits him at the club as he takes on the role of the first face of the franchise. His word carries a lot of weight just because of his exceptional basketball knowledge and incredible feeling. At the same time, he does it with great enthusiasm and a desire to make every individual in training better.”
Former NBA player Cedi Osman, who’s part of Turkey’s EuroBasket roster, enjoys playing in Europe because it allows him to participate in more international competitions, BasketNews relays. “The difference between the NBA and Europe is that here, I can also take part in the FIBA windows,” Osman said. “That’s very important. When I was in the NBA, there were long breaks in between. But now, every two or three months, I get the chance to come to Turkey and play for the national team. I think this helps both me and the team a lot. The same goes for other players returning from the NBA — their involvement during the windows builds continuity and chemistry.”

Kai Jones Close To Signing With Virtus Bologna

August 10th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Kai Jones is nearing a deal with Virtus Bologna, sources tell Alessandro Maggi of Sportando (Twitter link).

The 24-year-old center signed with the Clippers at the end of the 2023/24 season, then landed a two-way contract in last year’s training camp. After being waived at the start of March, he finished the season on a two-way deal with the Mavericks.

Jones saw limited action in 28 games with L.A., but he had a much larger role once he joined the shorthanded Dallas team. He appeared in 12 games, making six starts and averaging 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.7 minutes per night while shooting 83.6% from the field.

The Mavericks showed interest in bringing Jones back, but they’ll have a full roster with the expected re-signing of Dante Exum. It appears Jones – who is no longer eligible for a two-way contract – is opting for guaranteed money overseas instead of waiting for another NBA opportunity.

Selected with the 19th pick in the 2021 draft, Jones was a highly touted prospect after two years at Texas. He was waived after two disappointing seasons with Charlotte and had to work his way back through the G League.

Virtus Bologna’s roster already includes former NBA players Carsen Edwards, Luca Vildoza and Alen Smailagic. A report on Saturday indicated that the Italian team also had interest in Kenneth Faried.

Calf Injury Will Prevent Jeremy Sochan From Playing In EuroBasket

August 10th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan will miss the EuroBasket tournament due to a calf injury, the Polish Basketball Federation announced.

Sochan felt pain in his calf following a workout earlier this week and alerted the Polish team’s medical staff. A meeting was held Saturday that included representatives of the Spurs, along with Sochan’s agent and family, and it was determined that the best course of action would be for him to return to San Antonio for treatment and rehabilitation.

The injury isn’t expected to affect Sochan’s availability when NBA training camps open late next month.

“We did the necessary tests for Jeremy. The injury is not serious, but there are less than three weeks left until EuroBasket,” said Lukasz Koszarek, director of the Polish national team. “This is very little time. Jeremy is a very important part of our team, he has great contact with all the players and staff and we are very sorry that his adventure with the national team ends so quickly this summer.”

Sochan, whose mother is Polish, has represented the country in international competitions since the junior level. He made his debut for the Polish senior team at EuroBasket in 2022.

Selected with the ninth pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Sochan has been a versatile player for the Spurs during his three years in the NBA. He averaged 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 54 games last season and is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.

Spurs general manager Brian Wright commended Polish officials for their handling of the injury, and Sochan expressed regret at having to miss the tournament.

“I am very disappointed, but due to a calf muscle injury, unfortunately, I will not be able to play for Polish at this year’s EuroBasket,” he said. “I’ve been working hard for this over the last few months, and the time I trained and played with the national team was amazing. It’s a special group and I really enjoyed being a part of this team. Fortunately, the doctors predict that I will be fully healthy by the time the start of the preparation camp before the upcoming NBA season. I want to thank my teammates, coaches and the whole staff, especially the fans in Poland, for their support. I appreciate it very much and know that although I will not be able to be with you, I will support Poland with all my heart.”

International Notes: Chiozza, Cacok, Faried, McCaw

August 9th, 2025 at 4:17pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent point guard Chris Chiozza has signed with Karşıyaka Basket for the 2025/26 season, the Turkish team announced (Instagram link; hat tip to Sportando).

After going undrafted out of Florida in 2018, Chiozza spent his first four professional seasons bouncing between the NBA and the G League, mostly on two-way contracts. He appeared in 91 regular season contests with the Rockets, Wizards, Nets and Warriors, last suiting up for Golden State during the ’21/22 campaign.

The 29-year-old has spent the past three seasons overseas in Spain and Turkey. He played for Manisa Basket last season, which — like Karşıyaka — competes in Turkey’s Basketball Super League.

Here are a few more international notes:

Ex-NBA big man Devontae Cacok has officially signed a one-year deal with Spanish club UCAM Murcia, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Cacok played parts of three NBA seasons with the Lakers and Spurs from 2019-22. He played in Russia during the ’22/23 season and spent the past two seasons with Virtus Bologna. The Italian team released Cacok in November due to a knee injury, but evidently he is fully recovered now.
Speaking of Virtus Bologna, the EuroLeague club is reportedly interested in Kenneth Faried, according to Carchia, who cites a report from La Prealpina. The 6’8″ power forward averaged 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds over eight NBA seasons but has been out of the league since ’18/19. Faried, 35, has played in the NBAGL, China, Russia, Italy and Puerto Rico over the past several years.
Pallacanestro Cantù, which was promoted to Italy’s top domestic league (Serie A) in June following a four-year hiatus, has expressed interest in Patrick McCaw, according to Italian outlet La Provincia (hat tip to Carchia). The former second-round pick won three titles with the Warriors and Raptors during his five years in the NBA, last suiting up for Toronto in ’20/21. Known for his defense, McCaw has spent most of the past four years in the G League with the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s affiliate.

Partizan Belgrade Reportedly Eyeing Mo Bamba

August 9th, 2025 at 2:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Partizan Belgrade has made a contract offer to Mo Bamba and is considered the frontrunner to sign the former lottery pick if he decides to play in Europe for the first time in his career, according to Vasiliki Karamouza of Sport24.gr (hat tip to Sportando).

The sixth overall pick in 2018, Bamba spent the first half of 2024/25 with the Clippers before being traded to — and waived by — the Jazz in early February. He later signed a 10-day deal with New Orleans in March.

A report last month indicated that Olympiacos (Greece) was interested in Bamba, but he has not been linked to any NBA teams this offseason.

Bamba, 27, holds seven years of NBA experience, mostly with Orlando. He averaged 4.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 block in 32 appearances last season with the Clippers and Pelicans (13.2 minutes per game).

KK Partizan, which competes in the EuroLeague and the ABA League, is coming off an ABA League title this spring but went just 16-18 in EuroLeague play. The Serbian club’s roster features no shortage of former NBA players, including Shake Milton, Jabari Parker, Sterling Brown, Isaac Bonga and Aleksej Pokusevski, among others.

Another former lottery pick, Frank Ntilikina, played for Partizan last season but was reportedly nearing a departure this offseason. However, Karamouza’s sources say that the French guard will stay in Belgrade after agreeing to a pay cut.

Richaun Holmes Signs Two-Year Contract With Panathinaikos

August 9th, 2025 at 11:29am CST by Rory Maher

As expected, free agent center Richaun Holmes has officially signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos, the 2024 EuroLeague champions announced today (Instagram link).

According to the Greek club, Holmes’ deal features an option in year two, meaning he could become a free agent again in 2026. He will reportedly be one of the highest-paid players in Europe.

Holmes arrived in Athens on Friday night and was thrilled to be greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of Panathinaikos supporters, writes Apostolos Mavrakis of Sportal.gr (hat tip to Sportando).

“I came here to win. I’m where I want to be, ready to play and to fight for victories,” Holmes said. “This is incredible — I can’t put it into words. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life … the love was instant. I can’t wait to get on the court and give it back.”

When asked what convinced him to sign with Panathinaikos, the 31-year-old big man said it felt good to be wanted.

“I think just how they came, how they pursued me, they wanted me,” Holmes said. “They sold me on the idea of the importance that they needed me here, they wanted me here, and that was everything to me. I just wanted to be pursued, wanted to be wanted.

“I came here to do some great things. This is a powerhouse club and I’m looking to add to that and be a part of it. I’m just glad to be a part of this legacy, honestly.”

Holmes was the 37th overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Bowling Green and has spent the past decade in the NBA, suiting up for five different teams during that time. He had his best years in Sacramento, where he was the Kings’ full-time starting center and put up 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game across 61 outings in 2020/21.

After becoming an unrestricted free agent, Holmes drew interest from a handful of EuroLeague clubs, including Fenerbahce in Turkey. A report last weekend stated he was mulling an offer from Panathinaikos while waiting to see if he’d be offered a guaranteed NBA contract — evidently he didn’t find an NBA deal to his liking.

Holmes will be looking to help lead Panathinaikos to a title or two in 2025/26 after the club fell just short this past season. The Greens went 22-0 during Greece’s regular season before losing to Olympiacos in the final. In the EuroLeague, Panathinaikos finished third with a 22-12 record but was defeated by Fenerbahce – the eventual champions – in the semifinals.

Holmes will be Panathinaikos’ final offseason signing, according to owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos (story via Aris Barkas of Eurohoops).

Chimezie Metu Nearing Deal With Monaco

August 8th, 2025 at 8:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Free agent forward/center Chimezie Metu is close to agreeing to a deal to join AS Monaco, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

Because Metu ruptured his Achilles tendon in March and is hoping to return to play sometime around January, the deal is contingent on the 28-year-old passing medical examinations, Urbonas writes, which will likely occur sometime next week.

Metu played six seasons in the NBA, including three with the Kings. He averaged 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game over the course of 260 regular season appearances from 2018-24 before spending last season with Barcelona. He put up 11.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game while making 36.4% of his three-pointers during 24 EuroLeague outings.

Should the athletic big man sign with Monaco, he would join a roster loaded with former NBA talent, including Daniel Theis, Nikola Mirotic, Donatas Motiejunas, Mike James, Elie Okobo, Jaron Blossomgame, and Nick Calathes. Monaco made it to the EuroLeague Finals last season, losing to Fenerbahce, 81-70.

As Urbonas notes, Metu was in advanced talks with Fenerbahce earlier this summer before a potential agreement fell through. It’s unclear whether or not his Achilles recovery process was the reason that deal didn’t get finalized.