Brandon Boston Signs With Fenerbahce
August 4: Boston’s deal with Fenerbahce is now official, the team announced in a press release.
August 3: Free agent wing Brandon Boston Jr. is putting the finishing touches on a new deal with Fenerbahce, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. According to Urbonas, Boston is close to signing a contract with the Turkish club.
Boston had previously been linked to Greek team Panathinaikos, who – like Fenerbahce – have been actively striving to recruit more NBA-caliber talent this summer.
Since being selected with the No. 51 overall pick out of Kentucky in 2021, Boston has split his four seasons in the NBA between the Clippers and, last year, the Pelicans.
The 6’7″ swingman enjoyed his biggest role yet during the 2024/25 season, albeit on a tanking team in New Orleans. Across 42 contests (10 starts), he averaged 10.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.2 APG and 1.3 SPG, while slashing .436/.350/.788.
Boston began last season on a two-way contract before being promoted to the standard roster in February. Now that he has four years of NBA experience, the 23-year-old is no longer eligible to sign a two-way deal.
If the 23-year-old finalizes a deal with Fenerbahce, he’ll continue his career with the reigning EuroLeague champions, competing overseas for the first time. Fenerbahce’s 2025/26 roster also includes a handful of other NBA alums, including center Khem Birch and guard Wade Baldwin IV.
Maccabi Tel Aviv Announces Signing Of Lonnie Walker IV
Lonnie Walker IV, who finished last season with the Sixers, has officially joined Maccabi Tel Aviv. The Israeli club issued a statement on Monday announcing the three-year deal.
“We are extremely proud to welcome Lonnie Walker IV to our family,” general manager Claudio Coldebella said. “Bringing a talent of this caliber to Tel Aviv, a player that was drafted and tested in the NBA, is a strong and clear signal of our ambition to compete at the highest levels and excite our fans. Lonnie’s arrival is not an isolated move but the perfect fit of another valuable piece in the mosaic we are composing with vision and strategy.
“We are building a team with a clear identity, founded on talent, character, and ambition. The resilience he has demonstrated throughout his career fits perfectly with the work ethic and determination that are the pillars of the yellow-and-blue organization. His work ethic is the guarantee of an athlete who is never satisfied but who strives in every way to achieve his goals. Improve personally and help the entire group grow.”
Walker’s agreement with Maccabi Tel Aviv was first reported nearly two weeks ago. His contract reportedly has a total value of around $10MM and includes NBA exit clauses for 2026 and 2027 until July 15 of each year.
Walker spent part of last season in the EuroLeague with Zalgiris Kaunas after Boston waived him in October. He reportedly received a two-year offer from Hapoel Tel Aviv and drew interest from Real Madrid as well.
The 26-year-old shooting guard had a productive stretch after signing with Philadelphia in February. In 20 games, he averaged a career-high 12.4 points, along with 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists, while shooting 42% from the field and 35.4% from three-point range.
He became a free agent when the Sixers declined his $2.9MM option in late June.
“Lonnie is a great player with exceptional talent,” Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Oded Kattash said. “The experience he gained in the NBA and his familiarity with Europe and the EuroLeague will help us a lot. He is a competitive player with a big hunger for success. I am sure he will quickly connect to our DNA and lead us to success.”
International Notes: Napier, Markkanen, Williams, Birch
After winning a championship and being named 2025 Finals MVP of the German Bundesliga for Bayern Munich, Shabazz Napier is hitting free agency, writes Dario Skerletic of Sportando.
The 34-year-old point guard averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 41.1% on three-pointers during EuroLeague play.
Napier was the 24th pick in the 2014 draft and averaged 7.1 points and 2.5 assists during his six-year NBA career. He split time between the G League and EuroLeague throughout the 2022/23 season, playing 10 games for the Mexico City Capitanes and averaging 22.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 47.1% from three before joining Olimpia Milano, where he averaged 15.0 points and 3.9 assists and knocked down 45.6% of his threes.
Since then, he has bounced between Olimpia Milano and Crvena Zvezda before heading to Bayern this past season.
We have more from the world of international hoops:
- Lauri Markkanen will lead Team Finland in EuroBasket as the lone NBA player on the roster, as the team at Eurohoops.net notes. He’s not the only NBA personnel, though, as Jazz assistant Sean Sheldon will serve as an assistant coach. The Finnish team will play Sweden, Great Britain, Montenegro, Lithuania, and Germany in the group stage, which starts on August 27.
- Johnathan Williams III has signed a one-year deal with the London Lions, reports Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Williams spent two seasons in the NBA, from 2018-2020, splitting time between the Lakers and Wizards. He spent the previous three years in the Japanese league, playing last year for the Chiba Jets, for whom he averaged 11.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 17 games.
- In case you missed it, Khem Birch has finalized his contract extension with Fenerbahce. The new deal is for one year as the Turkish powerhouse looks to defend its title. The 32-year-old center was named Finals MVP of the Basketball Super League playoffs last season.
Jack McVeigh Hopes To Continue NBA Journey
Unrestricted free agent Jack McVeigh is actively pursuing options that will keep him in the NBA, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (via Twitter).
McVeigh, who spent last season on a two-way contract with the Rockets, played nine games at the NBA level, as well as 34 games with Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He averaged 16.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest in the NBAGL while making 37% of his three-point attempts.
Last year was the first NBA experience for the 29-year-old, 6’8″ forward from Australia, who had played the previous six years with the Adelaide 36ers and Tasmania JackJumpers before coming stateside.
He played four games with the Rockets’ Summer League team this offseason, averaging 14.0 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 45.5% from three in 22.8 minutes per game.
Uluc adds that McVeigh is seriously considering offers to play in Europe as well and that he has received offers from multiple high-level EuroLeague teams.
Uluc also notes (via Twitter) that McVeigh has a strong set of options back in the NBL. The JackJumpers recently relinquished their rights of first refusal, which would allow him to sign with another Australian team if he decides to return home. The Cairns Taipans and Illawara Hawks are expected to be the top two suitors should McVeigh head back to the NBL.
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).
Khem Birch Signs One-Year Extension With Fenerbahce
August 3: Birch’s one-year extension with Fenerbahce — which covers the 2025/26 season — is now official, according to a team press release.
August 1: Veteran center Khem Birch is nearing a contract extension with EuroLeague champions Fenerbahce Istanbul, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Urbonas indicates that the deal would at least lock up Birch for next season, though it’s unclear if it would extend beyond that.
Birch was named the Turkish League Finals MVP this season after averaging 11.2 points and 5,2 rebounds per game during the Finals. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per night throughout EuroLeague play. BasketNews named him one of the best defenders in the EuroLeague.
After starting his career with Olympiacos in the Greek league, Birch played six seasons in the NBA, splitting his time between the Magic and the Raptors. He then returned overseas and has been playing in Europe since the 2023/24 season.
The Fenerbahce roster is loaded with players who have spent time in the NBA, including Nicolo Melli, Onuralp Bitim, Bonzie Colson, Devon Hall, and Wade Baldwin IV. The Turkish team will look to defend its domestic and EuroLeague titles this coming season.
Isaiah Wong Signs With Gran Canaria
Former NBA guard Isaiah Wong has left Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania and signed with Gran Canaria in Spain, the club formally announced in a press release.
The 55th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Wong spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with Indiana, then was on a two-way deal with Charlotte for over two months in 2024/25.
The 6’3″ guard only appeared in one game as a Pacer, but averaged 6.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 13.3 minutes per game across 20 appearances for the Hornets last season. He made 39.4% of his three-point attempts, though he shot just 38.9% on two-pointers.
Wong played well last season at the G League level, averaging 20.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 3.8 APG with a .454/.388/.804 shooting line in 14 total outings for the Salt Lake City Stars and Greensboro Swarm. However, after being waived by Charlotte in February, the former Miami Hurricanes standout finished the season with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague.
Wong will be joining a Gran Canaria squad that finished 19-15 in Liga ACB play last season. The team placed seventh in the standings and was eliminated in the first round of the postseason by Valencia Basket.
Javon Freeman-Liberty Signs With Brisbane Bullets
Javon Freeman-Liberty has joined the Brisbane Bullets in Australia’s National Basketball League, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (via Twitter). He will head overseas on a one-year deal.
Freeman-Liberty played 22 games for the Raptors in the 2023/24 season, averaging 7.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per night. The 25-year-old spent last year with the Windy City Bulls G League team, for whom he averaged 19.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 35.6% on 7.9 three-point attempts per game.
A 6’4″ guard, Freeman-Liberty is coming off a strong Summer League with the Bulls that saw him average 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in five contests.
The Bullets came in eighth in the NBL last season out of 10 teams and are hoping that the addition of Freeman-Liberty can help boost them up the standings.
“To add a talent of Javon’s caliber to our roster at this stage is really exciting,” said head coach Stu Lash, according to the NBL website. “He’s a hungry player who’s ready to take the next step in his development as a professional. His toughness, ferocity, and willingness to compete make him a natural fit for what we value at the Brisbane Bullets.”
Skylar Mays Signs With KK Buducnost
Skylar Mays has signed with the Montenegrin team KK Buducnost, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando. The team officially announced the deal in a press release.
Mays played four seasons in the NBA, with the majority of his time coming with the Hawks. He last played in the NBA in 2023/24, suiting up for 21 games with the Trail Blazers and 17 with the Lakers. Across 105 career appearances, he holds career averages of 4.3 points and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 34.5% from three and 85.9% from the free throw line.
Mays played 19 games with the Iowa Wolves G League team last season, averaging 12.5 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 39% from three. He also spent time with EuroLeague champion Fenerbahce last year, averaging 3.7 PPG in 10.1 MPG during league play.
Mays will join a Buducnost roster that boasts former NBA players Juwan Morgan and Yogi Ferrell.
Precious Achiuwa Reportedly Drawing Interest From Panathinaikos
Having failed to land Jonas Valanciunas last month, the Greek club Panathinaikos remains on the lookout for frontcourt help and reportedly has NBA free agent big man Precious Achiuwa on its radar.
Kevin Martorano of Sportando shares the details, citing a report from Vasilis Papatheodorou of SDNA, who says Achiuwa is on Panathinaikos’ short list of potential targets.
Achiuwa, who will turn 26 in September, has spent the past season-and-a-half with the Knicks after being traded from Toronto to New York along with OG Anunoby in December 2023. In 57 games in 2024/25, he averaged 6.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 20.5 minutes per contest, with a .502/.278/.594 shooting line.
Achiuwa is a bit undersized for a center and isn’t a threat as an outside shooter, but he’s an athletic, high-energy player who rebounds well and is a versatile, switchable defender. Still, he remains unsigned a month into free agency and a reunion with the Knicks appears off the table after New York signed Guerschon Yabusele to take his spot on the depth chart.
There’s no indication yet that there’s serious mutual interest between Achiuwa and Panathinaikos, but this is the first real rumor we’ve heard about him in several weeks, so it’s worth keeping an eye on.