International Notes: Dowtin, A. Traore, S. Johnson, Vucevic
After spending the 2024/25 season on a two-way contract with the 76ers, free agent guard Jeff Dowtin is drawing interest from a handful of teams in Europe, Dario Skerletic of Sportando writes, citing a report from Tomer Givati of Israel Hayom.
According to Givati, Dowtin is engaged in talks with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Partizan Belgrade, and Fenerbahce, with Maccabi believed to be the favorite to sign him at this point.
Dowtin, 28, has four years of NBA experience, having appeared in games for five separate teams since entering the league in 2021. The 2024/25 season was his best, as he posted averaged of 7.0 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game across 41 outings, with a solid shooting line of .487/.400/.733.
Dowtin is no longer eligible for a two-way deal, so there may not be a clear path to an NBA roster spot this fall, making a move overseas a more appealing option.
Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:
- Former Lakers two-way player Armel Traore has signed a two-year contract with ASVEL, the French club announced today (via Twitter). The 6’9″ forward caught on with the Lakers after going undrafted in 2024 and appeared in eight games for the NBA club last season before being waived in February.
- Veteran forward Stanley Johnson, the eighth overall pick in the 2015 draft, will continue his career in Japan, having signed with Nagasaki Velca for the 2025/26 season, according to an announcement from the club (hat tip to Sportando). Johnson, 29, appeared in 449 regular season games for five NBA teams from 2015-23, but has spent the past two seasons in the G League and with Anadolu Efes in Turkey.
- A handful of EuroLeague teams are keeping an eye on Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, per a report from SportKlub, relayed by Sportando. Jake Fischer recently speculated in a Bleacher Report stream that a mid-season buyout may be a more likely outcome for Vucevic than a trade. However, the 34-year-old remains extremely productive – he averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game with a .530/.402/.805 shooting line last season – and there has been absolutely no indication a buyout will materialize anytime soon. Even in the event of a buyout, Vucevic would presumably have no shortage of NBA offers.
And-Ones: Spagnolo, Storylines, Offseason Grades, Givony
Matteo Spagnolo, whose NBA rights are held by the Timberwolves, will continue his EuroLeague career in Spain, having signed a three-year deal with Baskonia, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.
Minnesota selected Spagnolo with the 50th overall pick of the 2022 draft. The point guard’s contract with Baskonia includes NBA exit clauses, per Urbonas.
Spagnolo is coming off a second EuroLeague season with ALBA Berlin, for whom he averaged 9.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 21.0 minutes per game. He played for the Timberwolves’ Summer League team the year he was drafted but hasn’t since participated in any NBA contest.
Here’s more from around the international basketball world:
- What are the big storylines still hovering over the NBA this offseason? ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks examine that topic, citing Jonathan Kuminga‘s restricted free agency, Luka Doncic‘s extension talks and Russell Westbrook‘s free agency among the issues that have yet to be resolved.
- The Hawks, Nuggets, Rockets get the highest marks from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton for their offseason moves. Pelton hands out grades for every team in the league, with the Pelicans receiving an F for their transactions.
- Draft expert Jonathan Givony has left ESPN after an eight-year stint with the network, he announced on his Twitter page. ESPN offered him an extension but Givony declined, stating “we were unable to find alignment on my value to the company.” He will continue to analyze the draft as well as college, high school, and international basketball for the company he founded, DraftExpress.
Bucks Second-Rounder Markovic To Remain In Serbia
Bucks second-round pick Bogoljub Markovic will play overseas next season, making him a draft-and-stash prospect. Mega Superbet, the team that Markovic played for last season, announced via a team press release that he would soon rejoin the club as it preps for the 2025/26 season.
The 6’11” power forward was chosen with the No. 47 overall pick. Only one player taken ahead of him in the draft, the Celtics’ Amari Williams (No. 46), remains unsigned by their NBA team.
The Bucks didn’t have any room on their roster for the second-round selection — they have 15 players under standard contracts and all three two-way spots are filled.
Playing for the club also known KK Mega Basket, Markovic averaged 13.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 29.2 minutes while appearing in 32 games last season. Markovic also appeared in five Summer League games with Milwaukee and hit double digits in points twice — a 14-point outing against the Clippers and a 12-point performance against the Heat.
The Serbian big man, just 20 years old, will now look to continue to expand his game in his home country.
Nikola Jokic Headlines Serbia’s Preliminary EuroBasket Roster
As expected, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is among the 17 players listed on Serbia’s preliminary roster for this year’s EuroBasket tournament, the Basketball Federation of Serbia announced in a press release (hat tip to BasketNews.com).
Jokic is one of a handful of NBA players on the Serbian roster, along with Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, Thunder guard Nikola Topic, Heat forward Nikola Jovic, and Wizards center Tristan Vukcevic.
There are also several other players in the group who have previous NBA experience, such as Vasilije Micic, Marko Guduric, Filip Petrusev, and Alen Smailagic.
The Serbian national team is convening on Monday to begin training for EuroBasket and will play a series of exhibition games in August leading up to the event, which tips off on August 27.
The Serbians will face Estonia, Portugal, Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Turkey in the EuroBasket’s group phase. The field is made up of four groups of six teams apiece, with 16 of the 24 total clubs advancing to the knockout round of the tournament.
It will be the second straight summer in which Jokic has represented Serbia in an international competition — he led the team to a bronze medal finish at the Olympics in Paris in 2024. However, the Serbians were eliminated in the round of 16 by Italy in the most recent EuroBasket tournament in 2022, despite 32 point and 13 rebounds from Jokic in that game.
And-Ones: Freeman, Cancar, Yurtseven, Ball
After playing 22 games as a rookie for a Pacers team that went to Game 7 in the NBA Finals, Enrique Freeman now finds himself navigating unrestricted free agency for the first time. He’s excited about what will come next, writes Spencer Davies of RG.
Freeman averaged 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds while playing 7.2 minutes per night in 2024/25 after being selected with the 50th pick in last year’s draft. He received more playing time than may have been expected following the Achilles injury to Isaiah Jackson.
Freeman went on to have a productive Summer League this year for the Pacers, averaging 16.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 72.5% from the field and 55.6% from three on limited attempts. However, with their three two-way slots filled, the Pacers withdrew their two-way qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent earlier this month.
“I think I put myself in a good position to where I’ll be somewhere soon to get a job and continue my career,” Freeman said. “My biggest goal is to get a contract and be a steady NBA player.”
We have more from around the world of hoops:
- Vlatko Cancar will not be suiting up for the Slovenian national team at the 2025 EuroBasket tournament, reports the Eurohoops team. Despite being a consistent presence on the squad since 2016, Cancar is opting to skip the tournament to focus on the upcoming season with Olimpia Milano, including a program designed to help him be fully healthy and ready to contribute following arthroscopic surgery on his knee in January.
- Panathinaikos has decided to retain center Omer Yurtseven, writes Kevin Martorano of Sportando. Martorano cites original reporting by SDNA, which details that the Greek club had until July 30 to decide on an opt-out clause in Yurtseven’s deal. With the team reportedly nearing a deal with Thomas Bryant, Yurtseven is expected to be the third center on the roster.
- Jackson Ball has commited to the Illawarra Hawks, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (via Twitter). Ball, a 17-year-old, 6’5″ wing, is considered to be New Zealand’s top draft prospect. He has committed to the University of Wisconsin in 2026/27 with an eye towards the 2027 draft.
Richaun Holmes Considering Fenerbahce Offer
Richaun Holmes is considering a move overseas, writes Kevin Martorano of Sportando. Mortando cites an original report by TeleSport, which states that Holmes has been in conversations with Fenerbahce, the reigning EuroLeague champion, about a contract that would pay him approximately $2.7MM per year.
Holmes, according to the report, has yet to agree to the deal, as he is waiting to see if an NBA offer materializes as the remaining bigger names in free agency go off the board. If he doesn’t get an offer from an NBA team that appeals to him, he is expected to join the Turkish powerhouse.
Holmes has played 10 years in the NBA, most recently for the Wizards, with whom he averaged 7.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 17.2 minutes per night across 31 outings last saeson. He came into the league in 2015 as part of the “Process” Sixers and saw his most success as the part-time starter for the Kings from 2019-2022, averaging 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game over three seasons.
Fenerbahce has reportedly prioritized adding a defensive center to its roster heading into next season.
Heat Notes: Star Duo, Jovic, Larsson, Fontecchio
If this season goes poorly, it could lead to an internal examination of the Heat‘s longest-tenured pairing, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
In an offseason mailbag, Winderman says the entire organization, including head coach Erik Spoelstra, understands that the team’s performance during the last two years – including back-to-back No. 8 seeds and pair of first-round playoff exits – is not to the franchise’s lofty standards.
Jimmy Butler‘s impact on those outcomes can’t be overlooked, but Winderman also suggests that the coming season could be “make-or-break” for theTyler Herro/Bam Adebayo duo.
Herro had a career year last season, averaging personal highs in points (23.9) and assists (5.5) per game while making his first All-Star team, but that coincided with Adebayo posting his lowest scoring year since the 2019/20 season. Most importantly, it didn’t lead the team to wins — Miami had a 37-45 regular season record, its worst mark in a decade.
Winderman notes in his mailbag that the trade for Norman Powell was a win-now move designed to bring in more reliable offense, and that there will be expectations for the team to show signs of growth in the first full season of the post-Butler era.
We have more from the Heat:
- Nikola Jovic understands the Heat are taking a risk by allowing him to represent Serbia in this year’s EuroBasket tournament and is grateful for both the opportunity and the precedent set by former Miami guard Goran Dragic, writes Winderman. “You’re letting someone play for their country, paying them a lot of money, and they’re important to you,” Jovic said. “An injury would definitely be a setback for them. But, by chance, and to my great fortune, I’m part of the Miami team that had Goran Dragic.” The Heat expressed that Dragic always came back from international tournaments a better player, a pronouncement which gives Jovic confidence in himself and his development. The fourth-year forward is expected to play a large role with the Serbian team, which won the bronze medal at the 2023 World Cup, and he hopes that will help him solidify a more consistent role with the Heat. “This way, I enter the new NBA season already in game rhythm. I just keep going,” he said.
- Also set to participate in EuroBasket is Heat shooting guard Pelle Larsson, who will represent Sweden not long after playing for Miami in Summer League. Winderman isn’t worried about the workload for Larsson, especially since the team let him out of his summer duties four days early to join the Swedes. Rather than being nervous about the grind of going from Summer League to EuroBasket to training camp, the Heat are excited to see what the 24-year-old can do as a leading man in the games, Winderman writes.
- Simone Fontecchio has arrived in Folgaria, in northern Italy, to join the Italian EuroBasket squad, writes Michele Nespoli of Sportando. However, he will be unable to start training with them until Wednesday, July 30, as stipulated by the NBA’s regulations in regards to FIBA competition. Fontecchio has chosen to report to the team early to be in closer communication with them, as he did in 2023.
Thomas Bryant Reportedly Nearing Deal With Panathinaikos
Free agent Pacers reserve center Thomas Bryant is nearing a new deal to leave the NBA and sign with the Greek club Panathinaikos, per a report from TeleSport (Twitter link; hat tip to Kevin Martorano of Sportando).
The 6’10” Indiana alum was traded from the Heat to the Pacers last season after a pair of Indiana big men, James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson, both went down early with Achilles tears. Across 56 healthy games with the Pacers, Bryant averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.5 blocks, and 0.5 steals in 15.1 minutes per night.
Bryant was employed spottily in head coach Rick Carlisle‘s rotation throughout Indiana’s run to the NBA Finals. In 20 games, he averaged 2.6 PPG and 1.4 RPG with a shooting line of .485/.500/.786 in 8.4 MPG.
The 27-year-old big man has suited up for five teams across his eight NBA seasons. If he ends up finalizing a deal with Panathinaikos – or another European club – it would be the first time he has played professionally overseas.
Panathinaikos has been hoping to bring in an NBA-caliber center throughout the summer, as Martorano observes. Talks fell apart with center Jonas Valanciunas when it became apparent that Denver didn’t want to release its newly acquired backup big man.
Partizan Belgrade May Be Frontrunner To Sign Charles Bassey
Former Spurs center Charles Bassey is negotiating with several European teams, but he appears to be leaning toward KK Partizan, according to Eurohoops. Agent Mark McNeil confirmed negotiations with the Belgrade club in an interview with Meridian Sport.
“Charles is honored by the interest shown by Basketball Club Partizan,” McNeil said. “He is definitely considering the offer and will continue discussions with the club and his representative. Other European clubs have also contacted him, but Partizan has been his priority.”
Bassey was a standout with the Celtics during Summer League play, leading to speculation that he might get at least a training camp offer. However, it appears he’s leaning toward taking the safer route of guaranteed money in Europe rather than waiting for an opportunity with Boston. He averaged 15.3 points and 11.0 rebounds in Las Vegas while shooting 70.4% from the field, but he had to leave after three games due to a prior commitment.
Bassey was selected by Philadelphia with the 53rd pick in the 2021 draft. He was waived after one season and signed with San Antonio, where he played for the past three years. He appeared in 36 games last season, averaging 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per night.
The 24-year-old big man was born in Lagos, Nigeria, but he has never played overseas as a professional before. He spent three seasons at Western Kentucky before being drafted into the NBA.
Partizan, which signed Shake Milton earlier this week, continues to build up an impressive collection of former NBA talent. Its roster also includes Jabari Parker, Sterling Brown, Isaac Bonga, Aleksej Pokusevski, Frank Ntilikina, Duane Washington, and Carlik Jones.
Evan Fournier Signs Three-Year Extension With Olympiacos
Former NBA guard Evan Fournier has agreed to a three-year extension with Olympiacos, the team announced (via Twitter).
Fournier, 32, first signed with the Greek power last September. His contract was set to expire next summer, so the extension will keep him with the team through the 2028/29 season.
Fournier had a strong showing in his return to Europe after spending 12 seasons in the NBA. He earned second-team All-EuroLeague honors after averaging 16.1 points and 2.8 assists per game and leading Olympiacos into the Final Four. In the Greek League, he averaged 9.4 PPG and 2.3 APG and helped his team defeat Panathinaikos for the championship.
Fournier played three seasons in his native France before Denver selected him with the 20th pick in the 2012 draft. In 2014, he was traded to Orlando, where he enjoyed his greatest NBA success. He was a consistent starter during his six and a half years with the Magic and posted a career-high 18.5 points per game during the 2019/20 season.
He was dealt to Boston at the 2021 deadline, then was shipped to New York later that year in a sign-and-trade. Fournier fell out of favor with former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau and barely played for a season and a half before Detroit traded for him at the 2024 deadline.
Fournier appeared in 704 regular season games throughout his NBA career, making 504 starts and averaging 13.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 27.7 minutes per night.
He is also a longtime member of the French national team, capturing silver medals in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, along with the 2022 EuroBasket tournament.