International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Panathinaikos Considers Signing Omer Yurtseven

August 11th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Jazz center Omer Yurtseven is receiving interest from Greek power Panathinaikos, according to a Eurohoops report.

Yurtseven appeared in 48 games for Utah last season, making 12 starts and averaging 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per night while shooting 53.8% from the field. He became a free agent on July 1 when the Jazz waived him, electing not to bring him back for the 2024/25 season on a $2.66MM non-guaranteed salary.

“Getting a very important player like Omer Faruk (Yurtseven) and making that transfer would give us great power, on paper,” Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman said in an interview with Ajanspor. “However, we have concerns about how it will reflect on the court. We are thinking about it, I mean he’s on our radar.”

Panathinaikos is looking for another big man to team with Mathias Lessort, one of the stars of the French team that won the silver medal in the Olympics. Ataman indicated that Yurtseven is talking with several European teams and expressed confidence that he’ll “do very well in Europe.”

The 26-year-old Turkish big man signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Oklahoma City in 2020 and played for the team’s G League affiliate. He got an opportunity with Miami in 2021 and spent two years with the Heat, appearing in 56 games in his first season but being limited to nine games in the second due to ankle surgery. He signed with Utah before the start of last season.

Ataman, who serves as head coach of the Turkish national team, is looking forward to having Yurtseven in Europe whether or not he joins Panathinaikos, because it will help his development for international basketball.

“Omer Faruk is a very important player. If we can participate in the European Championship next year, he will be one of the most important players on our national team,” Ataman said. “That’s why I really want him to play in Europe. Furkan Korkmaz has finally come to Europe. That’s a very good choice for him. This will also reflect positively on our national team. I hope this will happen with Omer Faruk as well.”

International Notes: Lopez, Mooney, Bacon, Maledon

August 9th, 2024 at 4:15pm CST by Rory Maher

Mexican guard/forward Karim Lopez, who is ESPN’s top-ranked international prospect in the 2026 draft class and a potential lottery pick, has signed with the New Zealand Breakers as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, he told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link), Lopez signed a two-year deal with the Breakers. The 17-year-old is known for his two-way versatility, basketball instincts and competitiveness, Givony adds.

Here are a few more international notes:

Former NBA guard Matt Mooney has also signed a contract with the Breakers, the team announced in a press release. Mooney played four games with Cleveland and one with New York in two different NBA seasons. The 28-year-old, who is known for his shooting ability, spent the 2023/24 campaign in Italy with Trento after playing in Turkey and Spain the previous two seasons.
Dwayne Bacon, who played four NBA seasons with Charlotte and Orlando from 2017-21, has signed with Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg, according to a team press release (hat tip to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando). The veteran guard/forward has spent the past few seasons playing in Monaco, Greece and China.
Free agent guard Theo Maledon is nearing a contract agreement with ASVEL in his native France, reports Gabriel Pantel-Jouve of BeBasket (Twitter link). The 34th pick of the 2020 draft, Maledon has appeared in 177 NBA games over the past four seasons with Oklahoma City, Charlotte and Phoenix. He has been a free agent since he was released by the Suns in March, later suiting up for Orlando’s Summer League squad. The 23-year-old started his professional career with ASVEL in 2017.

Timmy Allen Signs With Team In Belgium

August 9th, 2024 at 9:03am CST by Rory Maher

Free agent forward Timmy Allen, who played five games with the Grizzlies at the end of the 2023/24 season while on a 10-day contract, has signed with BC Oostende, the Belgian team announced in a press release (hat tip to Keith Smith of Spotrac).

Allen, 24, played college basketball at Utah and Texas prior to going undrafted last year. He spent most of his first professional season playing for the Grizzlies’ NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, averaging 9.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.7 APG and 1.0 SPG on .432/.341/.738 shooting in 46 Showcase Cup and regular season games (26.4 MPG).

In his five games with the injury-ravaged Grizzlies, who cycled through numerous young players last season via 10-day hardship contracts, Allen averaged 2.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 1.0 APG in 25.0 MPG, going 6-of-23 (.261%) from the floor.

Oostende is the most successful domestic club in Belgium’s history, having dominated the county’s top basketball league until 2021, when the PBL was succeeded by the Belgian-Dutch BNXT League.

Oostende won 10 straight PBL titles before the BNXT was formed and was champion of the ’23/24 season in the new league, which combined the top basketball divisions of Belgium and the Netherlands.

Trent Forrest Signs With Baskonia

August 8th, 2024 at 9:01am CST by Dana Gauruder

Free agent guard Trent Forrest has signed a two-year contract with Baskonia, Sportando relays. The Spanish club announced the signing on its Twitter feed.

Forrest spent the past two seasons with the Hawks. He signed a new two-way contract in September after spending the 2022/23 on a two-way deal with Atlanta.

Forrest had his contract converted to a standard, rest-of-season deal in late February. He became an unrestricted free agent after the season and appeared in two Las Vegas Summer League games with the Lakers.

The 26-year-old appeared in a total of 38 games for Atlanta last season, all off the bench. He averaged 2.2 points and 2.4 assists in 10.9 minutes per game. During the previous season, he saw action in 23 Hawks games, including three starts.

Forrest suited up for Utah in his first two NBA seasons after going undrafted out of Florida State in 2020. Overall, he has appeared in 151 NBA contests, including nine starts. He has averaged 2.8 points and 1.9 assists in 11.6 minutes per game, converting 44.4% of his field goal attempts but just 18.5% of his three-point tries.

And-Ones: Blatt, Patton, Trade Candidates, Wade

August 7th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Earnest Marshall

Former Cavaliers coach David Blatt is continuing to live his basketball dream despite a multiple sclerosis diagnosis six years ago that took away his ability to walk. In an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Blatt discussed his health and role with the Canadian Olympic team.

“That’s the way you’ve gotta be,” Blatt said of his resilience. “That’s the way you’ve gotta be. That’s what this sport and this business has taught me. If you ain’t working, you ain’t living. And if you’re not trying to improve, then you’re going backward. That’s the only thing you can do.”

Despite not coaching from the sidelines, he has been serving as a consultant for Canada. Blatt took part in all team activities and spent his time helping Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez determine what was and wasn’t working with the team’s rotations.

“I think the thing more than anything else is that you learn, when you’re faced with this kind of thing, is that you learn how to be as effective and fulfilled at the same time as you can, when you can,” Blatt said. “You can be as good as you want to be within the limitations that you’re faced with.”

We have more from around the basketball world:

Former NBA first-round pick Justin Patton signed with Greek club Peristeri BC, the team announced in a release. Patton was the 16th overall pick in 2017 and was part of the draft-night trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves. He was also part of the deal that sent Butler to Philadelphia a year later. Patton played four seasons in the NBA with Minnesota, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Houston from 2017-21. In 22 career games (six starts), he averaged 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds.
While it’s possible a few more trades will be made before the regular season begins, the next major flurry of movement will likely occur once more players become trade-eligible after Dec. 15 and Jan. 15. A total of 25 in-season trades occurred in 2023/24, with notable names like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Immanuel Quickley on the move. We’ll likely see more big names dealt at this year’s deadline, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, whonames D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Jerami Grant, Cameron Johnson, Kyle Kuzma, Zach LaVine, Bruce Brown, Collin Sexton and Trae Young as some of the players who could dominate trade rumors this coming season. Pincus also sees members of the 2021 draft class like Jonathan Kuminga, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green and Corey Kispert as potential trade candidates if they can’t come to terms on extensions, much like Quickley last season.
In the same piece, Pincus notes that the Rockets holding onto Jeff Green, Jock Landale and Jae’Sean Tate‘s contracts is a sign they’re working on a bigger trade. Pincus’s sources also ponder whether Jaden Ivey or Miles Bridges could be on the move this season.
NBA legend Dwyane Wade made his debut as a color commentator at the 2024 Paris Olympics on NBC. NBC, alongside Amazon and ESPN, acquired the media rights to broadcast NBA games starting in 2025/26. However, Wade said it was too early to say whether his activities this offseason hint at a potential broadcasting future, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. “I’m just having fun with it as well, and I think it could be a future if everything lines up the way it needs to. But I’m not going to put any pressure on it either,” Wade said.

Furkan Korkmaz Signs With AS Monaco

August 7th, 2024 at 7:53am CST by Luke Adams

After spending the past seven seasons in the NBA, Furkan Korkmaz is returning to Europe, having signed a contract with AS Monaco Basket, according to a press release from the team. The deal includes one guaranteed season, with a second-year option.

The 26th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Korkmaz was initially a draft-and-stash prospect who made the move to the NBA in 2017. Across seven seasons with the Sixers, he averaged 6.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 16.6 minutes per game across 328 total outings (49 starts). He posted a career shooting line of .406/.356/.761.

Korkmaz’s time in Philadelphia came to an end in February, when he was traded to Indiana as part of the three-team deal that sent Buddy Hield to the 76ers. He was immediately waived by Indiana and has been a free agent since then. Earlier this week, he sent a belated farewell message (via Twitter) to the fans in Philadelphia.

“Thank you to the Sixers organization, to the amazing fans, and to my coaches and teammates,” he wrote. “Your support and love have been incredible. I’ve made incredible friendships along the way, and I’m grateful for every moment spent on and off the court. We’ve shared so many good and tough times together. Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love, you will always hold a special place in my heart.

“Thank you for the memories and the journey. Now, a new chapter begins in my career.”

Korkmaz, who was born in Istanbul, is no stranger to international basketball, having played for Anadolu Efes, Pertevniyal, and Banvit in his home country of Turkey between 2013-17.

He’ll be joining an AS Monaco club that’s coming off an impressive season in 2023/24 — the team went 29-5 in the LNB Elite (France’s top league) and had a 23-11 record in EuroLeague competition. Monaco won a championship in France, but was knocked off by the lower-seeded Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague playoffs.

D’Moi Hodge Signs With Greek Team

August 6th, 2024 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Lakers guard D’Moi Hodge has signed with Aris Thessaloniki, the Greek team announced in a press release. The contract will cover the 2024/25 season.

Hodge signed a two-way deal with the Lakers last summer after going undrafted out of Missouri. Although he opened the regular season with the team, the 25-year-old was waived in January ahead of the league-wide salary guarantee date, making him a free agent after he logged just 41 total minutes in seven NBA games.

Hodge subsequently joined the Rip City Remix for the rest of the 2023/24 campaign, averaging 13.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 28.1 minutes per game across 26 outings for Portland’s G League affiliate. He posted a shooting line of .391/.355/.774 for the Remix.

While Hodge only earned about $248K of his two-way salary as a result of being waived in January, he claimed a $250K bonus when the Lakers won the NBA’s first in-season tournament in December, so he nearly earned the equivalent of a full-season two-way salary.

Hodge will be joining an Aris team that registered a 12-10 record in Greek League action last season before falling to Panathinaikos in the semifinals in the postseason.

Xavier Moon Signs With Zenit St. Petersburg

August 6th, 2024 at 9:26am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA guard Xavier Moon is headed overseas for the 2024/25 season, having signed with Zenit St. Petersburg, the Russian team announced in a press release. It’s a one-year deal, according to the team.

Moon, 29, played in several non-NBA leagues around the world after going undrafted out of Morehead State in 2017. He spent time playing in France, Canada, and Israel before catching on with the Clippers’ G League team in 2021. His strong play in the NBAGL earned him a shot at the NBA level and he has spent parts of the past three seasons under contract with Los Angeles, primarily on two-way deals.

In 28 career NBA appearances, Moon has averaged 3.5 points, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 rebounds in 9.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .406/.235/.571. He has been more effective in the G League, including in 2023/24, when he registered averages of 19.8 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 4.9 RPG and an impressive .480/.410/.900 shooting line across 29 total Showcase Cup and regular season contests.

Moon finished the ’23/24 season with the Clippers, but didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the club in June and became an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

He’ll join a Zenit St. Petersburg team that is coming off a 26-10 season in VTB United League play and will be looking to knock off perennial powerhouse CSKA Moscow next season. Zenit has been prohibiting from EuroLeague competition since February 2022 due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Olympic Notes: Team USA’s Focus, Quarterfinals, Curry, LeBron

August 5th, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Team USA plays Brazil in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics on Tuesday and coach Steve Kerr says that his team’s preparation has been centered on defense, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

“We know what wins a FIBA game,” Kerr said, referring to the international rules played at the Olympics. “We are just completely focused on our defense … and then the beauty of our team and the talent, the depth of our talent is that from one game to the next, we’ve got lots of guys who have the ability to get rolling.”

No one has been the focal point of the offense from game to game, which makes Team USA even more dangerous as it exits group play.

“That’s how we can overwhelm teams. It’s just everybody has to be ready for your moment whenever it is,” Stephen Curry said. “I think that’s a challenge because you don’t know from quarter to quarter from game to game who it’s going to be, [but] it’s a fun way to play. If you’re bought into ‘Let’s just win the basketball game’ and after that, who cares what it looks like.”

We have more on the Olympics:

The other quarterfinal matchups will also be played on Tuesday — Germany vs. Greece, Serbia vs. Australia, and France vs. Canada. Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy previews all of those matchups, taking a deeper dive into the France/Canada showdown.
In what areas are Team USA most vulnerable? Rebounding and half-court offense, according to Windhorst, who looks at the main strengths and weaknesses of all eight remaining teams.
Curry has struggled somewhat offensively during the tournament but he’s excelled as a screener, as The Athletic’s Joe Vardon details. Curry has set screens for LeBron James, leading to smaller overmatched defenders switching onto James. “I’m a good screener and can cause some confusion for a guy like (LeBron) having the ball,” Curry said. “We do it a little bit in Golden State where you have somebody else having the ball and me setting it, and I have a lot of different actions you can run, but if you get (LeBron) going downhill, good luck to anybody trying to stop him and having me come off into space.”
James is the game’s global ambassador, Tania Ganguli of The Athletic writes, and now some who idolized him in their youth are facing him in Paris.

Luka Samanic Signs One-Year Contract With Fenerbahce

August 5th, 2024 at 9:20am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Jazz power forward Luka Samanic has signed with Fenerbahce in Turkey, according to Eurohoops. It’s a one-year deal, and although there were discussions about adding an option, that didn’t happen, the report states.

Samanic, 24, began his career in Barcelona and later played for Petrol Olimpija before being selected by San Antonio with the 19th pick in the 2019 draft. He appeared in 36 games over two seasons with the Spurs before being waived in October of 2021.

Samanic joined the Knicks on a two-way contract, but spent the entire 2021/22 season in the G League. He signed a training camp deal with the Celtics in September of 2022, but was released before the start of the season.

He came to Utah on a 10-day deal in March of 2023 and made an immediate impact, starting four of the seven games he played and averaging 9.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per night. That earned him a contract that ran through the end of the 2023/24 season.

Samanic’s role diminished last season, as he appeared in 43 games and made seven starts. He saw just 9.4 minutes per night and his averages dipped to 4.1 points and 2.3 rebounds.