Clifford Omoruyi Signs Two-Year Deal With Maccabi Tel Aviv
Undrafted free agent Clifford Omoruyi has officially signed a two-year contract with Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, the team announced in a press release.
“Heading into this summer’s free agency, we were looking for a player with impressive physical presence and dynamism at center,” explained general manager Claudio Coldebella (translation via Eurohoops.net). “One who can rebound at the highest level (especially on offense), protect the paint and rim with athletic presence, and be effective in pick-and-roll defense. All while also offering offensive ability to run the floor thanks to his athleticism, and complementing the dynamism of our guards.”
Israeli journalist Moshe Barda reported (via Twitter) a few days ago that Omoruyi was a candidate to join Maccabi Tel Aviv (hat tip to BackdoorPodcast.com).
A 6’11” big man from Nigeria, Omoruyi spent his first four college seasons at Rutgers, earning Big Ten All-Defensive honors in back-to-back years (2023 and 2024) prior to transferring to Alabama. As fifth-year senior in 2024/25, he averaged 7.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 19.2 minutes per game across 37 appearances for the Crimson Tide.
While we don’t typically cover international signings of players with no NBA experience, multiple reports indicated that Omoruyi was expected to sign a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal with the Raptors shortly after he went undrafted in June. However, that contract was never finalized, and now the 23-year-old will begin his post-college career overseas.
Talen Horton-Tucker Nearing Deal With Fenerbahce, Hoping To Stay In NBA
Guard/forward Talen Horton-Tucker, who has spent the past six years in the NBA after being selected 46th overall in the 2019 draft, is finalizing a contract with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.
According to Urbonas’ sources, Horton-Tucker is still hoping to sign another NBA contract, but if he is unable to find a deal he likes, he’s expected to sign with the reigning EuroLeague champion.
Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops.net confirms the news, stating that Horton-Tucker has a deal in place with Fenerbahce but it won’t be completed yet as the 24-year-old awaits another NBA opportunity. A final decision is expected to be made in the next few days, Uzar adds.
Horton-Tucker won a championship as a rookie with the Lakers in 2020 and spent three years in Los Angeles prior to being traded to Utah in the 2022 offseason. He spent the next two years with the Jazz, but was unable to find a guaranteed contract as an unrestricted free agent last summer.
The Chicago native signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal with the Bulls last September and wound up making the team’s regular season roster — he was the only player on an Exhibit 10 contract last fall to have that deal become a standard non-guaranteed deal.
Horton-Tucker, who said it was a “dream come true” to open the 2024/25 season with his hometown team, not only made the roster but eventually had his contract guaranteed when the Bulls decided to keep him around past the January deadline to waive non-guaranteed deals.
Overall, Horton-Tucker appeared in 58 games last season off the bench, averaging 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 12.5 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .457/.336/.735. He holds career averages of 9.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 2.8 APG on .427/.299/.771 shooting in 305 games (19.5 MPG).
As Urbonas notes, Fenerbahce’s roster features several former NBA players, including Brandon Boston Jr., who spent last season with New Orleans.
Mavericks Re-Sign Dante Exum
September 1: Nearly two months after his deal was first reported, Exum has re-signed with Dallas, per NBA.com’s official transactions log. As we detailed in a separate story, the Mavs opened up room under the hard cap and a roster spot by waiving and stretching Prosper.
July 2: The Mavericks and Dante Exum have reached an agreement on a one-year deal that will extend the veteran guard’s stay in Dallas, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Exum, who will turn 30 later this month, spent the first seven years of his professional career in the NBA, playing for Utah and Cleveland after being selected fifth overall in the 2014 draft. However, he struggled to establish himself as a reliable rotation player, due in part to his lack of offensive production.
Exum played in Europe for two seasons from 2021-23, developing a reliable three-point shot during his time with Barcelona and Partizan Belgrade, then returned stateside during the 2023 offseason and has played in Dallas since then.
Injuries, which hampered Exum’s development earlier in his career, have continued to be an issue during his second NBA stint, limiting him to 75 total appearances across the past two seasons, including just 20 last season due to right wrist surgery and a broken left hand.
But he has been a very effective role player for the Mavs when healthy, averaging 8.0 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .516/.472/.768.
Once Irving’s new deal is done and Russell officially signs, the Mavs won’t have enough room below a hard cap at the second tax apron to re-sign Exum on a minimum-salary deal, so they’ll need to make a corresponding roster move at some point to finalize all those moves, as cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes (via Twitter).
Waiving Brandon Williams, whose salary is mostly non-guaranteed, would be the easiest path to creating that space below the second apron, but he was productive in a rotation role during the second half of last season. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, a 2023 first-round pick, has been considered a trade candidate.
Mavericks Notes: Thompson, Irving, Dead Money
Appearing on the Showtime With Michael Cooper Lakers Podcast (YouTube link), Mavericks wing Klay Thompson said Kyrie Irving is the “toughest guy” he’s ever guarded and has “no weaknesses in his game,” as Ashish Mathur of DallasHoopsJournal.com relays.
“It’s nice to be his teammate,” Thompson said of Irving. “You know, Kyrie and I had so many battles during those years at Golden State. We saw Cleveland four straight years in the Finals, three of them being with Kai.
“And I’ll never forget, I know you always used to check the best offensive player, and some nights there’s just nothing you could do when you’re guarding a guy like Michael (Jordan) or Larry (Bird) or Isiah (Thomas). Same thing with Kyrie.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Irving, who tore the ACL in his left knee in early March, provided a minor injury update last week, saying he was “healing up great.” Overtime released a short video (Twitter link) on Sunday showing Irving practicing floaters and jump shots at the NBPA practice facility in New York (hat tip to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal). Afseth notes that the nine-time All-Star appeared to be “moving comfortably on the court.”
- After waiving and stretching 2023 first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper on Friday, Dallas will now carry a $3.2MM dead-money cap hit each of the next three years, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Only about $1MM of that total came from stretching Prosper’s contract; the other $2.2MM is owed to JaVale McGee, who was cut by the Mavericks a couple years ago.
- In case you missed it, multiple reporters have indicated that P.J. Washington is likely to sign an extension with Dallas now that he’s officially eligible to do so, though the exact terms remain unclear.
International Signings: Thomas, Mané, Graham, Robinson
Former NBA sharpshooter Matt Thomas has signed with Fundacion CB Granada for the 2025/26 season, the Spanish team announced in a press release (hat tip to Albert De Roa of HoopsHype).
Thomas, 31, appeared in 126 NBA games over three years from 2019-22, suiting up for Toronto, Utah and Chicago. He has spent the past two seasons in the EuroLeague with Germany’s ALBA Berlin.
In 21 EuroLeague contests in 2024/25, Thomas averaged 12.3 points while shooting 46.2% from long distance in 24.1 minutes per game. Granada went just 9-25 in Spain’s top domestic league (Liga ACB) last season.
Here are a few more international signings to pass along:
- Senegalese-Canadian guard Karim Mané has signed with the French team Rouen Metropole Basket for the upcoming season, according to a press release. Mané played 10 games with Orlando while on a two-way deal during the 2020/21 campaign. The 25-year-old recently helped Senegal claim its third consecutive third-place finish at AfroBasket. Mané played for teams in Greece and Canada last season. RMB competes in the LNB Pro B, France’s second division.
- Veteran wing Treveon Graham has re-signed with the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots of the Taiwanese P. League+, per De Roa of HoopsHype. The Maryland native spent four years in the NBA, spending time with Charlotte, Brooklyn, Minnesota and Atlanta. Graham has also played in the G League and in Canada since his last NBA stint in 2019/20.
- Forward Devin Robinson is heading back to Spain, having signed a one-year deal with Basket Zaragoza, the team announced. Robinson, who appeared in eight games with the Wizards over two NBA seasons (from 2017-19), has spent the past four years in Europe, playing in Germany, Spain and Slovenia. In 18 EuroCup games with Cedevita Olimpija in ’24/25, the 6’7″ wing averaged 14.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 1.2 SPG in 27.9 MPG. Zaragoza went 13-21 in the Liga ACB last season.
Greece, Poland Advance To EuroBasket Round Of 16
The men’s national teams of Greece and Poland have advanced to the round of 16 at EuroBasket 2025, according to FIBA, joining Finland, Germany, Serbia and Turkey as clubs that have qualified.
Greece (Group C) and Poland (Group D) have both gone undefeated through three of their five group phase games. Greece moved on today with a win and a Cyprus loss (0-3).
The Greek squad, led by two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (27 points on 9-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists in 25 minutes), cruised to a 41-point victory over Georgia, notes Eurohoops. Georgia essentially threw in the towel before the game even began, resting center Goga Bitadze (DNP-CD) and forward Tornike Shengelia (under four minutes of action).
“We had two options, to go to what’s 100% for us, or to try to keep ourselves healthy for the last two games,” Georgian coach Aleksandar Džikić said postgame. “We decided to follow the second option. It was my decision, and we know what our goal is. We don’t like it, my players don’t like it, but today it was the smart thing to do.”
The Poles advanced to the knockout round by outlasting Iceland (0-3) in a close game on Sunday, per Sportando. Poland was once again led by ex-NBA guard Jordan Loyd (game-high 26 points) and veteran EuroLeague wing Mateusz Ponitka (18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists) — both players have had excellent showings to this point.
In case you missed it, Antetokounmpo will reportedly remain with Milwaukee to open the 2025/26 season after the team re-signed his older brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a guaranteed minimum-salary contract. Thanasis is also competing for Team Greece.
Cavaliers Notes: Strus, Merrill, Wade, Tyson, Hunter, Ball
In a subscriber-only mailbag for Cleveland.com, Chris Fedor states that Max Strus was slated to be the Cavaliers‘ starting small forward this fall prior to suffering a Jones fracture in his left foot last week. The injury required surgery and will sideline Strus for multiple months.
Fedor cautions that while the team gave a three-to-four month timeline for Strus to return to basketball activities, his actual absence will likely extend beyond that period. As Fedor observes, Jones fractures can be tricky and slow to heal, plus the Cavaliers typically take a cautious approach to injuries — it’s possible Strus might end up missing about half of the season.
Here’s more on the Cavaliers:
- Strus isn’t the only starter likely to be out to open 2025/26, Fedor notes, as All-Star point guard Darius Garland is still recovering from offseason toe surgery after being hobbled by the injury in the postseason. Sam Merrill, who re-signed with the Cavs on a four-year, $38MM deal this summer, is the “most obvious” player who needs to step up with Garland and Strus out, according to Fedor, who says the former second-round pick (60th overall in 2020) will likely be a replacement starter.
- It will take a team effort to cover for Strus and Garland during their absences. Veteran forward Dean Wade and second-year guard Jaylon Tyson are among the other players who should get more opportunities, Fedor writes, with Wade perhaps slotting in as the fifth starter. Head coach Kenny Atkinson may prefer to have De’Andre Hunter in a sixth man role to have more scoring punch off the bench, Fedor adds.
- According to Fedor, Tyson may be the biggest X-factor for the rotation, because the team had already planned him give him more run prior to Strus’ injury. The 2024 first-round pick (20th overall) will have a real chance to carve out minutes if he plays well, as Atkinson is high on him and is curious to see how he’ll mesh with the “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen once Garland returns.
- Offseason trade acquisition Lonzo Ball is another player who will fit into the rotation, Fedor writes. However, it remains to be seen how active the 27-year-old guard will be. After missing two-plus years with a knee injury, Ball played surprisingly well in his return to action in ’24/25, but he was limited to just 35 games due to multiple wrist injuries.
Luka Doncic Posts Triple-Double In EuroBasket
Lakers superstar Luka Doncic notched a rare triple-double in the EuroBasket tournament on Sunday. He scored 26 points, had 11 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds in Slovenia’s 86-69 victory over Belgium in Poland. According to The Associated Press, the triple-double was the fourth in EuroBasket history since 1995 and fifth overall.
Doncic also became the youngest player to reach 400 career EuroBasket points since Tony Parker in 2007.
“This is a normal day at the office for him,” Slovenia small forward Edo Muric said of Doncic. “I’m even more glad that today we showed we can play good defense. And that we won.”
The Slovenian team lost to Poland and France in their first two tournament games.
“For me, I’d prefer he score 50,” Belgium coach Dario Gjergja said, per Dan Woike of The Athletic. “To be honest, I’d prefer he score 50 but the others don’t execute … because he’s capable to make everybody better, never mind about quality around him. And this is why he’s a superstar.”
Doncic scored a combined 73 points in Slovenia’s first two games.
“It’s not about me being perfect. I think everybody, you know, we lose as a team, we win as a team,” he said.
Slovenia’s tournament schedule continues Tuesday against Iceland before the group stage concludes Thursday against Israel. The top four teams from each six-team group advance to the single-elimination portion of the tournament in Latvia.
USA Team Squanders Big Lead In AmeriCup Semifinals
Team USA squandered a 20-point second-half lead in the semifinals of the FIBA AmeriCup in Nicaragua, according to a FIBA press release.
The Brazilian team outscored the USA squad 34-9 in the last 10 minutes of a 92-77 win and avenged their prior loss in the Group Phase. With Saturday’s win, Brazil picked up its fourth victory in 11 AmeriCup matchups against the United States. The Brazilians will play in a second consecutive final.
Brazil will face Argentina for the championship on Sunday. Argentina defeated Canada in the other semifinal matchup, 83-73. The United States and Canada will square off for third-place honors.
Bruno Caboclo, who played 105 games during his NBA career, sparked the Brazilian comeback, finishing with 20 points (11 in the fourth quarter), nine rebounds, and two blocks. He was limited to 24 minutes due to foul trouble.
Crvena Zvezda guard Yago Santos finished with game highs of 25 points and 12 assists, while Lucas Dias played all 40 minutes and had a double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds).
Former NBA guards Langston Galloway (22 points) and Javonte Smart (13 points, five assists) led the way for Team USA in the loss.
Giannis To Start Season With Bucks After Team Re-Signs Brother Thanasis
In a move to solidify Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s desire to stay with the Bucks, the franchise is re-signing his brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, on a guaranteed one-year, $2.9MM (minimum-salary) contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link).
The signing is official, according to a team press release relayed by The Athletic’s Eric Nehm (Twitter link).
According to Charania, after a summer of exploring options, Giannis Antetokounmpo — who is currently playing for Greece in the EuroBasket tournament — is staying in Milwaukee to start the season. This will quell speculation that the superstar might request a trade this offseason.
Naturally, if things don’t go well for the Bucks as the season progresses, that could always change. But having his brother back in the fold gives Giannis some added incentive to stay put.
Thanasis is also playing for Greece in the tournament. He was medically cleared to play again this spring after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury.
The 32-year-old underwent surgery in early May of 2024 after tearing his Achilles. He was a free agent this past season after signing mainly minimum contracts to play with his brother in Milwaukee.
Thanasis, who made two appearances with the Knicks in 2015/16, saw action in 196 Bucks games from 2019-24. He played 34 games during the 2023/24 season and has posted averages of 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.7 minutes per contest over the course of his NBA career.
The Bucks will now have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. This could put Andre Jackson Jr.‘s roster status in jeopardy — the former UConn guard has an $800K guarantee on his $2,221,677 contract. It becomes fully guaranteed if he makes the opening night roster.