International Notes: Micic, Westbrook, Jokubaitis, Valanciunas, Theis
Hapoel Tel Aviv general manager George Hinas tells Vuk-Milos Petrovic of Basketball Sphere that his team remains in contention to sign Vasilije Micic, but he dismissed speculation about Russell Westbrook. While Micic is still under contract with the Suns, they’re expected to decline their $8.1MM team option for next season, making him a free agent by the end of the month. Several European clubs have expressed interest in adding the 31-year-old point guard, and Hinas rejected reports that Micic has ruled out Tel Aviv because of war concerns.
“He’s a great player, a EuroLeague legend, and one of the best ever,” Hinas said. “We spoke with him in late March and early April. We didn’t reach an agreement then, but we stayed in touch with him and his agent. What the Spanish media reported — that he rejected us because of the war — isn’t true. We continued talking. … Nothing is concrete yet. He’s one of the players we’re interested in, but so are other clubs. That’s how the offseason works — he talks to many clubs, and we talk to many players. His case is not closed. Not at all.”
Hinas called rumors about a potential deal with Westbrook “100% fake news.” Westbrook turned down his player option with the Nuggets for next season, but he’s expected to get another NBA opportunity.
“There were numbers mentioned — $50 million per year — which is crazy,” Hinas added. “I get that Hapoel Tel Aviv draws attention because we’re spending money. I counted 37 players who were linked with us. It’s good we’ll have three rosters, because when you have 37 players, it makes things easier (laughs). To be serious — it’s not true. There was no interest, and no one approached him.”
There’s more overseas news to pass along:
- Knicks draft-and-stash prospect Rokas Jokubaitis could be considering a departure from Hapoel Tel Aviv due to international tensions, Petrovic adds in a separate story. Fenerbahce is reportedly interested in the 24-year-old guard, who may seek an early termination to his current contract.
- Speaking at his annual camp in Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas said he expects to remain with the Kings this season after being acquired from Washington in February, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “I can make my own plans, but what the Kings decide is what matters most,” he said. “Right now, I’m planning to stay. I haven’t heard anything about being traded or moved. Until there is such information, all my focus is on Sacramento.” Valanciunas also confirmed that he will participate in this summer’s EuroBasket tournament.
- Daniel Theis, who started the season with New Orleans before being traded and waived in February, will miss the rest of the French League Finals with Monaco due to knee issues, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando.
Latest On Desmond Bane Trade
Several teams contacted the Grizzlies about Desmond Bane before they decided to trade him on Sunday, but nobody was as aggressive as the Magic, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Orlando is determined to become a title contender and faced a glaring need to improve its three-point shooting after finishing last in the league in that category at 31.8%.
Bane is a 41% shooter from beyond the arc for his career and connected at 39.2% in 69 games last season. The 26-year-old shooting guard projects to be a perfect complement alongside Jalen Suggs in the Magic’s backcourt and should be more productive than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was Orlando’s major addition last summer.
“He’ll be a good fit,” an assistant coach told Bontemps. “There’s not a lot of guys that you would want to grab as your third option that can do it to the level that he can do it.”
Even so, Bontemps notes that there was surprise throughout the league about the price the Magic were willing to pay to acquire Bane. In addition to Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, they gave up four first-round picks and a 2029 pick swap, including the 16th selection in this year’s draft.
Orlando also took on a significant financial commitment with Bane, who has four years and $163MM left on his contract. The Magic are likely facing huge tax bills in the future, especially once Paolo Banchero‘s upcoming extension kicks in. One scout suggested to Bontemps that Memphis may have been relieved to unload Bane’s contract.
“[The Grizzlies] did that extension before the new second apron rules kicked in and they were looking at that deal and liking it less,” he said. “Really good guy, good player, but [I] never thought of him as a max guy.”
Bontemps notes that Memphis general manager Zack Kleiman promised changes after being swept in the first round by Oklahoma City, and Sunday’s deal was the first step in that direction. A complete rebuild doesn’t seem likely, as sources told Bontemps that Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. aren’t expected to be dealt, but more moves appear to be coming as the franchise tries to clear up cap room to renegotiate and extend Jackson’s contract before he reaches free agency in 2026.
With the Grizzlies shifting to an up-tempo approach under new coach Tuomas Iisalo, Bontemps hears they’re confident that Jaylen Wells can become a long-term starter. The second-round pick is coming off an outstanding first season, averaging 10.4 PPG and finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Memphis is also happy with the cache of draft assets it received in the deal, particularly the 2026 selection that will almost certainly be the less favorable pick between Phoenix and Washington. Considering the current state of those two teams, there’s a chance the Grizzlies could wind up with an early pick in a very strong draft.
Bontemps adds that the uncertainty at the top of the East could inspire several teams to emulate Orlando by making a big deal, and there’s a league-wide feeling that numerous trades could take place by draft night.
“For them, they got to give themselves a chance,” one executive said. “They have gone to the playoffs two years in a row and had a first-round exit, and they look around and they’ve got a young group that’s trying to figure out how to take the next step.”
Suns Notes: Durant Trade, Draft Workout
The Suns are not promising to move Kevin Durant to one of his preferred destinations, reports Marc Stein for The Stein Line (Substack link). Although Phoenix would like to find a win-win trade, the club is intent on acquiring the best return to position itself for a Durant-less future.
Given that the Suns surrendered much of their first-round draft pick equity as well as valuable players in Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson to bring Durant in, recouping as much value as possible is crucial as they attempt to reshape the roster on the fly around Devin Booker.
So while the Spurs, Rockets, and Heat are reportedly atop Durant’s wish list (the Knicks would have been too if they were serious about pursuing the star forward, Stein writes), the Raptors or any number of other wild-card teams could still be in play.
We have more from the Suns:
- Duane Rankin of Arizona Republic confirms Stein’s reporting, while adding that finding a balance between the team’s interests and doing right by the player can be important in a league that is increasingly star-driven. Another factor that Rankin says will play a big part is the pressure on newly elevated general manager Brian Gregory to impress ownership and fans with the trade return after the team underperformed dramatically last season.
- People in the league expect a Durant deal to happen as early as this coming week, reports Rankin. Rankin adds that the Rockets would appear to be the ideal destination for Durant, given their young, defensive infrastructure and bounty of both players and draft capital to use in a trade. However, the Suns have always had more interest than the Rockets in a Durant-to-Houston deal, Stein notes.
- Ryan Nembhard, brother of Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, is set to visit the Suns for a pre-draft workout this week, according to Rankin. The Gonzaga guard, who averaged 10.5 points and an NCAA-leading 9.8 assists per game this season, is set to visit more than 15 teams during the pre-draft process, Rankin writes.
Grizzlies Notes: Trade, Finances, Caldwell-Pope, Coaching Staff
In trading Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies moved on from a player who is possibly the best shooter in franchise history in a deal that has sweeping implications for the organization, writes Damichael Cole for Memphis Commercial Appeal. In addition to his offensive workload, Bane had also assumed a prominent leadership role in Memphis in recent years.
Despite moving Bane for a pick-heavy trade package, the Grizzlies aren’t expected to go into rebuild mode, Cole writes. Those picks will likely be used in trades, whether to bring in more talent or to clear cap room to help renegotiate Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s contract.
In the meantime, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will help shore up the perimeter defense around Ja Morant. While the shot creation will take a hit with the loss of Bane, Caldwell-Pope should still be a helpful floor spacer, despite coming off a down year with the Magic.
We have more notes from the Grizzlies:
- Grizzlies fans shouldn’t be shocked if Cole Anthony is moved in a subsequent trade, as his fit with high-end backup point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. is questionable, writes Spotrac’s Keith Smith. While the trade will provide long-term financial flexibility for Memphis, it eats into the team’s ability to create cap space this summer, Smith notes, especially given the salary slot for the newly acquired 16th pick in the 2025 draft.
- Caldwell-Pope’s durability could be a valuable asset for a Grizzlies team that has struggled to keep its best players on the floor, writes Jonah Dylan for Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis’ new wing has never played fewer than 67 games in a season over his 12-year career. He also brings championship experience to a team that has struggled to make good on its potential in previous playoff runs.
- The Grizzlies are searching for a new top assistant for head coach Tuomas Iisalo‘s coaching staff, writes Marc Stein for The Stein Line (Substack link). Names being considered include Adrian Griffin, Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley, and Magic assistant Dale Osbourne.
Magic Notes: Bane, Finances, Shammgod
The Magic made the first major move of the 2025 offseason by trading for former Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane. The deal, which sent out Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four first-round picks, and a 2029 pick swap, signifies a shift to a more aggressive win-now team outlook, writes The Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Beede.
Last year’s move to acquire Caldwell-Pope in free agency marked an initial step in this direction for a Magic team built around a young core of Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner. Swapping Caldwell-Pope for the 26-year-old Bane without giving up either of Anthony Black or Tristan Da Silva allows the team to address its desire to improve the shooting and self-creation on the roster without sacrificing much of its defensive identity or young talent.
The Magic must make decisions within the next two weeks on team options for Moritz Wagner, Cory Joseph, Caleb Houstan, and Gary Harris. The deadline to do so is June 29.
We have more from the Magic:
- The Magic are interested in adding Mavericks assistant coach God Shammgod to their coaching staff, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). Shammgod and Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley previously worked together on the Mavs’ coaching staff, and Shammgod is a respected assistant, especially with regard to developing and integrating guards.
- The Bane trade is not just a big swing in terms of draft picks, writes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (via Twitter). It’s also a major financial decision. Wagner and Suggs are already under long-term, big-money deals, and Banchero is set to command an extension that could exceed $50MM annually. With Bane two years into a five-year, $197MM contract, the Magic are suddenly getting very expensive, though Gozlan notes (via Twitter) that they could potentially avoid becoming a second apron team in the coming years by moving some of their mid-sized contracts, such as Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr., and/or Goga Bitadze.
- Breaking down the finances of the trade, Keith Smith of Spotrac writes that the Magic being near the first apron is unlikely to impact them this season, as their roster is basically set if they bring back Mo Wagner and carry one more minimum-salary player. It’s the 2026/27 season that will see Orlando’s finances become onerous, with around $196MM committed to eight players, depending on whether Banchero’s extension begins at 25% or 30% of the cap. Smith writes that those salary numbers may force the Magic to eventually trade one of their core players, but that is a decision for a later date.
Top International Prospects Staying In 2025 Draft
Several of the top international prospects among this year’s early entrants have decided to keep their names in this year’s draft pool.
Noa Essengue, Joan Beringer, Hugo Gonzalez, Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, Noah Penda, Hansen Yang, Alex Toohey, Bogoljub Markovic, Rocco Zikarsky, Izan Almansa, Saliou Niang, Mohamed Diawara, and Eli Ndiaye are all staying in the 2025 NBA draft, reports ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (via Twitter).
That player group represents 14 of the 15 international players who were ranked on ESPN’s top-100 prospect board coming into the day, with Essengue the highest-ranked prospect at No. 9, and Ndiaye the lowest at No. 97. The lone ranked prospect to withdraw from the draft today was Neoklis Avdalas, ranked No. 51.
While their withdrawals from the draft haven’t been officially confirmed, it sounds like Asim Djulovic, Lazar Gacic, Muodubem Muoneke, Ousmane N’Diaye, and Zaion Nebot also pulled out, since Givony refers to the above list as the “final tally” of international prospects in the draft.
[RELATED: 2025 NBA Draft Early Entrants List]
Dink Pate, who played for the Mexico City Capitanes in the G League this past season, is also keeping his name in the draft pool, Givony notes. Pate is the No. 56 prospect on ESPN’s board.
With a bigger-than-usual amount of lower-ranked NCAA prospects returning to school thanks to NIL deals, the international class has a chance to gain ground with strong pre-draft showings. Essengue, in particular, has seen his draft stock rise following a strong playoff run for Ratiopharm Ulm.
Billy Donovan, Bulls Working On Contract Extension
The Bulls are working to finalize an extension with head coach Billy Donovan, reports Marc Stein for The Stein Line (via Twitter). Donovan’s current contract reportedly has one year remaining.
The news comes on the heels of the Bulls declining the Knicks’ request to interview Donovan in their head coaching search. Ian Begley of SNY.tv reported that one of the currently employed head coaches pursued by the Knicks was able to “benefit financially” from New York’s interest. While it’s not 100% clear Donovan was the coach in question, it appears he’s about to earn some additional guaranteed money from the Bulls.
Donovan has been Chicago’s head coach for the past five seasons, during which time he has amassed a record of 195-205 (.488). The team went to the 2022 playoffs under Donovan, losing in five games to the Bucks.
After trading Alex Caruso and Zach LaVine last year, the Bulls are attempting to retool on the fly, building around a younger core while trying to stay competitive. Donovan appears to be the coach the Bulls are counting on to help forge the identity of the new-look roster as they look to keep adding to a group that features Matas Buzelis, Coby White, and likely Josh Giddey, whose restricted free agency represents the biggest contract decision the team has to make this summer.
Chicago will also have to decide how Nikola Vucevic fits into its long-term plans. The veteran center has one year left on his deal and is coming off an excellent offensive season, which could make him a trade candidate.
Neoklis Avdalas To Withdraw From NBA Draft
Greek forward Neoklis Avdalas is withdrawing from the 2025 NBA draft, agent Alex Saratsis tells ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link).
The 6’8″ 19-year-old wing was the 51st-ranked prospect on ESPN’s top-100 board and will look to build off a strong pre-draft process going into the 2026 draft.
Avdalas played this season for the Greek team Peristeri, averaging 8.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 19.2 minutes per game while shooting 40.7% from three-point range. He’s a career 35.5% three-point shooter over the last four years of Greek Basket League and EuroLeague play.
International players had until 5:00 pm Eastern time on Sunday to pull their names out of this year’s draft, while May 28 was the deadline for college players to withdraw and keep their NCAA eligibility.
Draft Notes: Amini, Torresani, M’Madi, 2025 Class
Mohammad Amini, a 6’8″ Dominican-Iranian forward, has withdrawn his name from this year’s draft, sources inform Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Amini isn’t among ESPN’s top 100 prospects.
Amini is currently plying his trade for French club Nancy Basket. This past season, he averaged 6.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.1 APG and 0.8 SPG, while logging .579/.313/.585 shooting splits.
There’s more out of the impending draft:
- Italian guard David Torresani has opted to pull his name from this year’s pool of draft candidates, sources tell Chepkevich (via Twitter). According to Chepkevich, the 20-year-old will now consider his NCAA options for 2025/26. Torresani is not considered by ESPN to be one of the best 100 players among this year’s class.
- Morón Basketball Club guard Mathis M’Madi has withdrawn his name from this month’s draft, tweets Chepkevich. The French-born M’Madi will next suit up for Madagascar in AfroBasket this August. Chepkevich notes that M’Madi, who also isn’t in ESPN’s top 100, worked out with three NBA teams this year.
- Jeremy Woo of ESPN shares his “draft superlatives,” outlining the prospects who have a specific skill that stands out in this year’s draft class. Among the young talent, Woo praises Rutgers guard Dylan Harper as the draft class’ best shot creator, Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe as the top leaper and dunker, and Arizona forward Carter Bryant as having the most NBA-ready frame.
Magic Acquire Desmond Bane From Grizzlies In Three-Player Deal
4:02 pm: The trade is now official, per a Magic press release (Twitter link).
10:14 am: The Grizzlies will trade Desmond Bane to the Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Memphis will receive the 16th selection in this year’s draft, along with a “most favorable” 2026 first-round pick that will likely be Phoenix’s and unprotected first-rounders from Orlando in 2028 and 2030, Charania adds, noting that there’s light protection on the pick swap in 2029 (Twitter link).
Bane provides a potent offensive weapon for a Magic team that often struggled to score. He averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 69 games this season with a .484/.392/.894 shooting line. He’ll be another scoring threat to team with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and should be a good complement to defensive specialist Jalen Suggs in the backcourt as Orlando looks to become a contender in what should be a weakened Eastern Conference.
The 27-year-old guard just completed the first season of a five-year, $197.2MM extension, so Orlando will be getting the security of a long-term contract. Bane will make $36.7MM next season, with that number rising to $44.9MM in the final year of his deal in 2028/29.
Caldwell-Pope wasn’t able to provide the Magic with consistent backcourt scoring after being signed away from Denver last offseason, but Charania notes that he’s a strong defensive wing who’ll bring championship experience to Memphis. Caldwell-Pope, 32, appeared in 77 games this season, averaging 8.7 PPG, his lowest scoring average since his rookie season. He shot 43.9% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range, significantly below the numbers he posted during his two years in Denver.
Caldwell-Pope has two years left on the deal he signed last summer and will earn $21,621,500 in each of the next two seasons.
Anthony has been a productive scorer during his five years in Orlando, but his playing time (18.4 minutes per game) and scoring average (9.4 PPG) both hit career lows this season. The 25-year-old guard will provide Memphis with instant offense off the bench and will make $13.1MM next season with a $13.1 team option for 2026/27.
Cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets that the trade can be processed right away rather than waiting for the moratorium to be lifted on July 6. He adds that the Magic are required to do a 100% salary match because they project to be above the $195.9MM first apron next season. As a result of aggregating salaries, they will be hard-capped at the $207.8MM second apron in 2025/26, but can escape the luxury tax by declining team options on Moritz Wagner ($11MM) and Gary Harris ($7.5MM).
Gozlan also states that Orlando’s combined salary and tax bill could top $350MM in 2026/27 once Banchero’s expected max extension kicks in (Twitter link).
In addition, Gozlan notes that the deal will impact a possible renegotiation and extension for Jaren Jackson Jr. by decreasing the Grizzlies’ available cap space from $6.9MM to $4.5MM. Additional trades may be necessary to free up more money for Jackson.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (via Twitter) that Bane has a 15% trade bonus in his contract, but it will be voided because it would push his salary over the maximum.