Vasilije Micic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hornets’ Vasilije Micic Dismisses Trade Rumors

September 8th, 2024 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Serbian point guard Vasilije Micic confirmed that he will remain with the Hornets and dismissed offseason trade speculation, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Speaking to the media after a mural dedication ceremony in Belgrade, Micic said he is looking forward to the start of training camp with the team.

“I am staying in Charlotte. That is official,” he said. “All these rumors out there, I did not want to comment until something concrete. Probably, there was some interest, but nothing enough for me to comment. I am happy they want me here and I think the next season will be more productive for me.”

The Hornets acquired Micic at the February trade deadline in the deal that sent Gordon Hayward to Oklahoma City. He appeared in 30 games after the trade, making 21 starts and averaging 10.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists while shooting 43.7% from the field and just 29.4% from three-point range.

Micic will likely be moved to a reserve role this season as LaMelo Ball returns from ankle tendinopathy. Micic came off the bench in all 30 games he played for OKC.

Last year was the first NBA season for the 30-year-old, who was taken 52nd overall by Philadelphia as a draft and stash pick in 2014. He was a star in the EuroLeague for several years, mainly for Anadolu Efes in Turkey.

There have been rumors over the summer that the Nuggets may have interest in acquiring Micic to team him up with countryman Nikola Jokic. They have played together on the Serbian national team for several years and captured a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

“I would like to play with Jokic, but I do not know what will happen,” Micic said. “I think I need one more year to show what I can do in the United States. Whatever you do outside American soil, they still only trust players proven in the USA. So, I think that one season with a trade and two solid months is not enough for a team of such caliber to be sure to bring me in. But maybe next season. We will see.”

Micic will make $7.7MM this season, and the Hornets hold an $8.1MM option for 2025/26. He will become a free agent next summer if the team decides not to exercise that option.

Stein’s Latest: Curry, James, Embiid, Yurtseven, Micic

August 18th, 2024 at 3:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Warriors All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry is eligible for a one-season, $62.6MM contract extension prior to October 21. He could also wait until the 2025 offseason to seek a two-year deal worth a projected $130MM, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.

Stein notes that, having missed out on Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen and Sixers All-Star Paul George, Golden State continues looking for opportunities to upgrade the roster via trade. The Warriors believe they have the current and future assets necessary to do just that.

Last year’s Warriors went 46-36, finishing with just the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. Golden State failed to make the playoffs after falling to the Kings in the play-in tournament.

Curry, 36, had yet another excellent individual year. The 10-time All-Star averaged 26.4 points on .450/.408/.923 shooting splits, 5.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 74 games.

Here are some other key notes from Stein’s newest Substack article:

According to Stein, there’s a belief that the Lakers would have “reluctantly” engaged in trade discussions to send All-NBA combo forward LeBron James to the Warriors, so he could join then-future Team USA colleague Curry and friend Draymond Green, if that’s what James had wanted. However, Stein’s sources say that Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, James’ longtime agent, urged both L.A. and Golden State to scrap the idea — in part because Paul didn’t want James to be faced with criticism for jumping teams for a fourth time.
Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid, fresh off winning his first Olympic gold medal for Team USA this summer, hinted that he might be interested in playing for his native Cameroon during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. However, as Stein writes, a player over the age of 17 can only change his country affiliation if he receives clearance from FIBA and his previous country (in this case, USA Basketball). Stein is skeptical that Embiid will be permitted to do so.
According to Stein, free agent center Omer Yurtseven was one of several players to recently work out for the Knicks, who opted not to sign him at that time. Greek club Panathinaikos reportedly remains intrigued by the 7-footer. New York lost its 2023/24 starting center, Isaiah Hartenstein, to the Thunder in free agency, and no doubt needs to get creative filling out its frontcourt depth, so Yurtseven would have made sense as a fringe rotation option. Across three NBA seasons with the Heat and Jazz, the big man has appeared in 113 contests (24 starts), averaging 5.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.7 steals per night.
Hornets point guard Vasilije Micic is considered a potential down-the-road trade target for the Nuggets, given his close relationship with Nikola Jokic, Stein writes. Micic may not be a practical option for Denver at this point though, given his $7.7MM salary and the team’s proximity to the tax aprons. Acquired midway through his 2023/24 rookie season, the 6’5″ guard averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 assists across 30 games for Charlotte down the stretch.

Olympic Notes: James, Kerr, Collet, Attendance, Micic

August 11th, 2024 at 7:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Could a 43-year-old LeBron James play in the Los Angeles Games in 2028? The Lakers superstar doubts that will happen, Marc J. Spears of Andscape writes.

“No, I can’t see myself playing in L.A. I also didn’t see myself playing in Paris,” he said. “But four years from now, now I can’t see it.”

A 39-year-old James was certainly a huge factor in Team USA’s triumph. James averaged 14.2 points, 8.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals and earned Olympic Most Valuable Player honors.

“It’s an honor,” he said. “I don’t know who the voting committee, or whatever the case may be, but super-humbled that they even voted for me,” James said. “But it came with us winning gold and that’s what’s more important for me. It’s pretty cool.”

We have more on the Olympics:

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the tournament provided plenty of drama and high-quality play, culminating with tense games in the semifinals and final, according to Team USA coach Steve Kerr. “It didn’t surprise me. There’s a reason these guys sign up for this,” he said, per Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net. “The Olympics are special and all these guys play for two things. They play for the NBA championships and Olympic golds. Those are the highest, those are the pinnacles of success as a player in the NBA, in America. … It’s no accident they can do what they do during crunch time. When you see these guys behind the scenes and how much they love the process, it all makes sense why they’re as good as they are.”
France’s head coach Vincent Collet believes the loss in the gold medal game was a blown opportunity for his squad, according to Barkas. “We could do more but you have to do the perfect game and we didn’t do it at all,” Collet said. “Still, I really think with a little bit more, we could push them much more. Okay, we did it, we were not too far but I’m sure we could do better. We had the chance, We didn’t take it and we must think about it next time.”
The Paris Olympics set an attendance record for basketball, previously held by Atlanta in 1996, Sportando relays. According to BasketEurope, a total of 1,068,032 spectators attended the men’s and women’s games, an average attendance was 20,737 spectators per game. The attendance record was made even more impressive by the fact that just 52 games were played, 40 fewer than in the 1996 edition in Atlanta.
Hornets guard Vasilije Micic finished the Olympics on a high note, scoring 19 points as Serbia defeated Germany, 93-83, for the bronze medal. “We are still a little bit short for a gold or silver. But still, this bronze shines like gold for us,” Micic said, per Barkas.

Serbia Captures Bronze Medal At Olympics

August 10th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Nikola Jokic posted the fifth triple-double in men’s Olympic basketball history on Saturday as Serbia defeated Germany in the bronze medal game, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. The Nuggets star had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and led Serbia to a 93-83 victory in a battle of teams coming off heartbreaking losses in the semifinal round.

Two other NBA players had prominent roles in Serbia’s victory, which brought the nation its second Olympic men’s basketball medal. Hornets guard Vasilije Micic also scored 19 points, while the Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia’s captain and career leading scorer in Olympic competition, added 16.

“It was difficult to sleep (after the Team USA loss),” Bogdanovic admitted. “We didn’t sleep that day, that night at all. It was a late game, but the next day, we all wake up and (Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic) was ready with the (team) meeting. He was ready with the same meeting that he did the whole year — a little bit longer, of course. But that was his way. We believed. We didn’t complain. We weren’t late. Yeah, we play together. We win together. We lose together. We are together. We celebrate together.”

Serbia took advantage of hot shooting to build an early lead, making 12 of its first 17 shots. They were up 46-38 at halftime and broke open the game with an 18-7 run in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 19 points. With Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner all struggling to make shots, the Germans weren’t able to make a serious run after that.

“We weren’t going home without a medal, especially after what happened two days ago,” Serbian big man Filip Petrusev said. “We owed it to ourselves. We owed it to the country, to the people that supported us. Two days ago, the whole country was so proud of us, so we had to bring something home. That was the mentality. You all saw it two days ago against the best team ever (in Team USA), maybe, that needed all kinds of help, and maybe luck a little bit (to win). … But I just hope this is not our last time altogether. I think this team can … in the future, be even better. This might be one of the best teams Serbia ever had.”

It was a disappointing outcome for Germany, whose men’s basketball team has still never medaled in Olympic competition. After going unbeaten in last year’s FIBA World Cup, the Germans looked like the most serious challenger to the U.S. through group play, but back-to-back losses mean they’re going home empty-handed.

Despite the outcome, the 30-year-old Schröder told reporters that he’s far from finished with international competition, tweets Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

“Coach, I said I’m going to play until 40,” he said to Gordon Herbert at the post-game press conference. “I don’t know why they’re asking me this. I’m playing until I’m 40. That’s my goal. Hopefully, if I play until 40, my teammates can play until 36-37 and make it special.”

The game may have been the last Olympics appearance for Pesic, whose contract as coach of the Serbian national team has expired. He talked about his future following the game, relays Kevin Martorano of Sportando, saying he’s unsure what he’ll do next, but he hopes to have a role in continuing to build Serbian basketball in advance of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Serbia, Greece Set 12-Man Rosters For Olympics

July 23rd, 2024 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

Two more nations have set their 12-man rosters for the upcoming Olympic games in Paris, with Serbia and Greece both officially announcing their squads (Twitter links).

The Serbian roster is headlined by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and includes a few more NBA players beyond the Nuggets center. Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, Hornets guard Vasilije Micic, and Heat forward Nikola Jovic will also represent Serbia in Paris.

Jovic’s inclusion is particularly notable, since there was some uncertainty earlier this month about whether he’d be healthy enough to play. He injured his ankle during an offseason workout in Miami in June, but has apparently received medical clearance for the Olympics.

Nikola Milutinov, Ognjen Dobric, Vanja Marinkovic, Marko Guduric, Filip Petrusev, Aleksa Avramovic, Dejan Davidovac, and Uros Plavsic round out Serbia’s roster. Former NBA first-round pick Aleksej Pokusevski, who finished last season with the Hornets, isn’t among the final 12.

Meanwhile, Greece has also confirmed its Olympic roster, which will be led by another former NBA MVP, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis is the only Antetokounmpo suiting up for Greece in France at this year’s event, since his brothers Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Kostas Antetokounmpo are both dealing with injuries.

While Giannis is the only active NBA player on the Greek roster, a few others have previously played in the league, including Nick Calathes, Georgios Papagiannis, and Kostas Papanikolaou. Former Stephen F. Austin standout Thomas Walkup also signed an NBA contract back in 2016, though he never appeared in a regular season game.

Dinos Mitoglou, Giannoulis Larentzakis, Vassilis Charalampopoulos, Nikos Chougkaz, Dimitris Moraitis, Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, and Vassilis Toliopoulos make up the rest of Greece’s roster.

Serbia’s first pool-play game of the Olympics will take place on Sunday vs. Team USA, while Greece’s Olympic schedule will tip off a day earlier, with a Saturday showdown vs. Canada.

Fischer’s Latest: Clippers, George, Warriors, Mavs, KCP, Klay, Nuggets, More

June 30th, 2024 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

As they navigate the challenges of the second tax apron for 2024/25 and beyond, the Clippers have been adamant to this point that they don’t want to complete a contract longer than three years for any players, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Barring a change of heart, that means Los Angeles will be unwilling to go higher than three years for its own star free agents, Paul George and James Harden.

While Harden seems likely to end up on a new three-year agreement with the Clippers, per Fischer, that three-year limit has been a point of contention in negotiations with George. Both the Sixers and Magic – who are set to meet with George late on Sunday night – are willing to offer the star forward a four-year, maximum-salary contract, Fischer confirms.

Outside of the Clippers, Sixers, and Magic, there’s another team “lingering on the periphery” of the George situation, according to Fischer, who says the Jazz‘s “dreamiest plot” for the offseason would be to use their trade assets to acquire an impact player on the trade market (they pursued Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn agreed to send him to New York) and to use their cap room to land George. However, as Fischer acknowledges, it’s extremely unlikely that George will decide to sign in Utah.

Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up, with the official start of free agency just hours away:

The trade options the Warriors have considered – using Chris Paul and/or Andrew Wiggins as outgoing pieces – range from giving up draft picks in a deal for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram to acquiring a pick along with Bulls guard Zach LaVine, sources tell Fischer. If they don’t find a trade they like and lose Klay Thompson via free agency, the Warriors will have the full mid-level exception available. They’re considering possible targets using that MLE, says Fischer.
The Mavericks likely would have attempted to make a trade with the Nuggets to acquire Kentavious Caldwell-Pope if he had picked up his $15.4MM player option, Fischer reports. Now that Caldwell-Pope has opted for free agency, Thompson appears to be the free agent wing most likely to end up in Dallas, according to Fischer, who says Thompson also continues to be one of the Sixers‘ secondary targets if they miss out on George.
As for Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets are preparing to lose him, with the Sixers and Magic both holding “strong” interest in the veteran swingman, per Fischer. A deal with one of those cap-room teams in the range of $50MM over two years could be a possibility for KCP, Fischer adds.
Having traded away Reggie Jackson, the Nuggets are in the market for a backup point guard. Sources tell Fischer that Russell Westbrook would have been a target using the taxpayer mid-level exception if he had opted out of his contract with the Clippers. Fischer also mentioned Hornets guard Vasilije Micic as a Denver target, noting that Zeke Nnaji – who is on the trade block – could be sent out in a deal for Micic.
The Nuggets have also long had interest in big man Dario Saric, who could be a target in free agency, Fischer says.
While it won’t be one of their top short-term priorities as free agency begins, the Clippers are expected to eventually work out an extension with center Ivica Zubac, sources tell Yahoo Sports.

Nikola Jokic Included On Serbia’s Preliminary Olympic Roster

June 10th, 2024 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Serbian national team has officially unveiled its preliminary roster for the 2024 Olympics, and that group is headlined by a noteworthy name. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is one of the 16 players on Serbia’s preliminary roster, which will be cut down to 12 players for this summer’s games in Paris.

Jokic was noncommittal when asked last month at the end of Denver’s season whether he intended to play for Serbia in the Olympics. Svetislav Pesic, the head coach of the national team, recently stated that the Nuggets star remained undecided. Jokic’s inclusion on the 16-man preliminary roster doesn’t guarantee he’ll be in Paris, but it’s a signal that he’s planning to participate.

Even without Jokic, the Serbians claimed a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, falling to Germany in the final but qualifying for the Olympics based on that deep World Cup run. Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic and Heat forward Nikola Jovic were among the key players on that team.

Bogdanovic and Jovic are also on the preliminary Olympic roster, and are joined by three more NBA players in Jokic, Hornets guard Vasilije Micic, and Hornets forward Aleksej Pokusevski. Filip Petrusev and Marko Guduric previously played in the NBA, while Nikola Milutinov, Ognjen Jaramaz, and Vanja Marinkovic were selected in past drafts but have never signed NBA contracts.

Serbia will be in Group C along with the United States at the Olympics and can secure a spot in the quarterfinals with a top-two finish in round-robin play. South Sudan and the winner of an Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico (Lithuania is the top-rated club in that six-team tournament) will be the other competition in Group C. Assuming Jokic plays, he could end up facing fellow Nuggets star Jamal Murray – who will suit up for Canada – at some point in the single-elimination portion of the event.

Southeast Notes: Keefe, Gafford, Micic, Hornets, Pullin

June 6th, 2024 at 10:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

After getting the interim tag removed, Wizards head coach Brian Keefe is focused on continuing to build relationships within the organization, according to the Washington Post’s Ava Wallace.

“This is a relationship business,” he said. “And when you develop these relationships, then you can really dig into the stuff that we need to improve on.”

The Wizards went just 8-31 after Keefe was named interim coach, but they were impressed by his forward-thinking approach.

“We’re always going to be looking for what’s best for our group now, but also what’s best for our group going forward,” Keefe said, per The Associated Press. “One of the things I think is, how can we best use our players? And that might not be right now. That might pay off in two years from now.”

Keefe faces a different set of challenges than coaches hired by contenders, Josh Robbins of The Athletic opines. Robbins notes that it won’t easy to convince his players to play with unselfishness on offense and with effort on defense when many of those players will attempt to stand out in order to earn more lucrative contracts. It will also be tough for him to keep veteran players positive as the losses accumulate.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

After being stuck on the going-nowhere Wizards, Daniel Gafford felt a huge sense of relief when he was traded to the Mavericks, he told David Aldridge of The Athletic. “It’s more like, with me, in all honestly, I felt, just, it was a lot of weight that was just lifted off of me,” Gafford said. “Because I felt it was a situation that was going to be better for me, of course. But I hated to leave a team where I’d built a lot of relationships with. It was a good atmosphere, always, when I was in D.C. … one door closed and another door opened for me.”
Vasilije Micic embraced the challenge of an expanded role with the Hornets in his first NBA season after getting traded by the Thunder. Micic, the former EuroLeague star, is entering the second year of a three-year contract. “It was good for me,” he told HoopsHype’s Cyro Asseo de Choch. “I was very happy to get the chance, and to be honest, since I came there, I came up with an idea to face all the challenges that I could potentially face even though I was 29, even though I settled myself so well in Europe. I just wanted that challenge, and so far, it’s going OK.
A more harmonious franchise structure from top to bottom and better player development are some of the keys to turning around the Hornets, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer opines.
University of Florida guard Zyon Pullin is working out for the Heat today and the Magic on Saturday. Currently ranked No. 90 on ESPN’s Best Available list, Pullin hopes to elevate his stock to second-round consideration, he told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Definitely hope to go probably second round,” Pullin said. “Ultimately, I could see myself going somewhere in that ballpark. I’m pretty confident. I know my capabilities. I’m very realistic. I don’t like to live in a fictional world. Whatever that is at the end of the day, I’m confident that it’s just another stepping stone.”

International Notes: Caboclo, Brown, Nunn, Pre-Draft Camp

June 2nd, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Bruno Caboclo‘s future with KK Partizan could be in jeopardy after he recently left the team without permission to travel to Orlando, according to BasketNews.

The Serbian club announced sanctions on Caboclo for “setting a precedent” for his teammates, although the details weren’t released. Partizan will start a best-of-three playoff series with Crvena Zvezda on Monday.

The team said Caboclo “allegedly” traveled to Florida as part of his duties with the Brazilian national team, but a report from Mozzart Sport states that he was attending a child custody hearing. Caboclo reportedly asked for permission to attend the hearing nearly two weeks ago, but the request was denied because it conflicted with preparing for the playoffs.

The announcement from Partizan notes that the team has an option to keep Caboclo under contract, but no decision has been made. The 28-year-old forward has been playing overseas since his last NBA appearance during the 2020/21 season.

There’s more international news to pass along:

Former NBA point guard Lorenzo Brown has no intention of leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv, BasketNews adds in a separate story. Brown holds a Spanish passport that enables him to play for Spain’s national team, and there were rumors that he might consider signing with Real Madrid. “I have no idea what is happening and where these rumors come from. I read a lot, like all of you, but I fully intend to stay at Maccabi. I’m very comfortable here,” he said. “I think this is the best place I’ve ever played. I’m looking forward to the next season to start a new journey together with my teammates.”
Kendrick Nunn led Panathinaikos to the EuroLeague title, but he may not have joined the Greek team without an assist from NBA veteran Goran Dragic, Eurohoops relays. In an interview with Meridian Sport, Panathinaikos sporting director Sani Becirovic talked about the role Dragic played in recruiting Nunn. “Goran Dragic helped me a lot there. At the time, Kendrick was training with Zoran Dragic in Miami, so Goran allowed me to explain everything to him,” Becirovic said. “… It still wasn’t easy getting an important NBA player to leave Disneyland. That was the hardest.”
A few NBA players and a collection of assistant coaches are attending a pre-draft camp for international prospects in Treviso this weekend, according to Eurohoops. James Harden, Nikola Jovic, Vasilije Micic and Ivica Zubac made an appearance and signed autographs at adidas EuroCamp.

Southeast Notes: Bertāns, Micić, Wizards, Wagner

April 11th, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Hornets forward Dāvis Bertāns joined the team alongside Tre Mann and Vasilije Micić at the February trade deadline, but wasn’t viewed as a centerpiece of the deal that sent Gordon Hayward out of Charlotte. However, as The Charlotte Observer’s Roderick Boone points out, Bertāns is performing well for the Hornets after working his way into the rotation, averaging his most points (8.8) and minutes (20.8) per game since he was with the Wizards in 2020/21.

Bertāns quickly became one of former head coach Steve Clifford‘s trusted reserves, with the team running set plays for the dangerous three-point scorer. In his 27 games with the Hornets so far, he’s shooting 37.3% from deep on 6.3 attempts per night. In fact, he has 18 games with multiple three-pointers made off the bench, marking the most in the NBA during that stretch.

“He’s a terrific shooter, obviously, but he creates a lot of problems for the defense just with his movement,” Clifford said. “And he never holds the ball. He either shoots it or moves it, which is the play.”

Bertāns’ play provides a glimpse into what could be next season when LaMelo Ball is healthy, with the 6’10” allowing the star guard more room to maneuver with his floor-stretching capabilities. However, Boone ponders whether Bertāns will remain with the team next season. Bertāns has an early termination option for next season worth $16MM and could get multiyear offers from contending teams if he hits the open market, Boone writes.

For what it’s worth, Bertans seems to have enjoyed his time in Charlotte so far this season.

“I’ve always loved shooting in [Spectrum Center], so it’s good to have more games [there] than before,” Bertāns said. “And definitely the crowd. Even though the season hasn’t been great winning-wise, the fans have been great and it’s a lot more people in [that] arena than other teams that are not making the playoffs. So, I think a bright future is ahead for the organization.”

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Like Bertāns, Micić didn’t play much for the Thunder after coming over from Europe to begin his NBA career this season. However, he has turned a corner after earning playing time with the Hornets, averaging 11.3 points and 6.4 assists in his first 28 games (19 starts) with Charlotte. “I’m more comfortable every day,” Micić said this week, according to Eurohoops.net. “… I’m trying to play more relaxed, at my own rhythm, without chasing anything. It’s hard when you don’t have enough minutes, but at this moment, with these circumstances, I have these minutes, and I’m just hoping it looks good from the outside.” Micić is in the first year of the three-year, $23.6MM deal he signed last offseason. He’s under contract for about $7.7MM next year and has a team option worth $8.1MM in 2025/26.
At 15-65, the Wizards are wrapping up what will be the worst season in franchise history in regard to record. ESPN’s Dotun Akintoye explores Washington’s rebuild and how the Wizards have gotten to this point. Akintoye cautions against the ritual of losing and expecting to lose, along with the lack of cohesion that can follow.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said Franz Wagner is “progressing slowly” from his right ankle sprain, according to Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Beede (Twitter link). “He’ll go through some work tomorrow as well and we’ll continue to see how he responds to those treatments,” Mosley said.