Zaid Abbas

International Notes: Zaid Abbas, John Shurna

Earlier this week, former Blazers forward Luke Babbitt reached a deal with Russia's BC Nizhny Novgorod on a one-year contract that doesn't include an NBA out clause.  Agent Bill Duffy explained that his client will benefit from playing 30 minutes per contest and developing his game further before returning stateside.  Here's today's look around the globe..

  • Jordanian forward Zaid Abbas has signed with Tianjin of China, agent Giovanni Funiciello told HoopsHype (on Twitter).  Abbas had a bit of NBA interest, but his new deal means that he'll play a fourth consecutive season in China.  The 29-year-old was said to be holding off on a new deal in China over optimism for an NBA deal this month, but it would appear that nothing materialized to his liking.
  • Forward John Shurna signed with Spanish club Joventut de Badalona, according to Mark Porcaro of Secret Rival (via Twitter).  The Northwestern product was in summer league with the Hawks after going undrafted in 2012 and joined the Bucks' squad this offseason.

Odds & Ends: Nets, Celtics, Mavs, Barea

The Nets and Celtics had agreed last month to the framework of a trade that involved Paul Pierce, but not Kevin Garnett, writes Howard Beck of The New York Times. Then, Brooklyn GM Billy King asked Boston counterpart Danny Ainge whether Garnett would be available, too, and the deal began to morph into the nine-player swap that was finalized today. Here's more on an ever-changing NBA landscape:

  • The Mavs lost a pair of guards to injury, but they aren't interested in a trade that would bring back J.J. Bareatweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities.
  • According to Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter), it's
    worth keeping an eye on Jordanian forward Zaid Abbas, who may be NBA-bound next
    month. Amick adds in a second tweet that Abbas is holding off on signing with a
    Chinese team due to optimism about potential NBA workouts in August.
  • The Rockets hold the rights to Kostas Papanikolaou after acquiring him as part of the Thomas Robinson trade, but the Bucks are among other NBA teams with interest in the 6'9" Greek small forward who "definitely" wants to play in the NBA this season, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link).
  • With Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington and Omri Casspi all joining other teams, the Cavaliers renounced their rights to the trio today, according to the RealGM transactions log. The Cavs did the same with Luke Walton, who remains a free agent.