Basket rumors

08/07/202619:37

Maccabi Tel Aviv closing in on Bruno Fernando

Maccabi Tel Aviv is in advanced negotiations to sign Bruno Fernando, according to Moshe Barda of ONE. The Israeli club has reportedly offered the Angolan center a contract worth $2.1 million per season in an effort to complete one of the biggest signings of the offseason.

Fernando, 27, finished the 2025-26 campaign with Partizan after a brief stint at Real Madrid, where he won the Spanish League title. Although the agreement has not yet been finalized, both sides are believed to be close to reaching a deal.

Meanwhile, Maccabi has officially announced a two-year contract extension for longtime captain John DiBartolomeo through 2028.

08/07/202617:59

Barça, SPORT: real risk Moses Wright deal could collapse

Barcelona are facing a real risk of missing out on Moses Wright. According to SPORT, the agreement with the American center has been closed for months, but the uncertainty surrounding the club’s basketball section is complicating the move.

Barça are still without a head coach and continue to work on the Paolo Galbiati situation, with negotiations with Baskonia stalled by the Basque club’s financial demands. That uncertainty is also affecting Wright’s position.

Wright is coming off a strong EuroLeague season with Zalgiris, averaging 13.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. His Barcelona contract reportedly includes an exit clause, and SPORT says several clubs are ready to trigger it, making the risk of him not joining Barça real.

08/07/202611:37

Virtus Bologna Parts Ways with Matt Morgan After Two Seasons

Virtus Bologna has thanked Matt Morgan for his two seasons with the club.

The guard made 144 total appearances in a Virtus jersey and was one of the key contributors during the season that brought the club its 17th Italian championship title. He also finished as the team’s third-leading scorer in the recently completed campaign.

“Thank you, Matt, and best of luck for the next chapter of your career,” Virtus Bologna said in its farewell message.

 

08/07/202611:25

Derthona Basket Signs Karim Jallow

Derthona Basket has announced the signing of Karim Jallow for the 2026-27 season.

The forward joins Derthona after spending last season with Virtus Bologna, where he made his EuroLeague debut. Jallow appeared in 37 games in the competition, starting 27 of them, and averaged 5.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 21.0 minutes per game.

Across 35 official games in Italian competitions, the former Virtus player recorded averages of 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per contest.

“I’m obviously very happy to be on board. I really can’t wait to start this new adventure and play for Derthona,” Jallow said in his first words as a new player of the club. “I’m eager to meet the Lions’ fans, my teammates, and the staff. See you soon, guys!”

“Signing Karim represents a very important moment in building our team. He will bring toughness, competitiveness, and athleticism, qualities that we are sure will help us on our journey,” said head coach Mario Fioretti.

08/07/202611:09

Peyton Aldridge Returns to Turkey, Signs with BSL Newcomers

Peyton Aldridge is returning to Turkey to join Pizzabulls Bandirma Bordo, the newly promoted BSL team.

The 30-year-old power forward leaves Trento after a good season, averaging 7.9 points and 5.2 rebounds in 24 minutes per game across the LBA and EuroCup.

Aldridge shot 49% from the field, 43% from three-point range, and 83% from the free-throw line during the 2025-26 campaign.

08/07/202610:56

Fenerbahce and Valencia Reportedly Interested in Joel Parra

According to Encestando, Joel Parra could leave Barcelona this summer.

Both Fenerbahce and Valencia are reportedly considering paying his release clause, which is believed to be around €1 million.

The 26-year-old forward completed his third season with the Blaugrana, averaging 8.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in the ACB, while posting 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague.

So far, Barcelona announced only the departures of eight players, along with Jan Vesely’s retirement and the separation from head coach Pedro Martinez.

08/07/202610:36

Virtus Bologna Parts Ways with Karim Jallow

Virtus Bologna has announced that it has exercised the exit option included in the contract with Karim Jallow.

The club wished the German forward the best of luck for the next chapter of his professional career.

Jallow averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 20 minutes per game during the 2025-26 season, combining his appearances in the EuroLeague and LBA.

08/07/202610:15

OFFICIAL: RJ Cole Joins Olimpia Milano

Olimpia Milano has reached an agreement with RJ Cole, a 1.85 mt point guard born on August 24, 1999, in Union City, New Jersey, coming off Reyer Venezia.

RJ COLE – “I’m really excited for the opportunity to play for such an historical team like Olimpia Milano. I’m deeply humbled and grateful for being abe to achieve another goal of mine since I started my professional career. I can’t wait to go out there with the other players and play with the passion and the fight that the fans deserve”.

HIS CAREER – RJ Cole played for three seasons at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City. In his junior year, the team went undefeated, going 32-0, won the state title, and was ranked No. 4 nationally. In 2017, he began attending Howard University in Washington. In 2018, he was named the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Rookie of the Year and named to the conference first team, finishing his first season with 23.7 points and 6.1 assists per game. The following season, when he averaged 21.4 points and 6.7 assists per game, he was named the conference Player of the Year and was again named to the conference first team, obviously. In 2019, he left Howard to play for Connecticut (12.2 points and 4.3 assists per game in 2020-21). In the 2021-22 season, he was named to the Big East Conference first team after averaging 15.8 points and 4.1 assists per game. In both seasons at UConn, his team qualified for the NCAA Tournament. In 2022, he began his professional career in Greece with Lavrio (13.8 points and 4.7 assists per game) before moving to Germany, with Braunschweig (14.1 points and 4.9 assists per game). In 2023, he moved to Vilnius (10.3 points and 3.9 assists per game) helping the team win the Lithuanian championship (he averaed 9.7 points and 5.0 assists in the FIBA ​​BCL). In his second year in Vilnius, he played again in the FIBA ​​BCL (15.1 points and 3.9 assists per game), and Vilnius returned to the finals in Lithuania, this time losing to Zalgiris (11.8 points and 3.4 assists per game). In 2025-26, he played in Venezia (16.6 points and 5.1 assists per game in the Italian League), making his Eurocup debut (12.2 points and 4.9 assists per game).

NOTES – His father, Robert Cole, has been inducted into the Long Island University Basketball Hall of Fame, where he played until 1983. His high school coach was Hall of Famer Bob Hurley Sr., the father of his UConn coach, Dan Hurley.

08/07/202609:21

Buducnost Signs Justin Smith

Justin Smith is a new player of Buducnost, as announced by the Montenegrin club.

The forward spent last season with Hapoel Jerusalem, averaging 13.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 23 minutes per game in the Israeli league.

In the EuroCup, Smith finished the campaign with averages of 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game.

08/07/202608:47

Nicolas Batum Reportedly Set to Return to ASVEL After 18 NBA Seasons

After an 18-season NBA career, Nicolas Batum is set to return to France and suit up for ASVEL next season.

The news was first reported by Backdoor Podcast.

Batum averaged 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists over his NBA career, with a career-high 15.1 points per game during the 2016-17 season.

Having transitioned into a valuable role player in recent years, Batum spent the last six seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers—aside from a brief stint with the Philadelphia 76ers—while consistently shooting around 40% from three-point range.

At ASVEL, he will reunite with Tony Parker, under whose leadership the club is building its project. The two also shared some of the greatest moments in the history of the French national team.

An official announcement is expected soon.

08/07/202607:29

Guerschon Yabusele Agrees to Three-Year Deal with Panathinaikos

Guerschon Yabusele has agreed to a three-year contract worth approximately $15 million with Panathinaikos.

The news was first reported by Michael Scotto, while Eurohoops revealed the financial details of the agreement.

The 30-year-old French power forward is set to return to Europe after spending the past two seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls.

Yabusele appeared in 41 games for the future NBA champion New York Knicks this season. Before the trade deadline, he declined his player option to facilitate a move to the Bulls, where he was expected to have a larger role after averaging just eight minutes per game under coach Mike Brown in New York.

At Panathinaikos, Yabusele will join a roster built to compete for every title alongside fellow French international Mathias Lessort and another of Europe’s highest-paid players, star guard Kendrick Nunn.

 

 

 

07/07/202620:45

ASVEL Villeurbanne lands Joel Bolomboy to strengthen its frontcourt

ASVEL Villeurbanne has secured another major addition for its EuroLeague roster, with Joel Bolomboy committing to the French club after three seasons with Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, according to BasketNews.

The experienced center is expected to partner with Daniel Theis, giving ASVEL one of the competition’s strongest frontcourt rotations. Despite being hampered by injuries during the 2025-26 EuroLeague season, Bolomboy averaged 5.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in limited action while shooting efficiently from both two-point and three-point range.

His arrival follows the signings of Sylvain Francisco, Nick Weiler-Babb, Armoni Brooks, Both Gach, and Yves Pons, highlighting Tony Parker’s determination to build a team capable of competing at the highest level.

07/07/202610:26

Promitheas Patras close to signing Shannon Evans

Promitheas Patras are working on an important backcourt addition. According to SPORT24, the Greek club is close to signing Shannon Evans, a 31-year-old, 1.85m American point guard.

Evans has extensive experience in European basketball, having played on the continent since 2018 in Hungary, France, Turkey and Spain. His latest stop was outside Europe, with SM in Indonesia.

In his previous Liga ACB season with MoraBanc Andorra, Evans averaged 13.4 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Promitheas would add a guard able to impact the game both as a scorer and a creator.

07/07/202610:23

Panathinaikos reportedly reach agreement with Isaac Bonga

Isaac Bonga has reportedly reached an agreement with Panathinaikos. According to SDNA, the German player is expected in Athens today to undergo medical tests and formally complete the transfer.

The contract is reportedly a three-year deal with a progressive structure, worth a total of €6.5 million. Panathinaikos are adding a physical and experienced EuroLeague frontcourt piece to their roster.

Bonga, coming off his stint with Partizan, is well known to Zeljko Obradovic. Last season in EuroLeague, he averaged 10 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 14.3 PIR over 28 games.

07/07/202609:44

Tarik Biberovic-Dallas move to bring Fenerbahce around €2 million

Tarik Biberovic is getting closer to the Dallas Mavericks. According to Mundo Deportivo, barring a late twist, the Fenerbahce forward is expected to join the Texas franchise for the 2026-27 season.

The player, selected with the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with Dallas, with the second season being optional. Biberovic’s NBA-out clause expires on July 7.

Fenerbahce are expected to receive around €2 million from the move, including €900,000 paid by the Mavericks. It is a significant loss for Sarunas Jasikevicius’ team, while Dallas add another European talent after Sergio De Larrea and Santi Aldama.

07/07/202609:35

DJ Steward leaves Aquila Trento

DJ Steward has officially left Dolomiti Energia Trento. According to Corriere del Trentino, the American guard exercised the opt-out clause included in the two-year deal he signed last summer, ending his time with the Italian club one year early.

Steward played 53 games for Trento in his first European season, averaging 15.3 points per game. His offensive talent was clear, highlighted by a 38-point performance against Virtus Bologna in Game 5 of the playoff quarterfinals, although his year also featured inconsistency and defensive issues.

His future is expected to be in Spain, with Saski Baskonia mentioned as his likely next destination. The move would give Steward the chance to test himself in EuroLeague after his debut season in European basketball.

06/07/202622:40

BC Roma SPQR reportedly target Igor Milicic as head coach

SPQR Roma have reportedly identified their new head coach for the technical and sporting project connected to Luka Doncic and Donnie Nelson. According to Superbasket, the chosen name is Igor Milicic.

The 50-year-old Croatian coach is a familiar figure in Italian basketball: in the 2023-24 season, he led Napoli to the Italian Cup title. Milicic, also head coach of Poland’s national team, has won three PKL league titles with Wloclawek and Ostrow.

In 2025-26, he coached Aris Thessaloniki in Greece, finishing fifth in the domestic league before not being retained by the club’s new ownership. Milicic is reportedly working to finalize the settlement of his agreement with Aris before completing talks with the new Rome-based club.

06/07/202622:33

Partizan talks with Zach LeDay stall amid Hapoel Tel Aviv interest

Partizan are still working on a potential return for Zach LeDay, but negotiations have reportedly stalled. According to Basketball Sphere, the former Olimpia Milano forward initially received a two-year offer worth €4.5 million.

After rumors of Hapoel Tel Aviv’s interest emerged, LeDay reportedly increased his demands to a total of €5.2 million: €2.5 million for the first season and €2.7 million for the second. Partizan are not expected to raise their offer further.

Last season in EuroLeague, LeDay averaged 13.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists over 30 games with Milano. Meanwhile, Partizan are also considering a possible return of Alen Smailagic to Belgrade.

06/07/202622:12

Dubai reportedly offer €6 million to Thomas Walkup

Dubai are targeting Thomas Walkup. According to Greek outlet Gazzetta, the club is ready to offer the Olympiacos playmaker a two-year contract worth €6 million.

Walkup has an option to extend his deal with Olympiacos for one more season, which would reportedly pay him around €1.2 million next year. Dubai’s serious interest is now a major obstacle for the Greek club in its attempt to keep him.

Last season in EuroLeague, which Olympiacos won, Walkup averaged 5.3 points and 5.7 assists in 24 minutes per game. Olympiacos have already announced Cody Miller-McIntyre and are expected to add Jean Montero, while Dubai, after extending McKinley Wright, are looking for another high-level point guard.

06/07/202621:33

Barcelona reportedly pull back from Paolo Galbiati talks

Barcelona have reportedly changed direction in their search for a new head coach. According to Ernest Macià, with Gerard Solé also reporting the update, the club have informed Paolo Galbiati’s entourage that they are not currently counting on him.

Galbiati, currently head coach of Baskonia, had been strongly linked with the Barcelona bench in recent days amid a very active European coaching market. However, the latest development points to a clear slowdown in that scenario.

Galbiati therefore remains tied to Baskonia, where both the coach and the club had previously indicated continuity for next season. Barcelona will now move into a new phase in their search for a head coach.

06/07/202618:50

Valencia Basket make move for Nadir Hifi

Valencia Basket are working to rebuild their backcourt after losing De Larrea, Montero and Badio. According to Juan Carlos Villena, the Spanish club have targeted Nadir Hifi, one of Paris Basketball’s standout players in the last EuroLeague season.

The French guard, who will turn 24 on July 16, averaged 18.9 points and 3.8 assists per game in EuroLeague. His contract with Paris Basketball runs until 2028 and does not include a EuroLeague exit clause, only an NBA-out option.

Paris Basketball’s valuation to release him is reportedly around €2 million. The deal is neither closed nor easy, but Valencia remain active on several backcourt targets, including TJ Shorts and Trent Frazier, as they try to build another high-level perimeter group.

06/07/202616:15

Johnny Juzang on Besiktas’ radar

Besiktas is focused on signing Johnny Juzang ahead of the new season, according to Sportando. The former Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves guard is coming off a stint with Zenit St. Petersburg, where he averaged 14.0 points over 17 games while shooting an impressive 45% from beyond the arc.

His scoring ability and perimeter shooting make him one of Besiktas’ primary backcourt targets as the Turkish club continues to strengthen its roster for the upcoming campaign.

06/07/202612:51

Sylvain Francisco-ASVEL, NBA door reportedly still open

Sylvain Francisco has signed a historic contract with ASVEL, but his future may not be fully settled yet. According to Basketnews, the French guard has a 30-day window, until July 30, to trigger an NBA-out clause included in his new deal.

The former Zalgiris Kaunas guard had already made it clear that the NBA remained his main goal before joining Villeurbanne. At the same time, after signing with ASVEL, Francisco described the move as a childhood dream, highlighting the emotional value of the project.

A move to the NBA would still be complicated, especially considering the financial weight of his three-year ASVEL contract, reportedly worth around €16 million. Francisco has not shown any concrete sign of wanting to leave Villeurbanne for now, but the clause keeps the scenario open until the end of July.

06/07/202611:14

ASVEL closing in on Joel Bolomboy

Joel Bolomboy is close to joining LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. According to Eurohoops, the 32-year-old center is finalizing a contract with the French club.

Bolomboy reportedly chose ASVEL’s new project after receiving offers from other EuroLeague teams. His arrival would represent a significant frontcourt addition for Tony Parker’s team.

The veteran big man is coming off his stint with Crvena Zvezda and would bring physicality, experience and interior presence to ASVEL ahead of the next European season.

06/07/202610:49

Barcelona-Galbiati talks still stalled

The talks between Barcelona and Baskonia for Paolo Galbiati remain stalled. According to Encestando, the blaugrana club wants to appoint the Italian coach, but discussions with Baskonia have not yet produced a breakthrough.

The situation is also linked to the broader market context, with Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Baskonia’s Spanish ACB rights in the background. Real Madrid, interested in the French forward, are reportedly willing to negotiate compensation to release those rights.

As for Galbiati, Encestando reports that there has been only one conversation between Barcelona and Baskonia in recent days, with no formal offer made to unlock the situation. The file remains open.

06/07/202610:36

Ike Iroegbu close to Zenit move

Ike Iroegbu is close to joining Zenit. According to Sport-Express, the Nigerian national team guard is in advanced talks with the Russian club and the sides are nearing an agreement.

Iroegbu, 31, began last season with Valencia, appearing in five official games and averaging 5 points and 1.2 assists. After his short-term contract with the Spanish club was not extended, he signed with Varese.

In Italy, he became one of the most productive players in the league, averaging 16.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals. With Nigeria, he won silver at AfroBasket 2017 and was named to the tournament’s All-Star Five.

06/07/202608:53

Nikola Mirotic linked with Barcelona return

Nikola Mirotic could return to Barcelona. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Montenegrin power forward is finalizing his exit from AS Monaco and would not rule out a comeback to the blaugrana club three years after his controversial departure in 2023.

Mirotic reportedly has very good memories of his four years at Palau between 2019 and 2023 and would see a Barça return as his first option if the club called. He has already received interest from several EuroLeague teams, including Valencia Basket.

Last season with Monaco, despite dealing with injuries, Mirotic averaged 11 points, 4.3 rebounds and a 12.7 PIR in EuroLeague, shooting 39.3% from three-point range.

06/07/202607:52

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot nearing Real Madrid move

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot is nearing a move to Real Madrid. According to BasketNews, the French forward is leaning toward joining the Spanish club after emerging as one of the most sought-after free agents on the EuroLeague market.

The 31-year-old is coming off the best season of his professional career with Baskonia. In EuroLeague, he averaged 18.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 25 minutes per game, shooting 55% from two, 41% from three and 90% from the free-throw line.

Luwawu-Cabarrot finished fourth in EuroLeague scoring and 13th in PIR, while also helping Baskonia win the 2026 Copa del Rey. Against Real Madrid, his expected next club, he scored 26 points in Baskonia’s 98-96 win.

05/07/202617:35

Tenerife Building Competitive Roster for Lakovic: López-Arostegui Signs, Core Veterans Confirmed

La Laguna Tenerife is working to build a competitive roster for new head coach Lakovic ahead of the upcoming season.

In recent days, the Spanish club has announced a new signing alongside the confirmations of three key players.

From Valencia Basket arrives Xabi López-Arostegui, who has signed a 2+1 contract.

On the retention side, the club has officially confirmed the continuation of veteran playmaker Marcelinho Huertas, Bruno Fitipaldo, and center Fran Guerra.

For Huertas, who recently turned 43, the upcoming season will mark his eighth with Tenerife, further extending his remarkable longevity at the club.

05/07/202616:57

Crvena Zvezda and Partizan Reportedly Compete for Alessandro Pajola

From Serbia comes reports of a market derby between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan Belgrade for Italian point guard Alessandro Pajola.

Partizan have reportedly shown interest following a direct request from coach Penarroya, who views him as an ideal addition to strengthen the backcourt rotation. Meanwhile, Crvena Zvezda’s long-standing interest in bringing Pajola to Belgrade is well known, also boosted by the presence of his former mentor and ex-teammate Milos Teodosic.

Pajola is said to be seeking a one-year deal worth €1.2 million.

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