Basket rumors

Alex Mumbru: Luis Arbalejo always keeps an eye on the market

Valencia coach Alex Mumbru commented on the market rumours about Kevin Pangos on the eve of the EuroLeague match with Bayern Munich.

“The roster is always alive, right now we have 12 players available counting Justin (Anderson, latest arrival, ed), the reality is that we hardly have the 15 first team players. The sporting director, Luis Arbalejo, always keeps an eye on the market’.

According to Relevo, these are the decisive hours for the passage, or not, of Kevin Pangos to Valencia.

Dez Wells joins Hapoel Tel Aviv

Hapoel Tel Aviv strengthens the roster on the perimeter with the arrival of Dez Wells.

The Maryland product started the season in the CBA with Jilin Northeast (19.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists).

Wells signed a two-month contract with an option until the end of the season.

 

NBA prospect Nikola Topic returns to Crvena Zvedza

Talented NBA prospect Nikola Topic is returning to Crvena Zvedza, the Serbian team announced.

Topic started the season on loan to Mega Bemax, where he was averaging 18.5 points (61% FG, 31% 3P, 87% FT) and 6.5 assists per game in ABA Liga.

The 18-year-old Serbian point guard is ranked ninth in ESPN’s latest NBA Draft Top 25.

Kevin Pangos in advanced talks to leave Milan and sign with Valencia

Relevo talks about the possible move of Kevin Pangos to Valencia, a negotiation that has been going on for some time now.

The point guard has reportedly refused a transfer to Red Star, but would favor the Spanish solution.

The problem is economic, as the player does not want to give up the rich salary received with Olimpia, the Spanish portal explains.

Obviously without an agreement to terminate his contract with Milan, the Canadian point guard will not be able to accept Valencia’s offer.

Valencia wants Pangos to pair him in the point guard role alongside Stefan Jovic, with Chris Jones being freer to utilize his talents off the ball.

A deal would benefit all parties involved; the next few hours will be decisive.

Partizan and Nicolò Melli are not in talks

Partizan on Nicolò Melli? Sources from Serbia for ROM, and the Telesport website, deny the news. The Belgrade club would not be on the trail of Olimpia Milano’s captain.

2.5 million euro per year offer on the table for a two-year period? This is what emerged today in Corriere della Sera, but the negotiation is not confirmed.

Nicolò Melli will end a three-year €6 million deal with the biancorossa club on 30 June 2024. The renewal negotiation between the parties would not have entered into full swing, given the complexity of Olimpia Milano’s season so far, but Partizan does not seem to be an option.

The feeling is that the will of the club, and of Nicolò Melli, is to find an agreement, the last big contract of the Olimpia Milano and Italbasket captain’s career. And Partizan will not be the third wheel.

So, it is difficult today to imagine a future away from Milan for Nicolò Melli. Whose dream, as reiterated this summer in the podcast with Gigi Datome, is to play another EuroLeague final in red and white.

Bahçeşehir reportedly close to a deal with Dejan Radonjic for the bench

Bahçeşehir are about to close the deal on the bench with Dejan Radonjic.

Currently, the team, led by Sinan Atalay, is coming off a success over Samunspor on 23 December, and has a 6-7 record in the BSL.

Radonjic left the Panathinaikos bench in the EuroLeague in February. The president of the Turkish club Hasan Arat has already announced the merger with Besiktas for next season and is working on a wild card in the EuroLeague.

Partizan reportedly ready to make an offer to Nicolò Melli

According to Corriere della Sera’s Flavio Vanetti, Partizan are ready to put a €2.5 million a year offer on the table for Nicolò Melli.

Melli, captain of Olimpia Milano, sees his three-year contract signed in 2021 expiring on June 30 for around €2 million net per season.

At Partizan, the Azzurri captain would find Zeljko Obradovic, one of the most decisive coaches in Melli’s line-up, and with whom he also played a EuroLeague final at Fenerbahce.

AEK evaluates Jordan Morgan to replace Mfiondu Kabengele

AEK evaluates Jordan Morgan to replace Mfiondu Kabengele.

The centre is averaging 6.2 points and 4 rebounds in VTB with Kuban.

Justin Anderson joins Valencia

Valencia has announced the signing of Justin Anderson, a former NBA first-round pick who completed his deal with Breogan Lugo yesterday.

Anderson put together averages of 12.6 points, 2.5 assists, one block and 1.7 steals in 12 games between BCL and ACB.

The Virginia product signed a 45-day contract that can be extended until the end of the season.

Anderson will join immediately the Taronja team’s practices and could make his debut in Euroleague on Thursday, Dec. 28 against Bayern Munich

 

Jaleen Smith leaves Virtus Bologna to sign with Partizan

Jaleen Smith leaves Virtus Bologna and signs with Partizan. This was announced by Israeli journalist Arel Ginsber.

The contract will be until the end of the season with a renewal option for 2024-2025.

De Raffaele to replace Ramondino on Derthona’s bench

Betram Derthona’s defeat against Nutribullet Treviso will cost Marco Ramondino the bench. This is what we learned in these minutes from Sportando.

The team will pass into the hands of Walter De Raffaele, two Scudetti with Reyer Venezia.

Nikola Tanaskovic signs multi-year deal with Buducnost

Buducnost has announced the signing of Nikola Tanaskovic.

The 26-year-old Serbian forward arrives from Igokea, where he was producing 12.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game between ABA Liga and BCL.

Tanaskovic signed a contract through 2026.

 

Reyer Venezia in talks with Mfiondu Kebengele, also Virtus Bologna in the mix

Reyer Venezia are close to an agreement with centre Mfiondu Kebengele, but according to Repubblica, Virtus Bologna could also make their move.

According to Sportando, Reyer Venezia have had a full agreement for a few days now with Mfiondu Kabengele, the Canadian centre who is averaging 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in the four games played with Aek Athens in the BCL.

In fact, the Orogranata club would only have to sustain the buyout to free the 207-centimetre, 113-pound class of 1997 from Burlington, Ontario.

However, according to Repubblica, Virtus Bologna would be evaluating the player. In the case, Kebengele could hardly say no to the offer of a club launched in the LBA and EuroLeague.

However, the club would first have to give up Devontae Cacok’s contract. Who, according to Repubblica, would be in the sights of Hapoel Tel Aviv and Venice itself. Who would then have their “plan B”, although it would have to be agreed upon economically given the high salary with the “Vu Nera”.

Shabazz Napier-Olimpia Milan, the latest updates

Olimpia Milano at the details of the transaction for Shabazz Napier.

 

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Shabazz Napier will be an Olimpia Milano player. Ettore Messina’s words in the post-game with Asvel (‘I have no news to give you’) should be read in the light of common sense, caution and respect towards Red Star, at the moment still holding the player’s contract.

In the meantime, Napier, who was spotted at Belgrade airport yesterday, has arrived in Milan to speed up the final paperwork for what will be a contract until 30 June 2024, i.e. just over six months.

The desire of the parties is to close the deal with Crvena Zvezda soon, free the Roxbury playmaker from the existing bonds and deposit the contract in the italian league.

It is a race against time to line up the UConn product already on Sunday 24 December in the Lombardy derby against Cremona. A mission that is anything but simple.

Ioannis Sfairopoulos on Napier: He is going to Armani

Ioannis Sfairopoulos announces: “Shabazz Napier is not here with us, he will go to Armani”.

The Red Star coach, in the aftermath of the loss to Real and the long-distance controversy with Shabazz Napier, goes further, announcing the player’s move to Olimpia Milano.

The press returns to Sfairopoulos’ words in the post-game with Real: “Change team”. The Greek coach confirms what was said, and indeed goes further.

“What I had to say. I have already said. What I had to say, I have said. He is no longer with us because he is going to Armani’.

 

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Bertram Derthona close to a deal with Colbey Ross

Bertram Derthona close to a deal with Colbey Ross, a source told Sportando.

According to what was confirmed to Sportando, the MVP of the latest LBA has agreed with the Piedmontese club. The contract would be multi-year.

In recent days, Varese Basketball has also worked to bring the point guard back to the red and white, then Derthona’s overtaking.

Kazys Maksvytis: It would be crazy to let Evans go at this time

Žalgiris recently faced and defeated Wolves with a score of 79-55 in the 13th round of LKL 2023-24. Following a turbulent week for the club, coach Kazys Maksvytis commented on his confirmation as head coach and the situation of player Keenan Evans.

Regarding his confirmation as head coach, Maksvytis stated: “I don’t want to comment on Friday’s events. Officially, I worked and continue to work for ‘Žalgiris’. On one hand, I am very happy because I received a lot of support from within the team – from the staff and the players. I also received support from people close to me and from our main group of fans. This is what matters most to me, I don’t want to comment on everything else. I continue to work.”

On the situation of Keenan Evans, Maksvytis said: “I talked a little with Paulius Jankūnas. As far as I know, [Evans] doesn’t have an exit clause and it would be crazy to let him go at this time.”

Pallacanestro Varese reportedly in talks with Colbey Ross

Negotiations in progress between Varese Basketball and Colbey Ross. This was reported by La Prealpina.

According to the Varese newspaper, there is an important economic proposal from the red and white club on one hand, and the player’s availability on the other.

Ross at Buducnost produced an average of 5.2 points in EuroCup with 3.1 assists, 10.3 points with 4.3 assists in Aba.

Will Cummings joins Hapoel Tel Aviv

Hapoel Tel Aviv strengthens the backcourt with the signing of Will Cummings.

The former Temple guard arrives from the South East Melbourne, where he was scoring 14.5 points with 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game in the NBL.

 

Zalgiris Kaunas reportedly considering parting with Keenan Evans against buyout

Zalgiris Kaunas is reportedly considering parting with Keenan Evans against buyout, as the player will be free-agent at the end of the season. This was reported by Eurohoops.

The player is the subject of interest from several EuroLeague teams and a farewell in the summer to Lithuania for a club with greater ambitions and a higher contract is taken for granted.

That is why Zalgiris are reportedly listening to offers, as there is still a strong demand for high-level outfielders in the EuroLeague.

According to Sportando, the demands, from the club as well as the player, would be high, and at the same time the latter would prefer the many minutes at Zalgiris until the end of the season and then capitalise in the summer.

Olimpia Milano has probed Evans in the past weeks, to no avail. Today, Barcelona seems to be the first choice: in the short term as well as at the end of the season.

 

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