Basket rumors

Dennis Smith Jr is already in Madrid to undergo medical tests before signing a deal with Real until the end of the season.

For the former Lottery Pick this will be the first experience in Europe.

Last year Smith Jr produced averages of 6.6 points, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals for the Brooklyn Nets.

Dennis Smith Jr emerges as the leading candidate to bolster Real Madrid’s backcourt. After an initial pause, negotiations with the former NBA player seem back on track, with the club aiming to add him as a complementary piece to Facundo Campazzo.

At 27, Smith Jr is ready to revive his career in the EuroLeague after losing his place in the NBA. Real Madrid views him as the perfect addition to inject scoring and athleticism into the rotation while providing relief for key starters without disrupting team chemistry.

Source: AS

Barcelona is ramping up efforts to sign Daron “Fatts” Russell, the American point guard currently playing for Pinar Karşıyaka as reported Mundo Deportivo.

The Turkish club’s financial struggles could facilitate the move, as Russell recently scored 40 points against Fenerbahçe. Known for his speed and ball-handling, Russell averages 15.7 points and 4.7 assists in the Turkish league, shooting 42% from three in the Basketball Champions League.

If the deal goes through, Barça would have three non-EU players on the roster and would need to rotate one out for Liga Endesa games.

According to Chema de Lucas, Real Madrid has expressed interest in Devonte’ Graham. The player signed a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers during the summer but was waived in October.

Since December, Graham has been playing in the G League, averaging 13.4 points and 4.4 assists per game with the South Bay Lakers.

A 1995-born point guard selected in the second round by the Hawks in 2018, Graham has appeared in 336 NBA games with the Hornets, Pelicans, and Spurs. His best season came in 2019-2020 with Charlotte, where he averaged 18.2 points and 7.5 assists per game.

ÚLTIMA HORA: El Real Madrid sigue la pista del base Devonte Graham (1,87 m.; 29 años).

Formado en la Universidad de Kansas, ha jugado 336 partidos en NBA entre Hornets, Pelicans y Spurs. En la actualidad juega en South Bay Lakers de la G-League.

— Chema de Lucas (@chemadelucas) January 10, 2025

Trapani Sharks have finalized an agreement with Barcelona for the loan of Dame Sarr. The news, initially reported by Pianetabasket and Chema de Lucas, has also been confirmed by Sportando.

Club president Valerio Antonini, speaking on Telesud, announced the arrival of an important Italian player currently playing abroad, though he did not reveal the name.

Dame Sarr, an Italian talent born in 2006, has made six domestic league appearances this season, averaging 9.2 minutes per game, along with eight EuroLeague appearances, averaging 4.8 minutes.

Barcelona’s basketball team is on the brink of missing the Copa del Rey for the first time in its history after defeats to Joventut and Girona. Currently 9th in the ACB standings (7-8), Barça must win its final two games (against Gran Canaria and Bilbao) and rely on favorable results from Baxi Manresa and Casademont Zaragoza (both 8-7). Their fate is no longer in their own hands.

A silver lining is that Manresa and Zaragoza face each other, ensuring one of them will drop points. If Barça wins both games and one rival loses both, they will qualify. Coaching speculation has intensified around Joan Peñarroya, with reports linking Svetislav Pešić to an interim role. However, sources suggest Pešić’s recent visit to Barcelona was unrelated to the club. For next season, Xavi Pascual is reportedly a top candidate for a three-year contract.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Thomas Heurtel’s return to FC Barcelona has been halted after a last-minute decision by president Joan Laporta. The French player, traveling with his family from Shenzen to Barcelona to sign his contract and undergo a medical examination, was informed of the unexpected turn of events upon landing in the city.

The decision appears to have been influenced by fans’ negative reactions on social media, rejecting Heurtel’s signing due to his controversial departure from the club in 2019. At the time, he was left stranded at Istanbul Airport after it was revealed he was negotiating with Real Madrid behind Barcelona’s back.

The initial agreement aimed to cover Raul Neto’s absence following the team’s poor performance this season. However, the club’s reversal reflects a climate of uncertainty and improvisation in handling such situations. Heurtel remains in a hotel in Barcelona, awaiting a resolution.

Thomas Heurtel returns to Barcelona: agreement until the end of the season. The 35-year-old French playmaker will replace Raulzinho Neto, whose farewell was made official in the last few hours. The news from Mundo Deportivo is sensational.

After the medical examinations scheduled for Friday, Heurtel will sign the contract. The agreement came as a surprise, considering the player’s controversial exit from Barça in 2020, when Sarunas Jasikevicius, having discovered the negotiation with Real Madrid, left the player in Istanbul.

Heurtel, without a team since last November, represents an emergency solution for Barcelona, which has suffered 10 defeats in its last 15 games.

Coach Joan Peñarroya has already spoken to the Frenchman, who aims to redeem his image. Heurtel, MVP in two King’s Cups, is ready for the new challenge.