Patrick O'Bryant to play in Puerto Rico

This is his last game.


According to basketnet.gr, Patrick O'Bryant(2.13-C) has received an offer he can't refure from Indios BCN and after tonight's game he will be leaving the team of Kavala BC. The offer is quite good and it's for 14,000 dollars a month for O'Bryant who came from the NBDL and had his break-out season in Europe.

The only other time that O'Bryant played outside Europe was in China for Fujian Xunxing. He has also played for Golden State, Boston and Toronto in the NBA and Bakersfield and Reno in NBDL. O'Bryant was the 9th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft but his stock didn't go up as expected. Nevertheless he had a productive season in Greece averaging 9.5 points 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in a total of 18 games.

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Olympiacos to sign George Hill?

They couldn't wait for Calderon apparently.



The rumor has spread like wildfire the last few hours in Greece and it has even made its way to the other side of the Atlantic. George Hill (1.88-PG/SG) will be signing a contract with Olympiacos with a clause to leave the Greek team if the lock-out ends.

The rumor has been replicated by many Greek sites. I will not quote all of them here or who was the first one to write about it but I will quote sday.gr that says that Jose Calderon was the first player on the list but he asked for a few more days to answer. He could have been possibly waiting for offers from Spain. As Calderon didn't answer the effort was focused on Hill who could be making his Euroleague debut next week against Fenerbahce.

Hill was playing for the San Antonio Spurs last season averaging 11.7 points 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 55 games. He will be playing for Indiana once the lock-out ends.. if it ends.


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Tony Parker will play for Villeurbanne

A long-heard rumor came true on Wednesday when Asvel announces the arrival of point guard Tony Parker, also its general director of basketball operations.


Parker (1.83 meters, 29 years old) arrives from San Antonio of the NBA, where he has played in each of the last 10 seasons. He led the Spurs to three NBA titles in 2003, 2005 and 2007, when he was chosen as the Finals MVP.

Last season, Parker averaged 17.5 points and 6.6 assists in 78 NBA games. He has accumulated 12,481 points and 4,285 assists in 746 regular season games, as well as 2,591 points and 682 assists in 138 playoffs showdowns. Parker started his career with INSEP and also played for Paris SG before joining San Antonio. He is also a regular member of the French national team, to which he led to the EuroBasket 2011 title game this summer. Parker was EuroBasket 2011's top scorer (22.1 ppg.) and was chosen to the All-Tournament team.

source : eurocupbasketball.com

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Kirilenko returns to Russia and CSKA

Forward Andrei Kirilenko (30 years, 206 cm) will wear CSKA uniform again after 10-year American stint.


The contract with the Russian National Team leader, 2011 Eurobasket All-Tournament team member is signed for three years with NBA return option. The player went through medical tests in GMS Clinic yesterday and plans to practice with the team for the first time today.

Kirilenko started his pro career in Spartak St. Petersburg in age 16 and took CSKA offer a year after. He spent two years in army team, he was chosen in the first round of NBA draft and signed his first contract with Utah Jazz in 2001. He played for 10 seasons, had legendary John Stockton and Karl Malone as his teammates, was an NBA All-Star, led the league in blocked shots and was chosen to NBA All-Defensive Teams. Kirilenko led Team Russia to 2007 Eurobasket gold, taking the MVP honors and FIBA Europe Player of the Year trophy.

He helped the team to win the Eurobasket bronze in 2011 taking the All-Tournament team honors. Kirilenko contract with Jazz has expired in July and the forward signed with CSKA as a free agent. Still the conditions of the agreement allow Andrei to terminate the contract in a month after the lockout ends to sign with the NBA team. Otherwise he had to remain with CSKA until the end of the season.


source : cskabasket.com

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Sundiata Gaines signed with BC Armia

Again better later than never. These days the Hoop is not on top form but within the next 2 weeks things will be back to normal.



Georgian Champ BC Armia agreed on terms with New Jersey Nets PG Sundiata Gaines (186-PG-86). Former University of Georgia PG will play in Georgia until the lockout is over.

Gaines was one of the best PG on the market this summer. He turned down several offers from Euroleague teams and finally agreed with BC Armia which has a very ambitious roster on EuroChallange: Sundiata Gaines (186-PG-86) from NJ Nets, Jeremy Richardson (201-SF-84) from Valencia, Will Thomas (203-PF-86) from Oostende and Joakim Kjellbom (213-C-79) from Norrkoping.


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Jeremy Richardson and the rumors of the day

These just came in!


Jeremy Richardson(previously of Valencia) signed for Georgian Champion BC Armia which will compete on EuroChallange in Group B. They signed earlier All-EuroChallange Honorable Mention C Joakim Kjellbom.

They are also very close to 2010 MVP of Belgian League Will Thomas (Oostende) at the PF and Sundiata Gaines at the PG (New Jersey Nets) with an NBA option until lockout is over.


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Casspi could play with Parker in France

The San Antonio Spurs would undoubtedly prefer to see them playing together in South Texas, but the prospect of Tony Parker and longtime Spurs favorite Omri Casspi teaming up in France is very much alive.


Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com on Monday that Casspi is giving strong consideration to signing with ASVEL in France's top division.

That's the same ASVEL club which claims Parker as a co-owner and as its vice president of basketball operations.

It initially appeared that Casspi -- after being dealt from Sacramento to Cleveland on June 30 in the final trade consummated in the NBA before the start of the July 1 lockout -- was a lock to play for perennial Euroleague power Maccabi Tel-Aviv in his native Israel in the event of the lockout bleeding into November or December.

But David Pick of Eurobasket.com reported earlier Monday that Casspi and Maccabi officials, after a sitdown, have mutually agreed that they would not be able to reach contract terms that both sides can stomach.

France isn't the only destination that Casspi -- coveted by the Spurs since he was drafted No. 23 overall by the Kings in 2009 -- is considering as a lockout alternative. Various reports in the Israeli media say he's drawn interest from clubs in Russia and Spain.

But ASVEL, situatated in the Lyon suburb of Villeurbanne, does have one clear advantage: Casspi and Parker share the same agent. They're both represented by CAA's Steven Heumann.

Last week in London on duty with the French national team, Parker told ESPN.com contributor Ian Whittell that he will play in his native France if he plays anywhere other than the NBA this season as opposed to seizing upon the interest Parker has generated from teams in China.

"My agent talked about China a little bit," Parker told Whittell. "... I'm not going to take any decision until the end of September, after the European Championships. I want to see if I'm healthy, if I'm hurt and by then we will also know a lot more what is happening with the situation of the lockout. 


"If I play [abroad], I will definitely play in France, for my fans, for my team ASVEL." 

As for the prospect of Casspi ultimately winding up alongside Parker in the French League, one source close to the situation said it really "might happen."

Casspi is currently nursing a injured left knee that threatens to knock him out of the European Championships (EuroBasket) later this month in Lithuania. Israel's only NBA player told reporters over the weekend that "right now my leg is in a bad state."

source : espn.com


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Prokom announced Alonzo Gee

An NBAer for Prokom.


Asseco Prokom Gdynia informs that the agreement with former Clevland Cavaliers player, Alonzo Gee has been reached. Born in 1987 in Florida, American is 198cm high and graduated from Alabama university. He can play as guard or forward. In his season with Clevland Cavaliers he averaged: 7.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg and 0.8 apg.

source : asseco.prokom.pl

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Maroussi made offer to Scotty Hopson?

With what money?


According to basketblog.gr, Maroussi seem to have made an offer to Scotty Hopson(2.01-SF). This is all well and good but in Maroussi they have no money, no administration, no head coach (not even an assistant coach anymore) and lots of debts.. The former president and major shareholder of the team has stepped back and left em to their own devices still repaying debts of the last 3 years. It will be difficult for Maroussi as their fans are numbered in the hundreds and that's a very optimistic estimation.

Perhaps this will be a good chance for Scotty Hopson to get some good stats in a pro league like the A1 if he is willing to play for free for one season or if he is a patient man. He forfeited his last season in college to enter the draft by hiring an agent. Hopson was one of the few players that missed out this summer in the 2011 Draft when his name wasn't called, to the dismay and surprise of many people.In his junior and last season he averaged 17 points 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in a total of 32 games.

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Goudelock is considering 2 offers from Europe

The long range bomber is coming to Europe.


Lakers draftee Andrew Goudelock could be the next 2011 second-round pick to sign overseas. Agent Austin Walton told HoopsHype his client is looking at two offers from Germany and Spain - both with NBA outs.

“One is a Eurocup team in Germany and the other an ACB club,” Walton said. “We are seriously considering both offers. We are working the final stages of negotiation with both clubs.”

For the record, the three German teams competing in Eurocup next year are Bayern Munich, Alba Berlin and Skyliners Frankfurt.

source : blogs.hoopshype.com


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Keith Benson joins Dinamo Sassari

A "steal" for Sassari.



Banco di Sardegna Sassari announced the agreement with Keith Benson (210-C-88), a big man who impressed a lot during his college career, spent with Oakland.

Benson, who has been drafted by Atlanta Hawks (number 48 of second round) averaged 17.9 ppg and 10.1 rpd during his senior year (17.3 ppg and 10.5 rpg during the third college year). Benson is also an incredible shot blocker. His nickname is 'Kito'. This deal increases the ambition of Dinamo Sassari and is an interesting addition for Italian Serie A   


source : eurobasket.com

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Maccabi to replace Jeremy Pargo

Pargo Says He’s Not Returning; Maccabi: “It’s a breach of contract.”


Jeremy Pargo has announced to the team’s management that he does not intend to report to training camp next month. The club’s response: “This is a breach of the duly signed contract between the player and the club. We take exception to his behavior.”

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv’s player Jeremy Pargo has informed the team through his agent that he wishes to be released from the two-year contract with the club that he signed just last May; he intends to play instead in the NBA.

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv has conveyed to the player that in light of the NBA lockout and fact that he does not and will not have a guaranteed contract with any NBA team for the coming season, the announcement by his agent is a violation of the contract between Pargo and Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv.

In spite of that, Pargo has expressed his intention of remaining in the U.S. and awaiting an end to the strike.

Maccabi’s management has conveyed to Pargo and his agent that it takes exception to his behavior and views the player as responsible for any damage caused to Maccabi by his breach of contract. Maccabi intends to take all appropriate action to protect its rights in the matter.

Following the player’s announcement and in reliance thereon, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv will use any means necessary to strengthen its roster for the coming season.

source : maccabi.co.il


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Olimpija announced Danny Green

With an NBA-out clause.


BC Union Olimpija Ljubljana signed one-year contract with NBA-out option with former Tar Heel Danny Green. He will join Deon Thompson, his former teammate from University of North Carolina.

Green was drafted by the NBA in 2009 and played for Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs in the last two seasons. In the last season he was also part of D-League team Reno Bighorns where he averaged 20.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.


source : union.olimpija.com

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Jon Dielber signed with Panionios in Greece

Jon Diebler said this morning he has signed a one-year contract to play for Panionios in the Greek A1 League this season.


The contract does not have an opt-out clause if the NBA lockout ends and the league goes back to work, he said. Diebler was a second-round selection by the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA draft in June.

"I'm there for the year," Diebler said.

"With the lockout, it put a twist on things. I'm definitely a guy who would benefit from a full (training) camp instead of a shortened one."

Diebler said he and his agent and the Blazers discussed him playing overseas during the week between the draft and the start of the lockout. "Portland's been great. They want what's best for me."

Diebler's agent, Lance Young, said Diebler's contract is for more than $100,000 and includes "up-front money." 

"Doing stuff to protect him was our main objective," Young said, "making sure when he gets there, he gets a little chunk of change once he passes his physical." While not revealing Diebler's salary, Young said it is worth "well over the $100,000 mark.

"That was kind of our objective. Most guys in their first year in Europe make $100,000 to $120,000. We wanted to make sure we could get more than that." 

Diebler said he and his wife, Caitlin, leave later this month for Athens, where Panionios is based. He is scheduled to report to training camp August 28. His former Ohio State teammate, Zisis Sarikopoulos, was a reserve for Panionios last season, but Diebler is not certain whether he will re-sign with the team.

"I wanted to play in a really good league," Diebler said. "I was not so worried about how big my contract is. I was more worried about, for a year, going to play in a really good league with good teams and play really good competition and get better.

"I also wanted to go somewhere nice and has things to do. I wanted to have a nice situation for my wife. There’s a lot of nice places around the world, but I didn’t want to go somewhere where I'd have to worry about her when I’m on the road."

Young said another objective was to find Diebler a team that will feature him.

"There were a lot of teams interested," he said. "We were trying to find right fit for him where he was playing at a high level and for a team that was looking at him as a focal point and not as a role player.

"He's been a role player at Ohio State, and he accepted that role. Now I think he wants to take a little more of an assertive role as a two-guard and prove to the Blazers that he’s going to be ready when he goes to their camp next year to be a long-time NBA player."

source : buckeyeextra.com


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Von Wafer to play for Cremona

Von Wafer has agreed to a deal to play for Italian team Vanoli Cremona, according to his agent.


Wafer, an unrestricted free agent who spent the 2010-11 season with the Celtics, secured a coveted opt-out clause and will be able to return stateside should the lockout end during the international season.

Wafer averaged 3.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.6 assists over 9.5 minutes per game last season. He appeared in 58 games for Boston and seemed to be asserting himself before a late-season calf injury limited his playing time into the playoffs.

Last month, Wafer's agent, Terrance Doyle of the Veritas Venture Group, suggested his client would be interested in a return engagement with the Celtics.

"Von would love to be back [with Boston]," Doyle said of the 6-foot-5 swingman who has played for seven teams since being drafted by the Lakers in the second round (35th overall) of the 2005 draft. "He's never gotten that opportunity to go back with a team."

Wafer signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the Celtics last August and fended off numerous charges at his roster spot and endured a locker room dust-up with teammate Delonte West to stick for the entire campaign. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge often voiced praise for Wafer and he would seemingly be a candidate to fill out the end of the Boston bench next season should the team need a depth swingman.

This will be Wafer's second voyage overseas. He chased an international payday following a breakout season with the Houston Rockets in 2009, but soon parted ways with Greek squad Olympiakos. After earning $915,852 on a minimum contract last season (and roughly $3 million in NBA contracts over six seasons), this overseas opportunity allows Wafer to earn some cash and keep sharp while waiting for the owners and players to work out a new collective bargaining agreement.

Venoli Cremona competes in Italy's Lega Serie A, the same highly regarded league that Celtics second-round draft pick E'Twaun Moore is set to join (Moore signed with Benetton Treviso last month).

source : espn.com

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Efes Anadolu announced Ersan Ilyasova

Anadolu Efes improved its frontcourt for the upcoming season by inking power forward Ersan Ilyasova to a one-year deal on Wednesday.


Ilyasova (2.07 meters, 27 years old) arrives from Milwaukee of the NBA, where he averaged 9.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in 59 NBA games last season. In his last Euroleague appearance in the 2008-09 season, Ilyasova averaged 10.5 points and 7 rebounds in 22 games with Regal FC Barcelona, helping the team to reach the Final Four and win the Spanish League title. He has also played for Tulsa in the NBA Development league, as well as for Ulker and Yesilyurt Istanbul in Turkey. Ilyasova is also a regular member of the Turkish national team. He helped Turkey to make it to the 2010 FIBA World Championships title game last summer. Ilyasobva also won silver medals at the 2003 European U-16 Championship and the 2006 European U-20 Championship. He also led Turkey to win the 2004 Albert Schweitzer Tournament, earning MVP honors.

source : euroleague.net


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Nicolas Batum will play for Nancy during the lockout

Batum returns to France!


Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum has reached an agreement to play with French basketball club SLUC Nancy if the NBA lockout extends into the regular season, according to Julien Deschuyteneer of BasketSession.com.

He will sign an official contract with the team after a physical evaluation is performed. The Portland Trail Blazers forward will begin the season in French Pro A and the Euroleague with Nancy if an NBA lockout continues into the NBA regular season.


We knew contact discussions between the two parties were progressing, but nothing was sure yet. Especially as other clubs have expressed interest, including ASVEL according to information published in L'Equipe just ten days ago. Supporters of SLUC Nancy can therefore rest assured of one thing, that Nicolas will play for Nancy.

On Friday FIBA announced it would allow NBA players under contract to play in its leagues during the lockout, as long as they return once it's over.

Batum is currently playing for the French national team as they compete in 2011 EuroBasket. He scored 15 points in an exhibition win over Canada Thursday.


source : oregonlive.com

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Jeff Adrien to play for Benetton Treviso

One of the most underrated big men lands in Italy.


According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports via a source, Jeff Adrien is set to sign a one-year deal with Benetton Treviso in Italy. Spears also added that the deal allows for an out whenever the lockout ends.

Adrien was cut by the Warriors at the end of August, so he could find himself in camp with a team via an invite in hopes of making a final roster on the other side of the lockout. If not, Adrien could try the D-League route, where he played for the Erie Bayhawks and Rio Grande Valley Vipers before joining the Warriors last season.


source : espn.com

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Kenyon Dooling to play for Efes?

Bucks guard Keyon Dooling is nearing agreement on a contract with Efes Istanbul, the Turkish team which recently signed New Jersey Nets guard Sasha Vujacic.


Kenge Stevenson, the Dallas-based agent for Dooling, said progress is being made and a deal with Efes could be completed in the next few days.

Dooling is the first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association and has been active in the process to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. League owners imposed a lockout on July 1 when the previous CBA expired, and no real progress has been made since then.

Stevenson said Dooling would expect to play in Turkey next season even if the lockout ends and any opt-out clause would be for legal purposes. The veteran has one year and $2 million remaining on his contract with the Bucks, but Stevenson indicated he thought an agreement could be reached to allow Dooling to play in Europe in the event the lockout was settled.

The Bucks made some moves to reshape their backcourt prior to the lockout, when they acquired point guard Beno Udrih from Sacramento and Shaun Livingston from Charlotte as part of a three-team draft day trade. Udrih is expected to be the primary backup for starter Brandon Jennings and also should spend some time at shooting guard. Livingston can play both guard positions but is primarily a point guard.

Dooling served as as backup at both the point guard and shooting guard positions for the Bucks last season. He played in 80 games, including 22 starts, and averaged 7.1 points and 3.0 assists.

Bucks coach Scott Skiles praised Dooling for his willingness to work on defense but the Bucks could not recapture the magic they had the previous season with Jennings and Luke Ridnour as the point guard tandem.

Dooling told me earlier this month that it was clear the Bucks didn't have him in their backcourt plans and he said he expected something would happen to change his situation.

The 31-year-old Dooling has played 11 NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, New Jersey and Milwaukee.

"He likes the team situation," Stevenson said of Efes. "He's a basketball aficionado and he pays attention to basketball all over the globe."


source : jsonline.com

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Acie Law to play for Partizan

Perhaps he is looking for a career in Europe now.


Free agent guard Acie Law is close to signing a deal with Partizan Belgrade of Serbia, one source told HoopsHype. The contract would be for one year and would not include an opt-out clause to return to the NBA if the lockout comes to an end in the middle of the season.

Law averaged 4.2 ppg and 1.6 ppg last year playing for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors.

Partizan Belgrade is currently the strongest team in the former Yugoslavia and has produced plenty of NBA talent in the past - including players such Vlade Divac, Nenad Krstic or Predrag Drobnjak.

source : blogs.hoopshype.com

Editor's note : Partizan officially announced the player in the mean time.

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