According to European basketball insiders, the NBA could see a massive EuroLeague player invasion this offseason.
Former NBA player and Cape Verdi national team star Edy Tavares is the most likely player to rejoin the NBA ranks, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Urbanonas said that Tavares is looking for a substantial role on a competitive NBA team and an annual salary approaching the mid-level exception worth roughly $12.5 million.
Edy Tavares is exploring his NBA options as he becomes a free agent this summer. Tavares is seeking a substantial role on a competitive NBA team, with his desired annual deal potentially reaching the mid-level exception level, valued at $12.5M, per sources.
— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) March 23, 2024
15 EuroLeague Players Reportedly Looking To Make Move To NBA This Summer
Urbanos added that Taveres received a multi-year offer from Portland last offseason, but his buyout clause got in the way. However, Tavares will be a free agent this summer, allowing him to pick between returning to Europe or coming over across the big pond.
Tavares has been playing for Real Madrid since leaving the NBA in 2017-18. The 32-year-old center has been one of Europe’s most dominating big men over this stretch, with rebounding and shot-blocking being his biggest assets. He is still in the middle of the 2023-24 season for Real Madrid, which is competing in the Spanish ACB and EuroLeague.
In 49 games Tavares has played this year, Real Madrid has won 43. The 7-3 center has compiled 9.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.6 rebounds while shooting 1.6 blocks a game over 23.6 minutes in those games.
Here is more from Urbanos on Taveres, whose birthday was yesterday:
The 31-year-old Real Madrid center is regarded as the most NBA-ready player in the EuroLeague.With his dominant performances in all parts of the game, including winning EuroLeague titles and earning the Final Four MVP honor last season, Tavares has solidified his status as the premier big man in European basketball.
Tavares was Atlanta’s second-round draft pick in 2013. He has appeared in 13 career NBA games, 11 with the Hawks and two with Cleveland, and 78 G-League contests.
The following is what Dionysis Aravantinos of HoopsHype said about Tavares:
Tavares has been the Euroleague’s most dominant defender for the past 5-7 years, winning the Euroleague Best Defensive Player award three times. He briefly played in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, appearing in just 13 games from 2015 to 2017. His game has evolved since then, though, becoming a Rudy Gobert-type of player in Europe.
Tarik Biberovic
Tarik Biberovic is under contract with Turkish Club Fenerbache until 2026. However, the 23-year-old forward was selected with the No. 56 pick in this past June’s draft, so the Grizzlies may bring Him over this summer.
“The 23-year-old forward from Turkey has played professionally in his native country since 2018 for Fenerbahce, and this season has been his best by a mile (6.9 points on 55.6 percent shooting from the field), said Aravantinos. “Some areas of Biberovic’s game may remind you of Fenerbahce legend Bogdan Bogdanovic, as he can really shoot the ball from downtown (56.6 percent on three-pointers this season) and use his size to score. The Grizzlies’ plan for him was to stash him overseas in Turkey for at least this season. Memphis’ general manager Zach Kleiman said Biberovic is a player who can make it at the NBA level. ”
The 6-7 Biberovic showed some shooting ability with the Grizzlies during summer league and preseason. He is also having his best season as a professional this year and has come on strong lately. Since Feb. 1, Biberovic has played over 21 minutes a game, averaging 11.3 points and 2.0 3-pointers in 15 appearances.
Overall, Biberovic averages 8.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 treys while compiling a shooting slash line of .547/.496/.933.
Chima Moneke
Chima Moneke has played exceptionally well in Europe since his short cup of coffee with the Sacramento and G-League Stockton Kings early in 2022-23. The 28-year-old athletic wing is a scorer who has shown tremendous improvement as a shooter for Spanish club Baskonia this season.
Moneke is averaging a career-high 14.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.5 treys while shooting .540/.416/ .785.
Moneke is under contract with Baskonia through next season. So, it is unlikely he will jump back to the NBA next season, if ever.
Gabrielle Procida
Gabrielle Procida is a future NBA player according to Urbanos and Aravantinos.
Procida was Portland’s 2022 second-round draft pick, but he has since been traded twice, to Detroit and then to Utah. He has been playing for Alba Berlin for the past two seasons.
The 21-year-old Italian wing is athletic and a strong defender. He is having his best international season this year, averaging 8.5 points and 1.3 steals while compiling a shooting slash line of .445/.336/.779 in 17.3 minutes over 41 appearances.
According to Urbonas, “Procida was likely to join the Pistons next summer, but the trade that moved his rights to Utah changed the situation.”
Procida has a contract with ALBA until the summer of 2025.”
Mario Hezonja
Like Tavares, Mario Hezonja will be a free agent this summer. Hezonja, the No. 5 pick in the 2015 draft, is an athletic forward who struggled during his first round in the NBA and is believed to be looking to get back to the league, per Urbanos.
Hezonja is aggressively exploring the NBA market and intends to return at some point. Again, the player’s role in the league will play a factor in his decision this summer. Also, his former team, Panathinaikos, is in the mix to sign Hezonja, as his connection with the club and the fans runs deep. A lot will depend on the offers he will have from Euroleague teams.
The 29-year-old appeared in 330 career games with the Magic, averaging 6.9 points. He never finished a season in double figures, last playing with the Trail Blazers in 2019-20. He also didn’t shoot the ball well, compiling a shooting slash line of .417/.319/.812.
While Hezonja may want to return to the NBA, as he plays a different game than his first go-around, it is unlikely to happen. Hezonja is still not a scorer, though he has definitely improved his 3-point marksmanship, knocking down over 39% of those attempts in the past two seasons for Real Madrid. He also has compiled three double-doubles this season.
Keenan Evans
Keenan Evans has never played in the NBA, though he was on a two-way deal with the Detroit Pistons in 2018. Evans appeared in 45 G-League contests for Grand Rapids and Delaware. The 27-year-old has played the last two seasons with Lithuanian club Zalgris.
While Evans has improved as a scorer in the last two years and is a fantastic shooter, the upcoming free agent is unlikely to get an NBA contract. Evans has reportedly already been linked to Olympiacos and Fenerbahce.
Dzanan Musa
Dzanan Musa has taken his game to a new level since leaving Brooklyn for Real Madrid. The 24-year-old wing, the Nets first-round pick in 2018, played 48 games over two years for the Nets. He averaged 4.3 points while shooting 37.6% from the field and 22.7% from the 3-point line in 49 career appearances.
While Musa is under contract with Real Madrid through 2025, he does have an NBA out clause. Musa is a two-time Euroleague MVP (2021, 2023) and was named the MVP of the Spanish League (2022).
Musa is the third most likely player to get a chance in the NBA. He has had another solid season this year, producing 13.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 58 games. He has also compiled 1.5 treys a game while shooting .517/.394/.825.
Mike James
Mike James has returned to the NBA since leaving for Europe for the second time in his career. However, it would be surprising if the 33-year-old gets another chance in the Association after appearing in 13 games for Brooklyn during the 2020-21 season.
James averaged 7.6 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in 18.1 minutes. While he showed he could score and be a playmaker in the league, he struggled with efficiency and defensively. With the Nets, he averaged 1.09 points while shooting .370/.355/.778.
The 2012 Lamar University product began his professional career in Croatia and bounced around Europe and the American minor league before finally getting a shot with Phoenix in 2017-18. He appeared in 36 games with the Suns and New Orleans. James has a career NBA shooting slash line of .380/.287/.766.
James has been sensational in Europe and is the EuroLeague’s all-time leading scorer. He will be a free agent this summer, though there are reports that he is close to signing a three-year extension with Monoco.
Kendrick Nunn
Kendrick Nunn is talented enough to return to the NBA, but whether he will get another chance is the question. Nunn had spent his entire career in the NBA/G-League since going undrafted out of Oakland University in 2018. He appeared in 70 games between Washington and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022-23 but couldn’t land a job this past summer. So, the 28-year-old point guard inked a one-year deal with Greek club Panathinaikos in late October.
Nunn is a free agent this summer and wants to return to the NBA. He has been great on both ends of the court for Panathinaikos, averaging 13.8 points and 3.2 assists while shooting 45.4% from the field and 40.7% from the 3-point line. However, James has struggled with efficiency and ball-handlers this year.
Ishmael Kamagate
Ishmael Kamagate is a talented youngster whose rights are owned by the Los Angeles Clippers. Selected with the 16th overall pick of the second round in 2022 by the Detroit Pistons, Kamagate is currently playing in the Italian League. However, he hasn’t seen much action with Bertram Tortona.
Kamagate is an athletic 6-11 center who is fantastic around the rim, rebounder, and shot-blocker. The 23-year-old has participated in the past two summer leagues with Denver, where he has shown well. His most significant issue was turnovers.
Kamagate is likely a few years away from making his way to the NBA.
Others
Ignas Bradzeikis, Kyle Guy, and Darius Thompson are three other players who could make the trek overseas. However, it is a long shot for each. Therefore, it is unlikely any players will or deserve to get a shot an NBA shot.
Thompson is the only one in the trio who has never played in the NBA.
Bradzeikis made 64 NBA appearances between 2019 and 2022, averaging 5.0 points and 13.1 rebounds in 13.1 minutes and posting a shooting slash line of .431/.315/.686.
Guy, a former second-round pick of New York, has appeared in 53 NBA games between 2020-22. He compiled 3.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.1 minutes with a shooting slash line of .361/.303/.750.
