March 2014 Basketball Wiretap

Dario Saric Signs Three-Year Deal With Anadolu Efes

Jun 23, 2014 12:08 PM

Dario Saric has agreed upon a three-year deal with Anadolu Efes of Turkey, according to a source.

The deal will have a player option for the third year. Saric is expected to receive and sign a contract in the next 24 hours.

Saric's contract will essentially prohibit him from playing in the NBA for at least two seasons.

Saric was receiving looks from lottery teams as high as No. 10 with the Philadelphia 76ers, No. 11 with the Denver Nuggets and No. 12 with the Orlando Magic. He may slip beyond the lottery, but he becomes an option in the mid to late teens with the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls.

Chad Ford/ESPN

Tags: Dario Saric, Anadolu Efes, Euroleague, Turkish BSL, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, International, NBA Draft General, International Signing Rumor, International Teams, International League, International Misc Rumor

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Saric, Jokic, Nurkic, Capela, Micic Remain In Draft

Jun 16, 2014 5:29 PM

Dario Saric has decided to keep his name in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Nikola Jokic is another high profile player remaining in the draft, though he had announced earlier in the day that he would withdraw.

Jusuf Nurkic, Clint Capela and Vasilije Micic will also remain in the draft.

Chad Ford/ESPN

Tags: NBA, NBA NBA Draft, International, NBA Draft General, NBA Draft Declarations

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Heat Poised To Infuse Young Talent In Offseason With James Ennis

Jun 14, 2014 2:16 AM

MIAMI – As these NBA Finals elevate urgency for an infuse of youthful talent, the Miami Heat are extremely pleased with the development of their 2013 draft acquisition – forward James Ennis – and there's an increasingly strong likelihood the franchise will sign him, multiple league sources told RealGM. 

After an MVP-caliber season in Australia's National Basketball League, Ennis spent the past week working out for the Heat front office in Miami. Ennis, 23, will headline the Heat's Summer League rosters in Orlando and Las Vegas. 

The Heat acquired Ennis from the Atlanta Hawks, who selected him with the No. 50 pick. The potential signing of Ennis would likely be a multi-year deal, sources said.

Despite an impressive summer league from Ennis last July, the Heat decided to fill the bench with veteran players and worked closely with Ennis to place him in a viable overseas league. Ennis compiled a title and earned first-team honors with Perth of the NBL, where Miami's management closely monitored the 6-foot-7 forward. He averaged 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, two assists and 46.6 percent shooting from the field in the Australian league, and he then scored 16.6 points and grabbed 8.3 rebounds per game in 12 appearances for a Puerto Rican club.

Ennis completed his collegiate career at Long Beach State and solidified himself as an NBA prospect during a progressive senior season. 

The Heat trail 3-1 in the Finals, lacking fresh depth on the bench in the closing stretch of a fourth straight championship appearance.

Shams Charania/RealGM

Tags: James Ennis, Miami Heat, Australian NBL, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, International, International League

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Blatt To Become Assistant With Warriors Or Head Coach Of Cavs

Jun 13, 2014 2:32 PM

David Blatt will come to the NBA as either an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors or as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"It will be Golden State or Cleveland," one source said.

Blatt announced on Thursday that he was leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Blatt's destination won't be known until next week at the earliest, sources said, after a face-to-face interview with the Cavs. 

Marc Stein/ESPN

Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Euroleague, Israeli BSL, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, International, International League

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Mickell Gladness Signs In Australia With Crocs

Jun 13, 2014 1:42 PM

Mickell Gladness has signed with the Townsville Crocodiles of the Australian NBL for the 14-15 season.

Gladness played in the D-League last season with the Reno Bighorns, averaging 7.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

“We think Mickell is a perfect fit for us. Speaking to a lot of the guys who know him around the NBA, he is spoken of very highly. He is from a small town, a small market and that is the type of environment he is joining. We wanted someone who could fit into our community environment and team culture and Mickell ticks all those boxes,” Crocodiles coach Shawn Dennis said.

“We did a robust evaluation of Mickell and we’re very happy to be bringing him to our club. I know we have locked him in quite early in the off-season but sometimes when the right guy comes along it just makes sense to secure the deal and start building towards the season ahead.”

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Mickell Gladness, Townsville, Australian NBL, International, International Teams, International League

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David Blatt To Leave Maccabi For NBA Job

Jun 12, 2014 12:38 PM

David Blatt will leave Maccabi Tel Aviv for an unknown position in the NBA. Maccabi is expected to appoint longtime assistant coach Guy Goodes to replace him as head coach.

Blatt has received interest in being hired as an assistant coach by the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz. The Cleveland Cavaliers are also believed to be interested in Blatt for their head coaching vacancy.

David Blatt/Eurobasket.com

Tags: Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Euroleague, Israeli BSL, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, International, International Teams, International League

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Damjan Rudez Receives Interest From Cavaliers, Pacers, Raptors, Jazz

Jun 11, 2014 5:51 PM

Damjan Rudez is being seen as a potential low-cost, free-agent possibility.

Rudez has worked out with the Cleveland Cavaliers this week and the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz have also taken close looks at him, according to sources.

Rudez is a stretch four who shot 44 percent from three-point range in the Spanish ACB season.

Rudez went undrafted in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

Tags: Damjan Rudez, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, International, International Misc Rumor

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Spurs To Hire Ettore Messina As Assistant Coach

Jun 10, 2014 7:52 PM

Ettore Messina will join the coaching staff of the San Antonio Spurs next season, as first reported by Corriere di Bologna's Daniele Labanti and confirmed by Sportando.

Messina was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers under Mike Brown during the 11-12 season and was considered last year by the Atlanta Hawks.

Messina was most recently head coach of CSKA Moscow.

James Herbert/CBS Sports

Tags: San Antonio Spurs, CSKA Moscow, Euroleague, Russian PBL, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, International, International Teams, International League

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Blatt Confirms Talks With NBA Teams

Jun 9, 2014 10:47 AM

The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves have interest in David Blatt as an assistant coach.

Blatt and Steve Kerr spoke for about 45 minutes at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday.

Blatt's contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv is up after he led them to the Euroleague championship.

"It is true that I have had conversations with teams from both sides of the Atlantic because my contract is about to end and it is only natural that I will receive information before that happens," Blatt told the Jerusalem Post.

"You can't coach a big team like Maccabi Tel Aviv and achieve what we have achieved without someone noticing. I'm not as interested in everything that is being talked about as much as you think. I haven't received any offers at the moment. There have been talks but my goal at the moment is to win the Israeli championship and we'll see what happens after that."

Blatt is represented by Mike Tannenbaum, who is also the agent for Kerr.

Diamond Leung/San Jose Mercury News

Tags: Golden State Warriors, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Euroleague, Israeli BSL, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, International, International Teams, International League

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Blatt In Talks With Warriors To Become Top Assistant

Jun 6, 2014 11:57 AM

Steve Kerr met with David Blatt on Thursday to discuss the longtime coach in Europe joining him with the Golden State Warriors.

Blatt would become Kerr's top assistant with the Warriors.

Blatt was born in Boston and played at Princeton before a long career as a player in Israel.

Blatt won the 2014 Euroleague as head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv last month.

Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

Tags: Golden State Warriors, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Euroleague, Israeli BSL, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, International, International Teams, International League, International Misc Rumor

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