Iran's Hamed Hadadi claims that he will become a member of the Memphis Grizzlies by the end of the week despite a statement by the NBA that teams may not negotiate with the center, according to Payvand.

"I will undoubtedly join Memphis Grizzlies by the end of next week. I met Memphis' officials yesterday to discuss joining the team," Hadadi said.

"I received many offers from European teams but just playing in the NBA is my dream," he added. "Hopefully, I can join Memphis as soon as possible without any problem."

However, the NBA's legal counsel has maintained that teams are not allowed to discuss business with Iranian nationals.

"It has come to our attention that representatives of Hamed Hadadi, an Iranian basketball player, may be contacting NBA teams to discuss the possibility of signing Mr. Hadadi to an NBA player contract. We have been advised that a federal statute prohibits a person or organization in the United States from engaging in business dealings with Iranian nationals," the counsel said.