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14-year NBA veteran center Jonas Valanciunas may return to Europe next season, with his home country team Zalgiris Kaunas among the EuroLeague teams interested in signing him, according to BasketNews sources. Valanciunas, who turns 34 on May 6, still has one year left on his Denver Nuggets contract. However, the franchise holds an option to terminate it in the summer. This could happen either by the Nuggets themselves or if Valanciunas is traded to another NBA team. The Lithuanian center will remain under an NBA contract until July 8, 2026. This date was extended from June 30 ahead of last season, giving Denver the opportunity to trade his contract after the free agency period begins on July 1.
The Lithuanian center will remain under an NBA contract until July 8, 2026. This date was extended from June 30 ahead of last season, giving Denver the opportunity to trade his contract after the free agency period begins on July 1. In exchange for the timing change, a $2 million compensation clause was added. This means Valanciunas would receive this amount if his contract is terminated by July 8. According to BasketNews, several EuroLeague clubs are monitoring the situation, including Zalgiris Kaunas.
The persistent pursuit of Isaac Bonga by the Detroit Pistons appears to be reaching a critical turning point. According to a report from the Serbian outlet Meridian Sport on Wednesday, sources close to the NBA organization have confirmed that the Pistons have successfully convinced the German international that he belongs in the NBA and that the time has come for his return. While a formal deal has not been explicitly signed, the momentum is clearly shifting toward a departure from Partizan Mozzart Bet. As Detroit’s pitch aligns with Bonga’s own ambitions, it is now widely expected to be only a matter of days before the forward moves toward taking his talents to the Motor City.
Under the terms of his current agreement with the Serbian club, with his contract lasting through the 2026-27 season, the final decision rests solely with Bonga. To facilitate the move, he has the option to activate an exit clause by paying a buyout set at approximately 875,000 dollars. This development follows a period of heavy speculation and the Belgrade outfit reportedly rejecting midseason offers for the lockdown defender from several NBA teams.
The NBA and EuroLeague ramped up discussions Tuesday about a potential NBA Europe collaboration, with sources saying the NBA reiterated its blueprint of how EuroLeague franchises can join the prospective start-up. During a joint meeting between FIBA, the NBA and EuroLeague in Mies, Switzerland, sources said the NBA -- represented by its manager director of Europe and Middle East George Aivazoglou -- outlined the two ways EuroLeague clubs that haven’t already submitted bids can opt in. First, Aivazoglou told them it is not too late to bid to become a permanent franchise at launch, despite an original March 31 submission deadline. And second, EuroLeague teams can still be part of NBA Europe by qualifying through merit-based competition.
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Moncho Monsalve, who left an indelible mark on both Spanish and international basketball, passed away at the age of 81, leaving behind a legacy of championships and a profound tactical mind. His death marks the loss of a foundational pillar of the sport, recognized by titans of the game like Real Madrid and the Brazilian Basketball Confederation for his multifaceted contributions as both a relentless competitor on the court and a visionary strategist on the sidelines.
And the stakes couldn’t be higher than those in Tuesday’s meeting in Geneva between FIBA, the NBA, and the EuroLeague. After many twists and turns it would be naive to believe that this meeting can make or break the future of European basketball. However, it can be the start for the better, and hopefully not for the worse. This will be the first official meeting between the new EuroLeague CEO, Chus Bueno, and the NBA and FIBA. NBA Director for Europe and the Middle East, George Aivazoglou, is expected to be there, plus FIBA top management, which is hosting the meeting.
According to Eurohoops sources, this is a conscious choice of the league shareholding clubs, which have full trust in the new CEO and also in the president Dejan Bodiroga, who will also be there, as well as other members of the management. Plus, this decision reaffirms the EuroLeague position that any discussion about the future of a joint league should include all EuroLeague shareholders. Chus Bueno and Dejan Bodiroga have this mandate, but they are also ready to discuss anything on the table, waiting to hear the other side.
According to sources close to tomorrow’s meeting, however, the NBA will not propose or make an offer to acquire the EuroLeague, either in whole or in part. The NBA and FIBA are expected to reiterate their proposed vision for a new league in Europe, provide an update on the significant interest they’ve received from prospective teams and investors, and outline how current EuroLeague teams that haven’t already submitted bids can participate in this new ecosystem, either by making a bid or by qualifying via a second-tier competition or their domestic league.
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Olympiacos forward Sasha Vezenkov has been named the EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player for the 2025/26 season, per a press release. Vezenkov, who also claimed EuroLeague MVP in ’22/23, joins Anthony Parker as the only players who have won the award two times. Parker, a former NBA shooting guard, is currently the general manager of the Magic.
The future of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in the EuroLeague remains uncertain as the European basketball landscape continues to shift. Despite speculation about a possible exit, club officials stated during an ECA Board meeting that they intend to stay in the competition next season, a stance strengthened by plans for Tony Parker to take over as head coach. However, Parker’s public support of the Europe NEXT event, tied to the NBA’s investor summit in London, has created tension among shareholders, with some now favoring a departure due to the mixed direction
With his NBA out clause creating headlines, Mario Hezonja said for the first time that last season he had an NBA offer just before the start of the EuroLeague playoffs. As he said about the clause: “This is something very common that I believe a lot of players have. It’s extra on the contract, it doesn’t mean that it necesserily happening. Even last year, I went upstairs and shut it down. There was something, a lot of things, that were serious, and I didn’t want to leave the team just before the playoffs with Olympiacos. So this is not necessarily something that I will do, but it’s there”.
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul veteran guard Nando De Colo is approaching the end of his remarkable career. After previously hinting that retirement might follow a EuroLeague title with Fenerbahce, the 38-year-old has now confirmed that the 2025-26 season will be his last. Speaking to BeBasket, De Colo clarified: "I didn't say I would retire if we won the EuroLeague. But to be transparent, this will be my last season." This decision has been on his mind for some time. "I've been thinking about it for a while," he said. "Since the beginning of the season, I've had it in the back of my mind that this was going to be my last season."