Kings star Domantas Sabonis is expected to miss this summer’s EuroBasket tournament due to personal reasons, sources tell BasketNews.com.
According to BasketNews, the Lithuanian big man is expected to inform Linas Kleiza — the GM of Lithuania’s national team — of his decision when Kleiza visits the United States. Kleiza will also meet with Matas Buzelis and Jonas Valanciunas during the trip, per the report.
Here are a few more international notes:
- A handful of EuroLeague players could land NBA contracts this summer. Some hold previous NBA experience; others do not. According to EuroHoops.net, Anadolu Efes guard Darius Thompson is the strongest candidate to sign with an NBA club in the offseason. Veteran guards Tyler Dorsey and Nigel Williams-Goss are among the other players to watch.
- Who will replace Jordi Fernandez as the next men’s head coach of Canada’s national team? Multiple sources have suggested to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca that Gordon Herbert is the frontrunner for the job. Herbert, a Canadian who played for the team that made the Olympics in 1984, is currently the head coach of Bayern Munich and recently coached Germany’s national team. Former NBA assistant Nate Mitchell and current Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela are among the other possible candidates, Grange reports.
- Paris Saint-Germain has interest in joining the NBA’s European league, either by purchasing Paris Basketball or by starting a new team, according to Laurent Perrin and Julian Lesage of Le Parisien (hat tip to Sportando). Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday that the NBA and FIBA are moving forward on the possibility of a new European league, though he noted the process is still in the early stages.