HoopsHype.com Rumors

According to Il Corriere di Bologna, Petteri Koponen will leave Virtus Bologna in the summer. The Finnish combo guard is targeted by Olimpia Milano who made a €500.000 offer to him. Kopone wants to talk also with the Dallas Mavericks who owns his rights in the NBA. Sportando

Dallas Mavericks, Italy, Petteri Koponen, Virtus Bologna, Olimpia Milano 

Marco Belinelli: "I've always cared about the National Italian Team, but it's too early to give answers. I didn't spoke to anyone at FIP (Italian Basketball Federation) but the priority for this summer will be the NBA. I'll be free agent, and this is the first thing I want to deal with, and then we'll see what we can do." SoloBasket.it

New Orleans Hornets, Free Agency, Italy, Marco Belinelli 

Bo McCalebb released a long interview to Tuttosport. The PG of Mens Sana Siena didn't want to talk about his future because he is too focused on the Serie A Playoffs who will start today with Montepaschi facing Cimberio Varese in the quarterfinals. "European basket is very tough. If we reach the final, we will finish the season at the end of June and on July 2 we have the first game of the Pre- Olympic Tournament. NBA? It is obvious that I would love to play there but this is not the right moment to think about that. I am too focused on Siena and the playoffs. My future? As I have just said, it is too early to talk. At the end of the season we will sit with Siena and talk" said McCalebb who has still contract with Montepaschi Siena for the next two years. Sportando

Free Agency, Italy, Montepaschi Siena, Bo McCalebb 

Gallo was a zero. The hurt left an emotional scar. You could feel his humiliation from here to his native Italy. "I had a bad night. It's my nature, and I was given this by my parents, to live for those big moments. I want big games to prove to myself that I'm a winner and not a loser," Gallinari told me Monday, still in agony more than 36 hours after a 96-87 loss that eliminated Denver from the postseason. "I didn't have just the world watching that game, but also my friends, my family and everybody in my home country knew I was coming out to have a big game. And I didn't." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Danilo Gallinari, Italy 

"I'm still not sleeping. I'm still mad," Gallinari said. "Not talking to anybody. You lucky I'm talking to you guys today." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Danilo Gallinari, Italy 

Chema de Lucas: Milano is waiting Justin Dentmon finalizing NBDL finals or a possibly call-up from NBA to playoffs until tomorrow Twitter

D-League, Italy, Justin Dentmon 

Emiliano Carchia: Olimpia Milano has one more signing. The last arrival should be one between Justin Dentmon and Darius Washington Twitter

Washington Wizards, Italy, Olimpia Milano, Justin Dentmon 

Olimpia Milano is again on the market looking for a new combo guard who will be replacing the injured JR Bremer for the final part of the season. The Italian team made an offer to Aaron Brooks in the last days but the player turned it down. Brooks has spent the season in China with Souther Tigers losing the final against Beijing Ducks led by Stephon Marbury. Sportando

Free Agency, Italy, Aaron Brooks, Olimpia Milano 

Emiliano Carchia: Stern revealed sites of next season's overseas games: Berlin; Istanbul; Barcelona, Spain, Milan in Europe, Shanghai and Beijing in China Twitter

David Stern, Barcelona, Spain, China, Italy, Schedule, Turkey, Milan, Istanbul, Shanghai 

Interviewed by Be Bop a Basket, Danilo Gallinari confirmed that he will be wearing Italian National Team jersey next summer. The National Team will play the Eurobasket Qualification Round. "We have started a new project last summer. We didn't have good results but when you begin something new it is very hard to win immediately. This summer we have to reach the qualification to Eurobasket 2013. And we have to play a good basketball. I am in. Injuries? I had a lot during the season, but now I am ok" said Il Gallo. Sportando

Denver Nuggets, Danilo Gallinari, Italy 

Marco Belinelli, in a short interview released to Be Bob a Basket, said that he doesn't know if he will play for Italian National Team next summer. The guard will be free agent when the season ends and he doesn't know his future plans. "Next summer with the National Team I think we have the Eurobasket Qualification Round. I didn't talk with anyone yet and I don't know my status. There are still 15 games left in the NBA regular season and then I will be free agent. I have to evaluate a lot of things. We'll see. It is too early to talk about. Last summer with Bargnani and Gallinari we had a great roster. I am sorry for us and for our fans we missed the qualifications to Olympic Games. Sportando

New Orleans Hornets, Italy, Marco Belinelli 

Emiliano Carchia: According to same rumors (Il Corriere dello Sport): Siena will keep David Andersen and Bo McCalebb (both have contracts). Twitter

Italy, David Andersen, Montepaschi Siena, Bo McCalebb 

Wafer was recently deactivated and rumors began to surface that the Magic may waive him. However, Wafer’s camp hasn’t asked to be bought out and they expect the shooting guard to finish the season in Orlando. On Thursday, there was a report saying that the Italian team Milano would express interest in Wafer should he be waived. However, sources close to the Wafer say that he wants to remain in the NBA. If the Magic do decide to waive Wafer, expect him to sign with another NBA team. HoopsWorld

Orlando Magic, Von Wafer, Italy 

Emiliano Carchia: Tuttosport reports that Milano could be interested in Von Wafer if he's waived by Orlando. I am not sure if he can sign in Serie A Twitter

Free Agency, Von Wafer, Italy 

Emiliano Carchia: Sanikidze: 'My dream is to play in the NBA. If I can't I would like to play in Euroleague. I am ready to stay with Bologna if we reach EL' Twitter

Italy, Viktor Sanikidze 

If the two sides can’t reach a deal this week, Chandler has other options. “Wilson has the option of going overseas to Italy or another place in Europe,” Luchey said. “That is realistic, but his plan has always been to come back and play in the NBA. I’ve received calls from nine teams besides the Denver Nuggets, saying they’d be interested in Wilson this summer if he waited and entered restricted free agency in July. He knows that option is there, but we’re still hoping to work out a deal with the Nuggets. We’ve been communicating with the Nuggets since the lockout ended. We’ve had very good meetings between myself, Wilson, Masai Ujiri and Josh Kroenke. When he returned from China, he landed in Atlanta and then went straight to Denver. That has always been the preference.” HoopsWorld

Denver Nuggets, Free Agency, Wilson Chandler, Italy 

While Denver is totally expected to reenlist Chandler, should he decide their proposition is unreasonable, word has it Italy is a legit option. Problem is, by doing so he would forfeit the ability to do a sign-and-trade come summer — one of the CBA’s multitude of new rules. The good news is, loads of teams will be under the cap so he figures to have an abundance of serious suitors. New York Post

Denver Nuggets, Free Agency, Wilson Chandler, Italy 

Emiliano Carchia: Source close to Olimpia Milano denied the rumor that the Italian club is interested in free agent Wilson Chandler Twitter

Free Agency, Wilson Chandler, Italy, Olimpia Milano 

The perennial Italian champions, as reported by Chema De Lucas of Solobasket.com, are targeting both Daniel Hackett and Petteri Koponen. The Finnish combo guard's contract will expire in the summer and he often said that he would love to step up and Siena would be the ideal destination. Daniel Hackett is one of the best Italian players in Serie A and would help both Bo McCalebb and Petteri Koponen in PG and SG position. According to Chema de Lucas, the two deals are already done. Siena will bring back Kristjan Kangur too. The Estonian forward was signed to a 3-year contract last summer and sent on loan to Cimberio Varese. Sportando

Dallas Mavericks, Italy, Petteri Koponen 

Petteri Koponen: What will I do if Virtus Bologna is going to offer me a new contract? It is too early to talk about my future. At the end of the season my contract will expire and I want to see if any Euroleague team will make me a proposal. I want to talk with Dallas Mavericks as well because they own my NBA rights. If Virtus Bologna reaches Euroleague, it would be a huge opportunity for me to sit with the management and discuss a new deal. Siena and Milano? I was close to joining them in more than one occasion, but it didn't happen. I am happy to be here, I love Bologna but now I am ready for the next challenge. I am 24 and I want to play at the highest levels. For sure I don't want to sign for a great team risking to be a bench player for the entire season and I don't want to score 30 points at night for a weak team" said Koponen. Sportando

Dallas Mavericks, Italy, Petteri Koponen, Virtus Bologna