HoopsHype.com Rumors

Marc Stein: Source close to Durant says Thunder star will now widen his net and talk to more teams beyond Valencia, BBC Bayreuth and Maccabi Tel Aviv Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Lockout, Spain, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Europe, Germany, Valencia Basket 

Maccabi Tel Aviv denied Sunday that it has held negotiations with NBA All-Star Kevin Durant after it was reported in the US that the Oklahoma City Thunder forward is weighing several offers from Europe, including from the yellow-and-blue. Jerusalem Post

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Lockout, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

“I don’t know where he got that from or where his agent got it, but it is a big compliment that he said he would like to play for Maccabi, although it is completely unfounded,” Blatt said. “If he wants to come and play for Maccabi we will find a place for him. He is one of my favorite players, but I think this is unrealistic.” Jerusalem Post

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Lockout, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Dubi Pick: Stop asking me about the possibility of KD joining Maccabi bcuz it's NOT gonna happen. If anything, wouldn't he wanna play w/Serge Ibaka?! Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Real Madrid, Lockout, Spain, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Serge Ibaka 

If the labor impasse isn’t resolved, Durant said he could sign a contract next week to play overseas. He’s weighing offers from Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, Valencia in Spain and BBC Bayreuth in Germany. Any deal Durant signs would include an opt-out clause that allows him to return to the NBA as soon as the lockout ends. Yahoo! Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Lockout, Spain, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Germany 

The World from Public Radio International sat down (well, actually stood up) and talked to Jordan Farmar about playing in Israel, where he is during the NBA lockout. Farmar is a Los Angeles boy, born and raised, who went on to win a couple of rings with the Lakers before going to the Nets. Moving to Israel is a dramatic change. NBCSports.com

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Alberto de Roa: Fearing the end of the lockout? Maccabi Tel Aviv is already looking for a replacement for Jordan Farmar, according to Sport5 Twitter

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Mary Schmitt Boyer/Tom Reed: #Cavs swingman Omri Casspi is believed to be weiging two overseas options: Maccabi Tel Aviv or a team in Italy. Neither is finalized. Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, Lockout, Omri Casspi, Italy, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Omri Casspi is again in talks with Maccabi Tel Aviv. One.co.il

Cleveland Cavaliers, Lockout, Omri Casspi, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Dubi Pick: Clearing up the @Casspi18 rumor: Sources very close to the player tell EB Maccabi made the contact, no #'s are yet to be discussed & the tax issue is a none factor.... Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, Lockout, Omri Casspi, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

With two easy road victories under its belt, Maccabi hosts Cibona Zagreb of Croatia this evening, and thanks to the NBA lockout, Farmar will be wearing the yellow uniform for the first time in front of home fans. How long he will remain a Maccabi player is a mystery, but for now the 24-year-old is just looking forward to his home debut. "I'm really not thinking about when the strike will end," he said yesterday. "As long as I'm here, I'm a Maccabi player and that's what matters." Haaretz

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Raised in Los Angeles by his Jewish mother Melinda and stepfather Yehuda Kolani, a Tel Aviv native, the 24-year-old Farmar has many memories of watching Maccabi in his visits to Israel as a child and decided to approach the reigning Israeli champion and Euroleague runner-up this past summer, offering to play for a nominal sum. “I had offers from around Europe to come and play and an offer from Israel as well, but I thought that if I would go anywhere Maccabi would be my first choice,” Farmar told me earlier this week. Jerusalem Post

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

“I wanted to be in Tel Aviv where I have family and I’m familiar with the city and I know what it is all about. I had seen Maccabi games when I was younger and it was my first choice. I didn’t want to cause any inconvenience or take a lot of money or anything like that. I just wanted to make it work for both of us and we found a common ground and it does work. “It started off as an idea and something that would be nice to do and turned into reality.” Jerusalem Post

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Farmar had initially thought he would be playing a supporting role at Maccabi, but Jeremy Pargo’s decision to controversially opt-out of the twoyear deal he signed with Tel Aviv to realize his dream of playing in the NBA has changed all of that. “That is definitely a concern of mine,” said Farmar. “When I was negotiating with Maccabi I was under the assumption that Pargo would still be here so that if I did have to leave they would still have somebody with which they made it a long way last year and they are comfortable with. “I didn’t know that he wasn’t planning on coming back. But I guess management knew the situation and knew what the risk was. So I’m sure they have some other plan. I respect them and what they do and hopefully they will have that taken care of. “You never know, maybe I’ll be here the whole year and it is not even an issue. I guess I’m not trying to think too far ahead.” Jerusalem Post

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Free agent guard Marcus Thornton is refuting a report that he declined a lucrative overseas offer. “I don’t know where that came from,” Thornton told SLAM in a phone interview of a rumored deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv. SLAM

Sacramento Kings, Free Agency, Marcus Thornton, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Dubi Pick: Macc T-A starting to gel beating Haifa 88:63 in season scrimmage. Farmar's European debut ended w/6 pnt. Sofo, Smith & Hendrix had 12 each Twitter

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Dubi Pick: #Lockout -- Heavy rumors make known that RFA Marcus Thornton refused a $2.2 million full season (no NBA out) offer by Maccabi Tel Aviv. Twitter

Marcus Thornton, Lockout, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Dubi Pick: The growing list of NBAers flirting w/Israel continues - source confirms that Suns' Aaron Brooks (@Aaron Brooks) was offered to Macc T-A. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Aaron Brooks 

New Jersey Nets guard Jordan Farmar is looking forward to a "great life experience" playing for Israeli champion Maccabi Tel Aviv during the NBA lockout. Farmar was greeted at the airport on Thursday by dozens of fans singing and banging drums in celebration. Speaking to reporters later, Farmar said he was excited to play "for an organization that is committed to winning." YNetNews.com

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

Farmar said he believed he would adjust well to the European game and fit in just fine with a deep Maccabi squad. "I'm here to be a positive influence," he said. "I'm a leader by nature, whether I'm on the floor or not. I'm not here to show anybody up. I'm just trying to be a member of the team, a positive influence and whatever they ask of me I'll do." YNetNews.com

New Jersey Nets, Jordan Farmar, Lockout, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv