HoopsHype.com Rumors

Vittorio Festa: Marco Belinelli is leaving Italy next week, so is the lockout going to be over in a while? Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Lockout, Italy, Marco Belinelli 

Andrea Centenari: Marco Belinelli in an interview with Sportitalia: "I don't think I am going overseas during the lockout. NBA is my dream" Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Lockout, Marco Belinelli 

Marco Belinelli: Back to the future shoes - The "italian pair" goes to Marco Belinelli after the auction for about $15,000 Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Sneakers, Marco Belinelli 

Belinelli’s mission was not only to take advantage of his expanded role on Team Italy, but also hone his skills for the Hornets, or whatever NBA franchise the restricted free agent plays for next season. “I’m a shooting guard, but at the same time I want to do everything,” said Belinelli, 6 feet 5, 200 pounds. “I want to shoot the ball, pass the ball, play defense. I want to be a complete guy. “I worked this summer on my body because I need to be bigger in the NBA. But I don’t want to lose my balance and athleticism. I am thinking about what I need to do to win a game.” New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Italy, Marco Belinelli 

Italy Coach Simone Pianigiani was impressed with Belinelli’s performance. “For me, his stats are not important, but more his personality on defense and talking and understanding and playing to feed the other players, because he has the talent to pass and help on rebounding,” said Pianigiani, who also coaches Montepaschi Siena, one of the best club teams in Europe. “He can do a lot of things on the court. And he will be really important for Italy in the future. We need the players to do a lot of different things on the court. And he understands that.” New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Italy, Marco Belinelli 

According to sources close to the situation, Marco Belinelli is close to accepting a one-year deal with NBA out with Montepaschi Siena. The Italian guard spent the last four years in the NBA averaging, in the last one with New Orleans Hornets, 10.5ppg in regular season in 80 games and 9.7ppg in the postseason. Belinelli, who is restricted free agent after Hornets extended the qualifying offer, would gain more than €100.000 per month with Siena with a high bonus if the Italian team will win Euroleague. Sportando

New Orleans Hornets, Lockout, Marco Belinelli, Montepaschi Siena 

Vittorio Festa: When asked about a possible interest of Real Madrid in Belinelli, Marco's PR told us: "Who, the football team?" Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Real Madrid, Lockout, Marco Belinelli 

According to Corriere dello Sport, Emporio Armani Milano is interested in Marco Belinelli and Carlos Delfino. Belinelli is restricted free agent and already expressed his desire to stay in US also during the lockout. But Milano would sacrifice the budget to get Belinelli and maybe Stefano Mancinelli, one of his best friends, could convince Beli to accept the proposal from Emporio Armani at least for one year. Another name is Carlos Delfino. The player of Milwaukee Bucks worked with Scariolo in Khimki few years ago. This deal is very unlikely to happen because Delfino has another year of contract with Bucks. Sportando

Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Hornets, Carlos Delfino, Lockout, Italy, Marco Belinelli, Armani Jeans Milano 

Jimmy Smith: #Hornets have tendered offer to Marco Belinelli, not Jason Smith, sources say. Hope to retain both players. Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith 

The New Orleans Hornets have picked up the option of starting shooting guard Marco Belinelli, but have decided not to tender an offer to forward Jason Smith, making him an unrestricted free agent, league sources said Thursday afternoon. Smith, a 7-foot reserve who averaged 4.3 points per game last season in 77 appearances, is now free to negotiate with any NBA team. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Free Agency, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith 

Sources indicated Thursday, however, the Hornets would like to retain Smith, perhaps at a salary lower than the $3.135 he would have earned next season had the Hornets tendered him. Belinelli started 69 games for New Orleans last season, averaging 10.5 points per game, his best numbers in four NBA season. Belinelli's option is worth $3.377 next year. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Free Agency, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith 

With forward David West and reserve center Aaron Gray opting for free agency this week, the Hornets have only five players under contract and have until the end of Thursday to make a decision on whether to extend qualifying offers to restricted free agents Marco Belinelli and Jason Smith. Paul says his heart is in New Orleans but that he wants to win, so he hopes the Hornets will be able to revamp the roster with some top players. Paul says he's spoken with West and understands his decision to explore free agency, but says that doesn't mean West won't return to New Orleans. USA Today

New Orleans Hornets, Free Agency, Chris Paul, Aaron Gray, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith, David West 

The agents for New Orleans Hornets restricted free agents Marco Belinelli and Jason Smith said Tuesday they’re still waiting to hear from General Manager Dell Demps whether their clients’ options will be picked up for next season. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Free Agency, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith 

League sources, however, believe it’s likely the Hornets will exercise their option to retain Belinelli’s rights, and that the decision could come Wednesday. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Free Agency, Marco Belinelli 

If not tendered, the players become unrestricted free agents. Mark Bartelstein, Smith’s Chicago-based agent, said Tuesday he’s certain Smith, 7 feet, 240 pounds, would attract attention on the open market. “We’re good either way,” Bartelstein said. “I’d love for him to be unrestricted. There’d be interest in him. If they don’t pick it up, so be it. If they do, then he’ll be restricted and we’ll deal with that. We’ll just wait and see what Dell decides there.” New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Free Agency, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith 

“There’ll be a ton of interest in Jason,” Bartelstein said. “He’s a young, 25-year-old guy, who hasn’t been that healthy with the ACL injury a couple years ago and who has all his health and athleticism back. So we’ll just wait to see what they’re going to do.” New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Free Agency, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith 

I've gotten a chance to see Mario Hezonja at three different events now in the past couple months (Jordan All American Classic, Final Four juniors in Barcelona and now here). And I will say he is probably the best 2-guard prospect to come out of Europe since Drazen Petrovic. Rudy Fernandez and Marco Belinelli weren't even close to the talent or polished players that he is at 16 years of age. He's certainly the most talented European guard prospect that I have seen in the 10 years I've been doing this. He's playing against kids 3 years older than himself and making it look easy. NBADraft.net

Draft, Rudy Fernandez, Marco Belinelli, Mario Hezonja 

Alex Kennedy: Marco Belinelli has been fined $10,000 for his flagrant foul on Shawn Marion. The league upgraded the call to Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two. Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Hornets, Shawn Marion, Marco Belinelli 

Working his way through three nations, Marco Belinelli finally has found a basketball home. Now, he wants to stay put. Belinelli, after a voyage from his native Italy to Golden State and then to Toronto, landed this season in New Orleans. When he becomes a restricted free agent this summer, that's where Belinelli wants to stay. "I'm happy to stay with New Orleans because I love the organization, the team,'' Belinelli said in an interview with FanHouse before the Hornets' 96-87 win Sunday night at Denver. "Yeah, why not (re-sign with New Orleans). With the Hornets, yeah, I'm happy. ... I love the people. I love the coaching staff. It's going to be great.'' FanHouse.com

New Orleans Hornets, Marco Belinelli 

"The expectations over there were incredible the first year,'' Belinelli said. "I remember the summer league after the big game. After that, it was tough for me because a lot of guys were there (providing Golden State playing competition at guard). Monta Ellis. Stephen Jackson. It was tough for me. But I never gave up.'' FanHouse.com

New Orleans Hornets, Marco Belinelli