Nancy signed Akingbala

French League champion SLUC Nancy, improved their roster for the final regular season games in Group B by inking center Akin Akingbala(2.09-C) for the remainder of the season. Akingbala replaces Rod Benson, who reached an agreement to leave the club, and arrives from Universitet-Yugra Surgut, where he averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 9 Russian League games this season.

Akingbala has experience in Europe's second club competition, as he led the 2007-08 ULEB Cup in blocked shots (2.7 bpg.), as well as averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds in 11 games with BK Ventspils of Latvia. He has also played for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the D-League since finishing his college career at Clemson University (NCAA). Akingbala averaged 12.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 32 games in the 2005-06 season, his senior year. He is expected to join Nancy right after the holiday break.

source: eurocupbasketball.com

Maroussi close to bankruptcy

Maroussi BC published a statement via their official website saying that the athenian club is in danger or going bankrupt. This is related to a stop of a contract for the construction company of the club's owner.

The statement says that if the contract is terminated Maroussi will be giving their last ever game in an official competition this Tuesday against Riga for the Eurocup. No further information has been released regarding this.

Egaleo signed Grunheid

Egaleo BC signed german power forward Guido Grunheid(2.07-SF/PF) who trasnferred from the Koln 99ers. Guido is the latest addition to the team of Egaleo after Gabrans and McGrath. The athenian team are trying once again to save themselves from relegation and their newest additions seem to be doing quite well.

Grunheid started his pro career in Alba and moved to Koln afterwards. Last season he played in the Netherlands for the Hazenvast Capitals. This season he returned to Koln and he has played 12 games where he has averaged so far 7.2 points 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He was also part of the German National team last season.

Suns are interested in Pargo

According to the Arizona Republic, Jannero Pargo(1.88-PG/SG) seems to be a target of the Phoenix Suns. The Suns have until the 26th of Decemeber to decide if they're gonna make an offer or not. Pargo has a contract with Dynamo Moscow until the end of next season so this might complicate things.

Below follows the extract from the article:
"The Suns have interest in Jannero Pargo, but so do teams such as New York, which has a biennial exception to offer. Pargo is playing for Dynamo Moscow in Russia but might be able to leave. The Suns have until Dec. 26 to fill the spot."

Rumors about Trifunovic and Greece

According to greek site superbasket.gr and their blogger who calls himself the spy, Aleksandar Trifunovic seems to be a target of the Greek Federation to take up the position of head coach. The article talks about a possible 2-year contract with Trifunovic and that there have already been discussions between the Federation and Trifunovic.

Trifunovic is currently the head coach of Panionios that participates in the Euroleague with a 3-4 record and he's got a 4-5 record and last season he coached Lietuvos Rytas. This seems to be an unlikely name to take up the head coach position for Greece and he doesn't have the caliber of other names like Messina or Hernandez that have been recently implicated in other rumors nor does he have any experience coaching National Teams, hence it is quoted as a rumor.

Bonzi Wells to China

Former Houston Rockets' guard Bonzi Wells arrived to China on Friday afternoon to join Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association league, the club confirmed on Friday. The 32-year-old agreed a one-year contract with the club and the details of the contract were not disclosed.

The club manager Zhang Beihai denied a rumour of 80,000 U.S.-dollar salary for the former teammate of Yao Ming, the most famous Chinese basketball player in the NBA, saying Well's salary is around half of the amount.

Wells is expected to replace Donta Smith, who averages 21 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.5 steals for Shanxi in the past 11 matches, as the CBA allows only two foreign players outside Asia to each team.Wells averaged 12.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in his 10-year NBA career when he played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and the Rockets.

He followed the step of his former Rockets' teammate, Kirk Snyder, who signed with the Zhejiang Cyclones this summer, to play at the Chinese league, whose fans are quite acquainted with them as they played along with Yao in Houston two years ago.

The story of Wells to join in a club of CBA started this summer and Zhang said the two sides had agreed the terms of the contract about a month ago. Zhang said Wells was waiting for an offer from a Spanish club before he decided to sign with Shanxi on Wednesday.

Wells will team up with Olumide Oyedeji, one of the best all-around players in the CBA, to produce the best-ever season with former Seattle SuperSonics coach Bob Weiss. Shanxi, one of last season's bottom teams, recorded seven wins and four losses to be placed 6th on the standings.

Source : www.chinaview.cn

Zdovc becomes head coach in Olimpija

Union Olimpija finally finished the one-week hunt for a new coach which started after the split with Aleksandar Džikić and appointed the legendary Slovenian player Jure Zdovc to the position on Thursday late afternoon.

Zdovc, who was placed on the candidate list on Monday according to the director Igor Dolenc but only hours later received the phone call from the president Dušan Mitič that he is not a good option for the club due to his obligations in the national team, was the club's top pick since the second candidate Gašper Okorne refused the offer from Tivoli on Tuesday. Negotiations with Zdovc re-opened that day and on Thursday he finally signed the contract until the end of the 2010/2011 season. Only weeks earlier he was also promoted as the new coach of the Slovenian national team saying his goal is the medal at the 2009 European Championship in Poland.

Zdovc was one of the most important players in the national team of ex-Yugoslavia who won medals at the European and World Championship as at the Olympic Games.

source : adriaticbasket.com

Deane and Klimavicius to Greece?

According to eurobasket.com, Willie Deane(1.85-PG) and Tadas Klimavicius(2.04-PF) will probably continue their careers in Greece, playing for Maroussi and Paok respectively. The article says that Deane is a candidate to replace Bill Keys(1.88-PG) and Klimavicius to replace Dejan Tomasevic(2.08-C)

The rumors about Klimavicius existed before whereas this article will be added to the rumors that recently surfaced regarding Keys. Klimavicius might be released after the regular season is finished in the Euroleague where as Deane seems to be closer to a deal with Maroussi.

Rumors about Zdovc and Olimpija

According to eurobasket.com Olimpija has agreed to sign, former player and slovenian legend Juri Zdovc as their new head coach after Aleksandar Dzikic stepped down. The article says that Zdovc will be signed until 2011.

If this is true Zdovc will have double duties in Slovenia as he will be the new head coach for the Slovenian National Team as well. Zdovc's name was connected to quite a teams in the last few weeks and rumors have been going around but still we have no confirmation.

Sakota out, Pancotto in Fortitudo

Despite winning its first Eurocup game on the road by 11 points just 24 hours early, Fortitudo Bologna made a coaching change on Wednesday, releasing veteran Dragan Sakota and replacing him with another long-time bench boss, Cesare Pancotto. Sakota had taken the reigns at Fortitudo in January, replacing Andrea Mazzon.

Pancotto, age 53, is a well-rounded coach that has worked for many Italian teams like Reggio Emilia, Forli, Sassari, Pistoia, Siena, Trieste, Roma, Montecatini, Trieste or Teramo. He arrives from Snaidero Udine, the team he coached in the last three seasons. He has coached in the Italian first division for 24 years and 811 games. He will be ready to sit on the Fortitudo bench against FMP.

source: eurocupbasketball.com

Corey Brewer might leave Riga

According to esports.lv Corey Brewer(1.89-PG/SG) might be leaving ASK Riga. According to the article in Riga they are not very happy about his attitude and so they are considering the possibility of changing him for another american player perhaps.

The administration of Riga apparently is already in contacts with his agent in order to find a solution as the desire to terminate the contract is mutual between them and Brewer. Brewer has averaged so far 12.4 points 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 7 games so far in the Eurocup. He's got similar stats in the Baltic League averaging 12.9 points 3.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 8 games.

Scariolo closer to Spain

Sergio Scariolo seems to be ever closer to becoming the head coach of the Spanish National Team according to El Mundo Deportivo. Scariolo is to meet with the president of the spanish federation, Jose Luis Saez, very soon in order to discuss the subject and now that Khimki has provided him with a big contract money is not the issue anymore.. The money he was asking before the deal with Khimki was rumored to be close to 1 million euros per season.