The best NBA players that could return to Europe this summer / News - Basketnews.com

BasketNews analyzes some of the current international NBA players that might consider their return to Europe, including Goga Bitadze, Goran Dragic, Danilo Gallinari, and others.

Credit: Bitadze: Scanpix Hernangomez: FIBA Dragic: Scanpix Credit Bitadze: Scanpix Hernangomez: FIBA Dragic: Scanpix

Right now is always a very intense period of the year. In the NBA, the trade deadline gets closer and closer, and teams wonder what's the best move to improve their chances of becoming a title contender or which player they should trade to acquire more draft assets for the future.

Juan Hernangomez

MIN:15.39PTS:3.13 (44.88%)REB:3.08As:0.62ST:0.41BL:0.15TO:0.38GM:39ProfileNBA2022/2023

Although the regular season in Europe and EuroLeague is still in its plain development, teams start to move also for the following season, scouting potential additions and trying to secure contract extensions with their own players.

February and March are usually key months when it comes to planning for the next season. With the infusion of international talent that the NBA saw in the past few years, every summer, European fans wonder if some of their former EuroLeague heroes will come back.

Meanwhile, some young talents who struggle to find minutes in the NBA might decide to make their way back to EuroLeague to have a more consistent role.

With that in mind, we have analyzed a few profiles of current European/International NBA players that might find their way back to Europe next summer.

Before we start, a few disclaimers: some of the players that will be mentioned in the article likely won't be back in European basketball next summer. It would be nice to see them returning, that's all.

Goga Bitadze (C, Indiana Pacers)

After being selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 18th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Goga Bitadze has struggled to find a consistent role with the team.

This season, his minutes have been limited and looks like the Georgian big man might be on his way out of Indianapolis, with reports of the Pacers trying to find a new team for him already at the trade deadline.

Even if Bitadze will finish the season with the Pacers, there's a good chance that the team coached by Rick Carlisle won't extend to him a qualifying offer this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Danilo Gallinari

Team:Boston CelticsPosition:PF, SFAge:34Height:208 cmWeight:102 kgBirth place:Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, ItalyProfileNewsStatistics

If that is the case, Bitadze will be free to decide his own future. This summer, the big man will turn 24, so most likely, his priority will be to remain in the NBA.

His offensive skills are clear, and he has a really nice touch around the rim. At the same time, though, some of his limits make him a difficult big man to have for many minutes in the NBA, mainly because of his lack of lateral mobility.

Bitadze, though, has already proven that he can be a very positive factor at the EuroLeague level.

In his time with Buducnost during the 2018-19 season, Bitadze averaged 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game, finishing the season as the Rising Star of the competition.

For many EuroLeague teams searching for a dominant big man, Bitadze would represent a real luxury.

Of course, there's the financial aspect to consider. The Georgian big man is making almost $5 million this season with the Pacers. So, to see him in EuroLeague again, Bitadze would need to lower his salary considerably.

But if Bitadze is tired of not having a consistent role in the NBA and will welcome more stability, a return to EuroLeague basketball would probably represent the best option.

Sure, at 24, it's almost a given that he'll get at least another chance in the NBA. Still, most likely, his situation won't be that different from the one he's already experiencing with the Pacers.

Leandro Bolmaro (SG, Utah Jazz)

Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft, the Argentinian guard joined the team only one year later after staying with Barcelona for an additional season.

To say that his time in the NBA so far has been negligible would be quite an understatement.

In his only season with the Timberwolves, Bolmaro played 35 games with an average of 7 minutes per game while shooting 28% from deep.

During the past offseason, Bolmaro was traded to the Utah Jazz as part of the blockbuster deal that brought Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Jazz, though, saw Bolmaro only as a salary filler.

They already decided not to pick up his third-year option, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer. The former Barcelona player barely saw the court this season, averaging less than 5 minutes per game in 13 matches.

Just like Bitadze, Bolmaro is still extremely young. He'll turn 23 only in September, and some NBA teams could try to give him another chance.

But after two experiences in a row in which Bolmaro was barely a member of the rotations, it's hard to imagine that his situation in the league will drastically improve in the next team where he might end up.

For this reason, the Argentinian talent might consider returning to the EuroLeague to have a more consistent role and rebuild his confidence after two difficult seasons.

Maybe a return to Barcelona under coach Jasikevicius could be the best solution.

Goran Dragic (PG, Chicago Bulls)

While with Bitadze and Bolmaro, we talked about two young players who struggle to find consistent minutes in the NBA, Goran Dragic brings the conversation to another level.

The Slovenian point guard has been playing in the NBA since 2008, winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award in 2014 and being selected as an All-Star in 2018.

For many years he has been one of the most important international players in the league. This season, Dragic is playing for the Chicago Bulls, but results haven't met the expectations so far.

The team could easily end up not making it to the playoffs, leaving the Slovenian point guard with an important decision to make at the end of the season.

Dragic will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and turn 37 in May. After so many years playing in the NBA, it might be the moment to return to European basketball for him.

His brother Zoran is playing with Cedevita Olimpija, a reunion with him would probably represent the perfect way to finish his career.

But even returning to Baskonia, where he already played during the NBA lockout in 2011, could be a dream scenario for European basketball fans.

Let's just hope that Goran will finish this season healthy and decide to follow these humble suggestions.

Danilo Gallinari (F, Boston Celtics)

After Goran Dragic, let's continue on the veteran way and talk about Danilo Gallinari. The Italian forward, who'll be 35 in August, was extremely excited when he signed a two-year deal with Boston Celtics last summer, as it was almost a dream come true for him.

Unfortunately, while he was with the Italian national team, Gallinari suffered an ACL injury that could force him to miss the entire season.

The player is progressing, and recently we saw videos of him already running, but it's still hard to imagine that he might be able to play this season.

This summer, Gallinari will have a player option worth almost 7 million. Picking up that player option after such a severe injury will probably be the most logical thing to do for the Italian forward.

But suppose Gallinari decides to decline the option and explore the market. In that case, it'd be interesting to see if the Italian forward might consider a return to Europe after so many years in the NBA.

Gallinari has often stated that he'd love to finish his career with Olimpia Milan, the team with whom he grew up as a player.

Could next summer be the right moment for this long-awaited return?

Despite his age and the injuries suffered during his career, Gallinari would still be a luxury player at the Euroleague level. His offensive talent is still difficult to match, and his shooting skills would be a crucial addition to Olimpia Milan.

Juancho Hernangomez (F, Toronto Raptors)

After cinematic success with the film Hustle and being named MVP of the EuroBasket final with Spain, Juancho Hernangomez signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Raptors.

However, the Raptors season has been highly disappointing so far, and at the trade deadline, some key pieces of the group may be traded.

In all of this, the Spanish player has had an inconsistent role, sometimes ending up out of the rotation only to find space again in other situations.

Hernangomez is playing just under 16 minutes per game, averaging 5.1 points and 3.4 rebounds.

We all know how instrumental Hernangomez can be in FIBA basketball. We have seen it happen many times with the Spanish national team, while in the NBA, it seems that the former Estudiantes wing can't be more than a rotation player.

At the end of the season, Hernangomez will be an unrestricted free agent and have a decision to make about his future.

In Europe, there is no shortage of admirers. Real Madrid had already attempted to bring him back to Spain a few years ago before the player signed a contract extension with the Timberwolves, and the Blancos continue to be admirers of "Bo Cruz."

But Hernangomez's technical and athletic qualities would be a remarkable luxury for any EuroLeague team.

It remains to be seen if the Spanish player will decide to enact the long-awaited return to Europe or if he will choose to play his cards again in the NBA.

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