By Nikola Miloradovic/ info@eurohoops.net
Mid-season roster additions became inevitable for EuroLeague clubs. In many cases, teams looked to add role players or simply patch holes created by injuries or early-season miscalculations.
At times, however, clubs thought bigger. They monitored the fringes of NBA rosters, patiently waiting for training camps to conclude, hoping that a targeted player would fail to secure a guaranteed deal and become available on the market.
One of the most striking examples came in the 2023-24 season, when Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens waited until October 31 to sign Kendrick Nunn. The move proved transformative. Nunn quickly became a difference-maker, lifting the Greens to the 2024 EuroLeague title.
Today, Nunn is a bona fide EuroLeague star — the 2024-25 MVP and one of the league’s premier players.
Spencer Dinwiddie
It was no surprise, then, that every club hoped to strike a similar deal when the infamous NBA cuts arrived. Finding a player capable of reshaping a season could alter the entire competitive landscape. This autumn, a number of EuroLeague teams acted early, signing newcomers not to fill space but to change direction.
The 32-year-old from Los Angeles joined FC Bayern Munich after more than a decade in the NBA, where he played 621 regular-season games and built a reputation before becoming one of the most significant overseas signings in EuroLeague history.
His NBA journey took him through the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers, giving him a wide range of experiences across different systems and roles.
Dinwiddie made an immediate impact in Europe with clutch plays and steadily raised his level over his first eight EuroLeague appearances, averaging 13 points per game, highlighted by a career-high 25 against Partizan.
There is little doubt that the best is yet to come, as he has already shown he can be a salsa and a ballet dancer at the same time — a comparison he himself used when describing the difference between the NBA and the EuroLeague — blending flair and rhythm with control and precision.
Jared Butler
Butler’s NBA journey was shorter than Dinwiddie’s, but the 25-year-old still amassed 148 regular-season appearances, highlighted by the 11.5 points and 4.9 assists he averaged in his final season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Prior to joining Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, he turned heads with a 35-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers in preseason. Since arriving in Belgrade, his form has fluctuated, but he has shown clear flashes of brilliance — particularly in the win over AS Monaco — and was one of the main protagonists of the Belgrade derby, finishing both games with 20 points. In Round 16, he erupted for a personal-best 27 points on the road at Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv, although it came in a narrow defeat.
The former Utah, Oklahoma City, Washington and Philadelphia guard is gradually finding his rhythm and already showcasing his shooting ability. So far, however, it seems he has only scratched the surface of his potential. As a result, Crvena Zvezda fans can expect him to grow into one of the key figures in Saša Obradović’s team and a newcomer capable of making real waves in the EuroLeague.
Monte Morris
EuroLeague fans are still waiting for his debut with Olympiacos Piraeus, but there is no doubt that expectations are high. Monte Morris arrives in Europe after a very solid NBA career, during which he played for the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers.
In 420 NBA regular-season appearances, the 30-year-old guard averaged 9.5 points and 3.6 assists, while also building significant postseason experience with 57 playoff games (8.3 points and 3.1 assists).
Known for his control and efficiency, and for being a dependable presence even at the NBA level, Morris appears well suited to adapt quickly to Olympiacos’s system and needs — and to begin leaving his mark on European basketball.
Alex Len
Real Madrid made plenty of noise by signing 32-year-old Ukrainian big man Alex Len, who spent almost his entire career in the NBA. Before stints with the Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers, Len enjoyed a season back home with Dnipro, where he won the Ukrainian championship. Prior to that, he played two years of college basketball at Maryland before being selected fifth overall in the 2013 NBA Draft.
Without a doubt, Len arrived as a big name for the EuroLeague. He brings with him 690 NBA regular-season appearances, averaging 6.7 points and 5.3 rebounds across his career.
Len has been slowly integrated into Sergio Scariolo’s system so far, appearing in five games and averaging fewer than 10 minutes per night. However, given his experience and pedigree, there is little doubt that a much bigger role awaits him — and that he is poised to make his presence felt across Europe as early as this season.
Having Len alongside Walter Tavares, Usman Garuba, Chuma Okeke and Trey Lyles makes Real Madrid’s frontcourt a daunting one, with the best still yet to come for both Len and the Spanish powerhouse.
Beyond the headline signings, several other NBA arrivals have already begun to leave their mark.
Jared Rhoden, formerly of the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors, joined Paris Basketball and needed just three games to take off, scoring 22 points against AS Monaco.
Braxton Key, who previously played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors, is gradually being integrated into Pedro Martínez’s system at Valencia. It will be interesting to see how high his ceiling is in a more defined role.
Matt Ryan had solid roles in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans, and last season he appeared in 19 games for the New York Knicks before joining Dubai Basketball. As a forward who shot close to 40% from three-point range in the NBA, he could become a valuable piece in Jurica Golemac’s squad.
Monaco recently signed a guard with more experience than any of the aforementioned players in Cory Joseph. However, the Canadian point guard is still ineligible to play in the EuroLeague for the French side. Once the administrative obstacles are cleared and he makes his debut, there is little doubt that a player with 866 NBA regular-season appearances can make a significant impact.