Nigel Hayes-Davis is heading back to Europe, reaching a contract agreement with Panathinaikos that runs through 2028, the Greek club confirmed on social media.
Club sources said the forward’s new deal is worth a total of $10 million, making the 31-year-old the third-highest-paid player in Europe. Only Hapoel Tel Aviv guard Vasilije Micic and Panathinaikos guard Kendrick Nunn earn more.
Panathinaikos secured Hayes-Davis after a competitive pursuit that also involved Hapoel Tel Aviv and his former team, Fenerbahce. The Athens club’s initial offer was reportedly rejected before talks resumed.
Hayes-Davis spent the past seven seasons in Europe and captured EuroLeague Final Four MVP honors last spring while helping Fenerbahce win the championship. He originally went undrafted out of Wisconsin in 2017 and logged nine NBA games with the Lakers, Raptors and Kings before moving overseas in 2018.
The 6-foot-8 small forward returned to the NBA in July on a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Phoenix, averaging 7.2 minutes across 27 appearances. He became a free agent last week after being traded to Milwaukee at the deadline and waived the following day.
Source: Hoops Rumors
