NBA Clubs Eye Maccabi Tel Aviv Center Roman Sorkin
nba-teams-show-interest-roman-sorkin
EuroLeague standout Roman Sorkin is attracting attention from the Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks and Miami Heat, SNY’s Ian Begley reported on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old big man elevated his profile at this summer’s EuroBasket, averaging 16.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in six games for Israel, including a double-double against Slovenia. Those numbers built on a 2024-25 EuroLeague season in which he produced 12.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest for Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Sorkin is no stranger to U.S. basketball; he spent four seasons at the University of Oregon from 2014 to 2018 before launching his professional career in Israel.
Leaving Maccabi could prove complicated. The 6-10 forward-center reportedly signed a five-year extension last year that runs through 2029, so any move to the NBA would require a contract clause or buyout agreement.
Roster flexibility also varies among his suitors. Portland already has 15 guaranteed contracts and would need to waive or trade a player to create space. Miami has 12 fully guaranteed deals, while New York sits at 12 standard contracts but remains limited by salary-cap constraints, possessing room for only one veteran minimum slot and one rookie minimum slot. Because the Knicks do not hold Sorkin’s draft rights, his salary would be treated as a veteran minimum for tax purposes even if signed at the rookie minimum amount.
Source: Hoops Rumors
