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Report: EuroLeague star Nando De Colo eyes NBA return; Raptors hold rights
CSKA Moscow's Nando De Colo, right, drives to the basket as Red Star's Mathias Lessort tries to block him during a EuroLeague basketball match in Belgrade, Serbia back in 2017. (Darko Vojinovic/AP)
One of the standout guards of the EuroLeague could end up back in the NBA this summer, as CSKA Moscow star Nando De Colo is reportedly planning a return to North America.
“I have asked my agents to explore NBA opportunities over the coming weeks,” De Colo told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “I am excited for the next challenge in my career.”
De Colo, who will turn 32 on Sunday, was a second-round pick of the Spurs back in 2009. He made his NBA debut with San Antonio in 2012-13, averaging 12.8 minutes and 3.8 points per game in 72 appearances.
The following season he was traded to the Toronto Raptors for Austin Daye.
France’s De Colo suited up in 21 games for the Raptors late in 2013-14 but after the conclusion of the NBA season he signed with CSKA Moscow.
Despite his time overseas, the Raptors still hold his NBA rights.
As Wojnarowski explains: “Toronto has the option to extend a qualifying offer to De Colo, which would give the NBA champions the opportunity to match a restricted free-agent offer sheet from another team.”
De Colo is essentially a Raptors restricted free agent. They can extend a qualifying offer and match any offer sheet; Seems more likely the NBA champs would let De Colo, 32, become an UFA. https://t.co/bHiPHNCfv9
An efficient shooter who averaged 16 points per game over the past five seasons, De Colo was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team three times, the All-EuroLeague Second Team twice and was named EuroLeague MVP in 2016.
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