The Cleveland Cavaliers recently cashed in on their draft rights to Australian winger Luke Travers, signing him to a two-way contract after a strong season with NBL runner-up Melbourne United. Draft and reserve business appears to be wrapped up for the 2024 offseason, but three players stand out as potential reserves in the summer of 2025: Memphis Grizzlies goaltender Tarik Biberovic, Utah Jazz goaltender Gabriele Procida and Dallas Mavericks goaltender Melvin Ajinca.
Tarik Biberovic | Forward | Current Team: Fenerbahce | NBA Rights: Memphis Grizzlies
Biberovic is coming off a fantastic season with Turkish club Fenerbahce, which reached the Euroleague Final Four. Biberovic is 23 years old, 6’1″ and 210 lbs. He averaged 9 points per game on a 52/47/95 shooting ratio last season in all competitions. That 50/40/90 season was highlighted by a career-high 229 three-point attempts, and his season was so impressive that there was talk of him joining the Grizzlies this season and taking over Luke Kennard’s role on a cheaper deal. That didn’t happen, but the door is clearly not closed on that.
The Grizzlies will likely want to see Biberovic show a bit more on-ball prowess this season. His prowess as a precision shooter and mover is evident at this point, but showing his ability to attack closeouts and finish in the lane would solidify his status as a positive offensive player from day one in the NBA.
Questions remain about Biberovic’s defense. Fenerbahce brought in a new coach, Euroleague and Lithuanian basketball legend Sarunas Jasikevicius, midway through the season and he wasn’t afraid to put Biberovic in trouble. He tasked him with guarding Euroleague stars like Mike James, Wade Baldwin and others on occasion. Sometimes Biberovic was up to the task, sometimes he picked up two fouls with exceptional speed.
He’ll have to use his size and strength to his advantage and slide his feet better. Biberovic won’t be expected to be a defensive stopper in the NBA, but he’ll have to be passable to stay on the court and be a part of the Grizzlies’ or any organization’s long-term future.
Gabriele Procida | Forward | Current Team: ALBA Berlin | NBA Rights: Utah Jazz
If you combine Biberovic and Italian winger Gabriele Procida into one player, they would quickly become one of the best players in the Euroleague. Procida is long, elastic, and fast. He stands at 6’6” with a 6’4” wingspan and impressive jumping ability. Having recently turned 22, the best part of his game is his defense. He can take on any matchup on the perimeter and also offers help protecting the weak side. What Procida currently lacks is a consistent jump shot.
Last season, he shot 34 percent of his 3-pointers on 140 attempts in all competitions, but 29 percent in the Euroleague. Gaps like that in the competition are worrisome, a sort of yellow flag. His shooting is worse against better competition now, why would he be better when he gets to the NBA?
The good news is that Procida will have plenty of opportunities this season. Despite their best efforts, ALBA Berlin’s goal this Euroleague season won’t really be to win games. They simply don’t have the talent to do so. As one of the only top clubs in Europe that is focused on providing opportunities to young players, something Procida benefited from last season by being named a Rising Star of the competition, they will likely put the ball in Procida’s hands quite often.
The offseason addition of Australian guard Nick McDowell-White will likely help, too, a true master of the pick-and-roll who will easily find him when he’s open. A more reliable three-point shot with just a bit of overall improvement on the offensive end could entice Danny Ainge and the Utah Jazz to take a look. Procida’s rights were acquired by the Jazz in a trade deadline deal that sent Simone Fontecchio, another Italian wing who spent a season in his early 20s with ALBA Berlin, to the Pistons. If it worked for Fontecchio, why not try it again with Procida?
Melvin Ajinca | Wing | Current Team: LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | NBA Rights: Dallas Mavericks
A second-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Melvin Ajinca signed a EuroLeague contract with Tony Parker’s club, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, after an impressive season with Saint Quentin. At 6’4″ and 210 lbs, Ajinca has the size and build to defend on the NBA wings. With Saint Quentin last season, he shot 36% from the line on nearly 6 attempts per game, which is not a volume that many players achieve in Europe unless they are a star.
It’s impossible to say right now whether the environment Ajinca is in will be good or bad for him. ASVEL is at the bottom of the Euroleague and is borderline embarrassing. The club shows no vision for the future and had three different coaches last season. But chaos is a ladder, and Ajinca wouldn’t be the first to get a better opportunity by having a good season with ASVEL. Guerschon Yabusele, recently signed by the Sixers, spent his first season back in Europe with ASVEL. Theo Maledon, cut from the 2020 NBA Draft, also signed with the club, as did impressive G League players Shaquille Harrison and Admiral Schofield.
Ajinca’s shooting, defense and third top-tier secret skill – rebounding – could earn him a starting spot in this group and if he can hold up despite the likely tumultuous nature of an ASVEL season, he could be someone the Mavericks look to bring in sooner rather than later to support Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic as a 3-and-D wing.
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