Isaac Bonga has not accepted an NBA offer, contrary to previous reports from Serbia. Instead, the 26-year-old will wait for NBA free agency to open on July 1 before weighing offers from the NBA against lucrative proposals from EuroLeague clubs.
Isaac Bonga’s free agency outlook is expected to shift significantly once the NBA market officially opens on July 1.
MIN
27.7
PTS
9.9
FG%
59%
REB
5.6
AS
1.5
Despite drawing significant interest from several EuroLeague contenders, the German forward’s priority remains securing an NBA contract, sources tell BasketNews.
Contrary to previous reports from Serbia, Bonga has not accepted an NBA offer.
Instead, the 26-year-old is waiting for NBA free agency to officially begin before evaluating potential offers and comparing them with the lucrative proposals already on the table in Europe.
Bonga has emerged as one of the hottest names on the European market after a career-best season with Partizan Belgrade. Nearly every EuroLeague contender has expressed interest in his situation, but his focus remains on returning to the NBA, sources tell BasketNews.
Bonga drew strong interest from NBA teams during the 2025-26 season, with several exploring a midseason signing.
However, Partizan refused to entertain the possibility of an exit. Without an in-season NBA buyout clause in his contract, which runs through 2027, the Serbian club decided to keep one of its most important players during a crucial stretch of the campaign.
His contractual situation changes in the offseason, as his agreement with Partizan includes an NBA buyout clause that becomes active during the summer.
Among European clubs, Barcelona, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, and Hapoel Tel Aviv have shown the strongest interest in Bonga so far, sources tell BasketNews.
During the 2025-26 EuroLeague campaign, he averaged 10.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 14.3 PIR in 28 minutes of action, establishing himself as one of the competition’s premier two-way forwards.
Prior to the season, Bonga was named the Best Defensive Player of EuroBasket 2025 after helping Germany capture the gold medal.
In the championship game against Turkiye, he delivered one of the finest performances of the tournament, finishing with 20 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from three-point range, along with five rebounds and three assists.
Before returning to Europe, Bonga spent four seasons in the NBA after being selected with the 39th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
During his NBA career, he appeared for the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors.
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Donatas Urbonas is an award-winning Lithuanian basketball journalist, recognized as the best sports journalist in Lithuania in 2016 and the top basketball journalist in 2018. A Vilnius University journalism graduate, Urbonas has reported on major global sports events, including the Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 Olympics, FIBA World Cups, EuroBaskets, NBA Summer League, and NBA Draft.
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