Hapoel Tel Aviv owner Ofer Yannay met privately with guard Yam Madar for three hours as the club tries to keep him on the roster. The team has already offered Madar a new three-season deal worth about $8 million in total, in an effort to prevent him from leaving through an exit clause.
Yannay did not wait long after Hapoel’s painful loss to city rival Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli league final series, and quickly set up the meeting with the 25-year-old Israeli point guard. According to the report, he told Madar that the club very much wants him to stay and stressed how important that would be for the team and its fans.
Madar has not yet given a final answer. Before deciding, he is expected to speak with head coach Dimitris Itoudis to understand what role is planned for him next season.
Madar has had a difficult period professionally and mentally, after receiving limited EuroLeague minutes this season. He is unhappy with his status at Hapoel and is considering his future, while Hapoel Jerusalem is also interested in strengthening its backcourt. His decision will depend in part on Hapoel’s guard rotation, since Chris Jones has left for Red Star Belgrade and a high-profile replacement would likely reduce Madar’s playing time sharply.
With the EuroLeague season over and Elijah Bryant sidelined by injury, Madar became one of Itoudis’ key players in the Israeli playoffs and the final, averaging 19.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists in nearly 32 minutes per game.
