Hapoel Tel Aviv Owner Yanai: Tamir Blatt Must Decide His Future

Hapoel Tel Aviv owner Ofer Yanai met with EuroLeague executives in Israel on Sunday to discuss the potential return of games to the country. Following this meeting, Yanai and Stav Shaham addressed the status of player Tamir Blatt with the team. Yanai stated that Hapoel Tel Aviv has set two goals for the season: winning the Israeli championship and reaching the EuroLeague Final Four. He emphasized strengthening the team's core with players like Jacob Toppin and Kadin Carrington, and noted that all "war clauses" have been canceled to ensure player commitment. Yanai indicated that securing a spot in the EuroLeague for another year hinges on winning the competition, a difficult criterion, but expressed confidence in establishing a stable EuroLeague presence by next year. Regarding Blatt, Yanai stated that the decision on whether to stay with the team rests solely with the player, expressing hope for a resolution. Stav Shaham affirmed that Blatt is currently under contract and will play for Hapoel Tel Aviv unless he wishes to be loaned out, adding that the team will not prevent players who do not want to be there from leaving. Shaham reiterated that Blatt is currently a team player.