Rishon Holmes Linked to Red Star Belgrade Amid Maccabi Tel Aviv Talks

Maccabi Tel Aviv is actively working on assembling its roster for the 2026/2027 basketball season, with a key focus on the center position. Rishon Holmes, a primary candidate for Maccabi's number 5 spot, is reportedly also a target for Red Star Belgrade, a prominent EuroLeague team. Serbian outlet Mundo reports that Holmes has been on Red Star's radar for several weeks, and following the appointment of coach Ivon Navarro, negotiations are expected to accelerate. Red Star is reportedly conducting talks discreetly behind the scenes.

Holmes, 32 years old and 2.06 meters tall, signed a two-year contract last summer with Panathinaikos, marking his first European stint after a successful NBA career. He was expected to be a leading player for the Greek club, earning $2.5 million annually. However, during the season, Holmes publicly clashed with Panathinaikos coach Argin Ataman, who criticized Holmes and other big men for poor effort and movement. Following this conflict, the club released Holmes in late March.

Since becoming a free agent, Holmes has not signed with any team and has remained inactive for several months. In 19 games with Panathinaikos, he averaged 7.9 points and 4.3 rebounds. Maccabi Tel Aviv hopes to finalize a deal with Holmes, but the interest from Red Star Belgrade adds competition for his services.