Maccabi Tel Aviv Targets Bruno Fernando as Rishon Holmes Hesitates Over Security Concerns

Maccabi Tel Aviv is actively working to strengthen its roster for the 2026/2027 basketball season by seeking a significant center addition. The club is in ongoing talks with Rishon Holmes, a 32-year-old former Panathinaikos player who was released last season. Holmes remains uncertain about moving to Israel due to security concerns but continues to engage in discussions with Maccabi. Meanwhile, reports from Serbia indicate that Red Star Belgrade is also negotiating with Holmes, adding uncertainty to his potential signing.

Holmes, who has been a free agent since last season and did not play for any team recently, averaged 7.9 points and 4.3 rebounds over 19 EuroLeague games. Concurrently, Maccabi is considering another strong candidate, Bruno Fernando, a 27-year-old center who completed last season with Partizan Belgrade. Partizan holds an option to retain Fernando until today; if they decline, Maccabi plans to pursue him aggressively.

Fernando is viewed as a leading option by Maccabi and would be welcomed as a key player under the basket. His career includes several NBA seasons with Atlanta, Boston, Houston, and Toronto before moving to Europe in 2024/2025 with Real Madrid. After starting the 2025/2026 season with Real Madrid, where he averaged 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in the EuroLeague, Fernando transferred to Partizan Belgrade and improved his stats to 8.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Maccabi awaits Partizan's decision on Fernando's option before finalizing their plans.