Maccabi Tel Aviv Eyes Fenerbahce Center Armando Bacot for 2026/27

Maccabi Tel Aviv is continuing its search for help in the paint as it prepares for the 2026/27 season, with center Armando Bacot now on its shortlist. The club is still in the middle of its playoff push and a record-setting season in Israel, but one of its main offseason priorities remains the center position, alongside Roman Sorkin.

After the Iranian attack, the family of Marcus Bingham vetoed a move to Israel. Maccabi repeatedly raised its offer to the former Hapoel Tel Aviv center, but that deal now appears unlikely because of the security situation, while Fenerbahce has also made him a strong offer. According to Sport5, the player now being considered is Fenerbahce's current center, Bacot.

Bacot is 26 years old and 2.08 meters tall. He joined Fenerbahce last summer for his first European stop, after winning the title with the Turkish club. Before that, in 2024/25, his first season after college, he played only in the G League for the Memphis Grizzlies' affiliate. He spent five seasons at North Carolina.

In the G League, Bacot averaged 16.8 points and 9.5 rebounds, shooting 46.5% on two-pointers and 33.3% from three. Those numbers did not carry over to the EuroLeague, where he averaged just 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10 minutes over 26 games. In the Turkish league he posted 6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.5 minutes, shooting 49.4% from the field and 34.6% from deep. He has not played in the Turkish league for Fenerbahce since April 4, and his last EuroLeague game was on April 7 against Hapoel Tel Aviv, after he lost his place in Sarunas Jasikevicius' rotation following adaptation issues and the return of Chris Silva from injury.