Former Miami Heat guard Rodney McGruder reportedly is on the verge of signing a deal to play for Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano, a Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) professional basketball team based in Milan, Italy.
🚨BREAKING: According to our sources, Rodney McGruder and Olimpia Milano are close to reaching an agreement! 👀
The American player with 10 years of NBA experience is on the verge of signing with Ettore Messina's team!🔜#Milano #euroleague #RodneyMcGruder pic.twitter.com/C1oa8pMvey
— TeleSport.rs (@TelesportRS) January 7, 2024
McGruder, who played for the Heat from the 2016-17 season through the 2018-19 campaign, last played in the NBA in the 2022-23 season for the Detroit Pistons.
The 32-year-old also played for the Los Angeles Clippers in his NBA career.
For his NBA career, McGruder owns averages of 5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 42.0 percent shooting from the field and 36.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
With the Heat, McGruder appeared in 162 games across three seasons, making 112 starts. An undrafted player out of Kansas State University, McGruder carved out a solid role in Miami, playing 23.5 minutes per game for the Heat.
His first season with the Heat was arguably his best, as he played in a career-high 78 games and started 65 of those contests. McGruder averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for Miami that season.
He spent one year with Los Angeles, appearing in 56 games and making four starts. From there, the shooting guard spent three seasons with the Pistons, but he did not play as much as he did with the Heat.
Last season with Detroit, McGruder appeared in 32 games, making 12 starts. He averaged 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 16.4 minutes per game.
Without an NBA team this season, McGruder appears to be looking for a new way to continue his basketball career by playing overseas.
Olimpia Milano’s roster features another former Heat player, guard Shabazz Napier, who was a first-round pick and played with the team in the 2014-15 season.
Olimpia Milano also has some other former NBA players on its roster. It seems like McGruder will be joining a solid team if his deal is finalized, and he will be able to reminisce on his Heat days with Napier, who likely has some similar experiences from his time with the franchise.
Hopefully, McGruder can carve out a nice role with Olimpia Milano to extend his playing career in Europe.
