Another name on the list of Americans looking toward Europe. Dalano Banton is studying the possibility of leaving the NBA, and Olympiacos and Besiktas are monitoring his situation, according to reports. The Canadian was also on the radar of Spanish teams earlier this summer.
A rare profile
What makes Banton interesting is his physical uniqueness: a 6'8" wing who handles the ball, attacks in transition, and can defend multiple positions. That skill set made him in 2021 the first Canadian drafted by his hometown Toronto Raptors, selected 46th overall, and gave him his best professional moment in Portland, where after arriving via trade from Boston in 2024 he averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists over thirty games.
That explosion lacked continuity. Last season he was reduced to a marginal role with the Blazers, and this past season he dominated the G League with the Texas Legends—around 24 points and more than six assists per night, always in the starting lineup—while chaining ten-day contracts with the Clippers and Celtics, his last NBA stop. In 218 games in the league, he has accumulated 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2 assists.
That is exactly the career point at which Europe comes fishing: 26 years old, physical ceiling intact, and evidence that the NBA only offers him short-term contracts.
Two destinations with different profiles
The two open paths sketch different projects. Olympiacos is seeking EuroLeague-level depth to defend its title, and there Banton would compete for minutes on a deep perimeter; the interest also aligns with a summer in which the Greek club is scouting the American market, as we reported with John Poulakidas. Besiktas, on the other hand, would offer immediate playing time in the Turkish league and the BCL, the path that others like JD Notae used to revalue themselves and climb back up the ladder.
For now it is monitoring, not negotiation. But the calendar is ticking: with NBA camps a month away, players in his situation must choose soon between waiting for another round of ten-day contracts or signing a year-long European deal with substance.