After receiving no offer from NBA teams in the offseason, veteran forward Boris Diaw has decided to take his all-around talent to his home country and play for French team Paris-Levallois. David Cozette of Sport SFR reported that Diaw reached an agreement with Paris-Levallois Thursday. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Diaw’s contract has an opt-out to return to the NBA or other European teams. The 35-year-old Diaw recently finished a disappointing season with the Utah Jazz after averaging just 4.6 points, his lowest output since his rookie year in 2003.
Diaw waived by Utah
Diaw was waived by the Jazz in July before his $7.5 million salary became guaranteed. Known as a versatile forward throughout his NBA career, the 6-foot-8 Diaw played 14 years in the NBA after he was taken 21st overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2003 NBA Draft. Diaw played two seasons with the Hawks before he was traded to the Phoenix Suns for Joe Johnson. With the Suns, Diaw emerged as an all-around player as he averaged 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in his first season where he won the Most Improved Player award.
In 2008, the Suns traded Diaw, Raja Bell and Sean Singletary to the Charlotte Bobcats for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley. During the NBA lockout in 2011, he signed with JSA Bordeaux of France.
When the lockout ended in December, he returned to the Bobcats. On March 2012, he was waived by the Bobcats, but he immediately found employment when he was signed by the San Antonio Spurs for the rest of the season.
Diaw won first NBA ring with Spurs
After signing a two-year deal worth $9.2 million with the Spurs, Diaw helped the team reach the NBA Finals in 2013 where they lost to the Miami Heat in seven games.
The following year, the Spurs averaged their loss to the Heat by beating them, 4-1, in the NBA Finals. After that, the Spurs signed him to a three-year contract worth $22 million. Diaw’s stint with the Spurs ended when he was traded to the Jazz, along with a 2022 second-round pick and cash considerations, for the rights to Olivier Hanlan.
In 1,064 career NBA games, Diaw averaged 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. With a new team, Diaw will have a chance to rebuild his value in his hometown and convince NBA teams that he still has it despite his age. Paris-Levallois won the Pro-A championship in 2012 but has failed to reach the quarterfinals of the French Cup in the last four seasons.
