Kostas Papanikolaou: Could return to NBA

Papanikolaou has drawn interest from several teams this offseason and is considering a return to the NBA, Ian Begley of ESPN.com reports.

Drafted by the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft, Papanikolaou's rights were traded twice before he made his NBA debut with the Rockets in 2014-15, appearing in 43 games. He was dealt to the Nuggets the following season and suited up for 26 games and saw his numbers drop across the board before being released in January 2016. The 6-foot-9 Papanikolaou has spent the subsequent two seasons with Greek club Olympiacos, with whom he's re-emerged as one of the top forwards in the EuroLeague. Set to turn 28 years old later this month, Papanikolaou's window to rejoin the sport's top league could close swiftly, so it wouldn't be surprising if he elected to take one more chance at trying to establish himself in North America. If he ends up signing with a team, Papanikolaou wouldn't necessarily be guaranteed a roster spot and would likely have to be receptive to a bench role no matter where he lands.