Maccabi Tel Aviv Repeats Last Summer's Mistakes in Center Recruitment
For the second consecutive summer, Maccabi has failed to secure a top-tier center, leaving Roman Sorkin isolated at the 5 position. Armando Bacot is seen only as a backup, and the club's passive approach to the transfer market threatens the upcoming season.
The summer of 2026 at Maccabi Tel Aviv opened with a flurry of activity: contract extensions, the return of Bonzie Colson, and the signing of Yam Madar. Since then, the momentum has stalled. The bottleneck, as it was last summer, is the center position.
As August approaches, Maccabi is set to sign its first center of the summer, but it is not the marquee player the team was targeting. Tomer Givati reported in 'HaYom' that the club is nearing a deal for Armando Bacot, who played for Fenerbahce last season. Bacot is intended to be a secondary center, with plans to bring in a more senior player for the 5 position. Bacot is a compromise, serving as a placeholder until a significant center can be secured.
Bacot’s debut EuroLeague season was underwhelming; he saw limited minutes at Fenerbahce and was released at the end of the season. Given his performance, he was not a high-demand player. He now has a chance to prove himself at Maccabi, but he is expected to start as a rotational piece.
Preservation Is Not Enough
Maccabi did well to retain core players like Oded Kattash, Jimmie Clark, Jaylen Hoard, Oshae Brissett, John DiBartolomeo, Will Rayman, and Iffe Lundberg. However, without a dominant presence in the paint, the roster remains incomplete.
With most experienced EuroLeague centers already signed elsewhere, Maccabi’s options are dwindling. The club must now look toward NBA refugees, G-League players, or hope for unexpected market shifts. Signing a player without European experience is a gamble, as many struggle to adapt to the professional level.
The market for elite centers was limited, featuring names like Moses Wright, Josh Nebo, Daniel Theis, Kaleb Tarczewski, Bruno Fernando, and Moustapha Fall—all of whom have long since signed with other teams. Success in this market requires early action; Barcelona secured Wright and Nebo back in March, while Hapoel Tel Aviv signed Johnathan Motley well before the season ended.
A Rerun of Last Season
This summer is eerily reminiscent of the last, when Maccabi failed to land a significant center and saw their gamble on young Cliff Omoruyi fail. The team was forced to rely on Roman Sorkin at the 5 position and promote Marcio Santos. Mid-season attempts to reinforce the position, including interest in Tarik Black, fell through, and the signing of Zach Hankins proved to be a major compromise.
Maccabi cannot afford another season without a dominant center. Roman Sorkin needs a physical, tough partner to provide deterrence in the paint. Without this, the team will struggle to make the leap it desires. Fans, initially enthusiastic about Yam Madar, are growing impatient. Bacot is not the news they were waiting for, and it remains unclear when the final piece of the puzzle will arrive.
