Hapoel Tel Aviv, one of EuroCup’s top contenders, announced today that star player Johnathan Motley expressed his desire to leave the team. Although Crvena Zvezda’s Sporting Director Milan Dozet denied any interest in Motley, Hapoel Tel Aviv President Ofer Yannay shared a different perspective.
Speaking to Sport Klub, Yannay revealed that Crvena Zvezda allegedly offered Motley a $2.2 million contract: “Johnathan Motley currently has a $1.5 million contract with us, but Crvena Zvezda offered him $2.2 million. We learned about this from multiple sources.”
Yannay responded to Dozet’s claims, stating, “I heard the sporting director’s comments saying they’re not interested in Motley. I assume he said this purely for legal reasons. If that’s not the case, and if they truly step back and start showing respect towards us, maybe we could be friends again.”
According to Yannay, Motley’s camp explained his desire to leave Israel as stemming from safety concerns due to the ongoing conflict after Lebanon’s invasion. “On Wednesday, a manager contacted me, saying Motley wanted to leave,” Yannay said. “When I asked why, the answer was ‘because of the war.’ Motley enjoys life in Tel Aviv—he goes out every night, throws parties, and shares posts about wine, restaurants, and nightlife.”
Motley, who joined Hapoel last summer, has been performing impressively in the EuroCup, averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
