FRA - Gelabale set for Sonics move

PARIS (NBA) - France international Mickael Gelabale is expected to put his difficult season with Real Madrid behind him and sign with NBA side Seattle Supersonics next week.

The 23-year-old small forward, who is part of the French team that start their FIBA World Championship preparations on Monday, was drafted in 48th position last year by the Sonics.
Having joined Real Madrid in 2004 from Cholet, Gelabale enjoyed relative success with the Spanish giants, averaging 6.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 22 minutes of play in Lega A.

But he was gradually frozen out by Madrid's Serbian coach Bozidar Maljkovic and played only one minute in the Lega A play-offs, where Madrid were ousted in the quarter-finals by Barcelona.

Gelabale has three years left on his contract with Madrid, but his agent Nouna N'Diaye is convinced it is time to link-up with France team-mate Johan Petro at Seattle.

"He had three years left with an option of leaving at the end of each season, which would prove more costly to the club," N'Diaye, who is currently in the United States, told L'Equipe.

"Mickael has now used his option to cancel his contract and will go and play in the NBA. We can consider the deal is almost sealed even if there are still a few details to sort out."

Gelabale is expected to travel to the USA this weekend to put pen-to-paper on his contract before rejoining the French national team next week.

"Mickael will be in Paris with France to pass the medical tests and will then take a plane to the States on Sunday," added N'Diaye.

PA Sport
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