By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv underwent major changes this summer, with key players leaving and many new faces arriving.
Daryl Macon was one of the players who joined the club over the summer, but unfortunately, things didn’t work out in the end, and the two sides parted ways by mutual agreement.
“It is very unfortunate, certainly for us but also the player. He was supposed to return quite soon, but there were some difficulties in his recovery process, something we could not have expected,” coach Oded Kattash said during the open practice.
Macon was on the verge of returning to the EuroLeague after the 2021/22 season, during which he played 31 games for Panathinaikos.
“He’s a player who, when healthy, can be a dealbreaker. We took a calculated risk in this matter. Unfortunately, it turned out to be less successful. It’s a shame for me. I played against Macon in Panathinaikos, and he was in AEK Athens, so I know what he can contribute. Right now, as far as we’re concerned, we have to move forward without him. I don’t think he’ll be able to return to play in the near future, so it’s less relevant at this point.”
Kattash also discussed Maccabi’s situation—possibly facing another season of playing EuroLeague games away from home—and how this has affected the squad’s building.
“It always hovers over Israeli basketball, especially in a wartime situation. This is also why we tried to bring in some players who know Israel and are familiar with the situation. It was a big challenge building the squad,” Oded Kattash concluded.