Isaac Bonga shone as Germany won gold at EuroBasket 2025 with an 88-83 win over Turkey in the final on Sunday. Bonga finished with 20 points (8-11 FG), five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block against Turkey and was named Player of the Game.
That wasn’t the only personal accolade that Bonga came away with, as he was named the first-ever winner of the Best Defensive Player award of the tournament. The 25-year-old’s stock has never been higher, and that has inevitably led to talk about a potential return to the NBA.
It doesn’t look like Bonga, who signed with Partizan Mozzart Bet in 2024, will be able to return this year, though. According to Mozzart Sport, he extended his contract with Partizan this summer, which will keep him at the club till 2027. There was an NBA exit clause, but it has expired now.
So, Bonga might only be available in a year, but he could still prove to be a valuable asset to quite a few NBA teams then. Now, a lot can change in a year, but here we take a look at the five best destinations for the versatile German.
Los Angeles Lakers
Bonga’s NBA career began with the Los Angeles Lakers, who selected him with the 39th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He wouldn’t be with the Lakers for too long, though, as he was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2019 as part of the Anthony Davis trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Bonga is obviously a much better player now than he was back then. The Lakers need upgrades on the defensive end, and he’d be just that.
We saw Bonga play some exceptional defense against Finland’s Lauri Markkanen in the tournament, and the Lakers need someone whom they can just stick on the opposition’s star. They are currently chasing Andrew Wiggins, but if a deal can’t be struck, then they should definitely look at their former player down the road.
Bonga has turned himself into a reliable shooter, too, having shot 45.2% from beyond the arc at EuroBasket. A 3-and-D player like him is exactly who you need next to Luka Doncic.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors have relied on Gary Payton II as their point of attack defender in recent years, but we saw a dip in his play last season. Despite that dip, Payton still seems to be returning to the Warriors, who also look set to sign De’Anthony Melton.
While Melton and Payton are solid options to have for that role, Bonga would be an upgrade over the latter, who is in his 30s now. Even Melton is just coming off an ACL tear, and you wonder how impactful he’ll be on the court.
If Melton isn’t quite at his best, then pursuing Bonga would be a no-brainer for the Warriors. A trio of him, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler would be incredible on the defensive end, and that’s what you’d want next to Stephen Curry.
Denver Nuggets
Speaking of a team that has a superstar that you would love to surround with good defenders, we get to the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have been one of the biggest winners of this offseason, having added Cam Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown Jr.
Valanciunas, Hardaway, and Brown will all hit free agency in 2026, though, so they will be a team that’s on the lookout for some quality additions then. Bonga would immediately be one of the better defenders on the team, along with the likes of Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson.
Watson still hasn’t quite developed into a reliable offensive player, though. He still struggles to shoot, and that isn’t a concern with Bonga anymore. The shooting and defense just make him a great fit with Nikola Jokic.
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs have the potential to be a phenomenal defensive team in the future, and Bonga would just make them all the better. The Spurs already have the best defender in the NBA in Victor Wembanyama, while Stephon Castle impressed on that end of the floor as a rookie as well.
The Spurs are also looking to improve on the wings. They are one of the teams that are reportedly pursuing Trey Murphy III, but they won’t get him for cheap. The Pelicans are going to demand a significant haul in return.
Bonga is nowhere near as good as Murphy on the offensive end, but going after him a year down the road means the Spurs can use those assets for another big move instead.
Sacramento Kings
Lastly, we get to the Sacramento Kings. Defense certainly isn’t a strength when it comes to the Kings, and Bonga would help address some of the concerns on that end.
Bonga would also be playing alongside his German teammate Dennis Schroder on the Kings. Schroder just signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the team this summer and is set to be the starting point guard for the foreseeable future.
Bonga and Schroder have a fair bit of experience playing together now and are a good fit. Acquiring him won’t exactly make the Kings contenders, but it would be a step in the right direction.
