# Roman Reboot: Inside the High-Stakes Personnel Scramble at SPQR and Maxima

**By Jordan Wells**  \nPublished August 4, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> Backed by multi-million euro projections and an eye on future continental expansion, Rome's twin basketball projects—SPQR and Maxima—are racing against the calendar to finalize front offices, benches, and rosters.

When the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) greenlit the entries of two brand-new capital clubs taking over the sporting titles of Cremona and Brescia, the summer landscape was billed as a seismic shift. Backed by heavyweight ownership groups—featuring Donnie Nelson and Luka Doncic behind SPQR, and Paul Matiasic steering Maxima—the projects arrived with ambitious financial horizons. According to reports from *Il Messaggero* cited by Eurosport, both organizations anticipated total budgets ranging between 10 and 15 million euros, with player payrolls slated at a competitive 3 to 5 million euros.

Yet, as July draws to a close, the reality on the ground reflects a stark division between a fast-moving SPQR and a stalled Maxima. As Mario Canfora noted in *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, the initial weeks have been marked by administrative sluggishness, vacant benches, and a distinct lack of official signatures.

## SPQR Nears Roster Completion Amid Coaching Fluidity

Roma SPQR has clearly lapped its intra-city rival in assembling foundational pieces for its upcoming LegaBasket Serie A and BKT EuroCup campaigns. The club has effectively secured its mandatory Italian player quota under FIP guidelines. Following a Summer League stint with the Denver Nuggets, young national team center Giovanni Emejuru is officially onboarded, as confirmed by FIP registry listings. He joins a domestic core featuring Arturs Strautins, Marko Simonovic, Andrea Mezzanotte, and 18-year-old Congolese-Italian prospect Giannis Odbeze, alongside marquee backcourt addition Nico Mannion.

International slots are similarly narrowing. SPQR has closed operations for Gerald Ayayi—who reportedly rebuffed an approach from Asvel Villeurbanne—and Dutch big man Jesse Edwards. However, the club missed out on Wendell Moore Jr., who chose a move to Virtus Bologna instead.

The coaching chair, however, has proven remarkably volatile. Initial momentum toward Igor Milicic cooled amid reports from *La Prealpina* regarding a potential challenge from Ioannis Sfairopoulos. Concurrently, international reporting highlighted an expansive NBA-pedigree shortlist. As detailed by Sportando and Eurohoops, the club evaluated former Detroit Pistons coach and Executive of the Year Dwane Casey (touted by Valerio Bianchini), long-time Portland Trail Blazers head man Terry Stotts, and New York Knicks assistant Riccardo Fois, whose background in analytics and player development is viewed as a natural bridge to the ownership's long-term vision.

## Maxima's Cautious, Complex Construction

Across town, Maxima Roma finds itself several steps behind. The club's attempt to install Nicola Alberani atop its technical area fell through, forcing management to pivot. On the bench, Matteo Cotelli remains the most probable caretaker, inheriting a multi-year contract from Brescia's previous structure.

The roster overhaul has also hit turbulence. Amedeo Della Valle firmly rejected a move to the capital despite an existing contract with the defunct Germani entity, opting instead for Varese. To stabilize the frontcourt, Maxima has engaged in buyout discussions with Udine for Mirza Alibegovic while keeping tabs on the Italian free-agent market. Under contract or previously secured by the prior management group are domestic pieces Carl Wheatle and Giovanni Veronesi, alongside foreign anchors John Brown and Miro Bilan. Finding an additional interior presence remains an urgent priority.

## Structural Impediments and the Euro-Horizon

Both franchises face unique operational hurdles as they build toward a future explicitly tied to the aspirations of participating in continental competitions like EuroCup and positioning themselves for the proposed NBA Europe ecosystem. SPQR successfully bypassed a notable administrative hurdle by finalizing a youth sector partnership with Serie C outfit Città Futura Basket—a mandatory prerequisite for LBA compliance—despite neither Roman club maintaining active official media channels or websites at points during the summer.

As preseason approaches, the divergence in pace highlights the razor-thin margins of elite European basketball operations. While SPQR finalizes the edges of its rotation under heavy organizational oversight, Maxima must rapidly reconcile its coaching continuity and clear remaining buyout hurdles to avoid falling irretrievably behind the LBA pace.

## Sources

- [pianetabasket.com](https://www.pianetabasket.com/mercato/i-movimenti-delle-roma-spqr-piu-completa-maxima-tra-cotelli-e-alibegovic) — original
- [eurosport.it](https://www.eurosport.it/basket/serie-a/2025-2026/roma-progetti-milionari-o-immobilismo-la-situazione-di-spqr-e-maxima_sto23320346/story.shtml) — original
- [Francesco Manzi](https://www.basketuniverso.it/spqr-roma-milicic-non-e-lunico-nome-per-la-panchina-intanto-ce-laccordo-per-le-giovanili/) — original
- [Alessandro Maggi](https://sportando.basketball/roma-spqr-stotts-fois-casey-head-coach/) — original