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Real Madrid parts ways with Trey Lyles, who becomes a free agent after an exceptional 2025/26 EuroLeague season and is now eyeing a return to the NBA.
The Canadian officially confirmed his departure from Real Madrid following an impressive debut season in the EuroLeague.
In a video posted on Instagram Sunday morning, the 30-year-old forward shared a clip of himself leaving the Spanish capital by plane.
"Madrid was great, but it's time for this," he noted, adding, "It was still a great experience here."
Lyles signed a one-year deal last summer and leaves the powerhouse club having significantly boosted his market value. He concluded his strong individual campaign averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in Europe's most prestigious club competition, highlighted by a 24-point performance against Olympiacos in the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four championship game in Athens.
"Los Blancos" were interested in retaining the versatile player but faced insurmountable financial hurdles due to Spain's stringent tax system. To match lucrative net offers from other clubs, Real Madrid would have needed to spend over five million euros gross – a move that would have completely disrupted their existing internal salary structure.
The Saskatoon-born basketball player recently switched agencies, as his primary priority is a return to the NBA, where he previously built a solid ten-year career spanning 662 games. Lyles was represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports but is now a client of Octagon.
The 12th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and Kentucky alumnus is now evaluating his options on both sides of the Atlantic. While several European giants are aggressively pursuing his signature, Lyles remains fully focused on resuming his career in North America.
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