Blow to Real Madrid: Trey Lyles leaves
The 30-year-old Canadian power forward, who averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, is looking to return to the NBA after a decade in the North American league.
Canadian forward Trey Lyles has ended his time at Real Madrid after just one successful season in Europe. On Sunday morning, he announced his departure through a video on social media, showing him leaving Madrid by plane, confirming the rumors circulating in recent days about his future.
"Madrid has been great, but it's time for a change," expressed the player from Saskatoon in his statement. "Although it has been a great experience," he added, acknowledging the time spent in the Spanish capital during the 2025-26 season.
A season of impact in the EuroLeague
Lyles joined the Real Madrid club last summer on a one-year contract and proved his worth from the start in the top European club competition. The versatile center averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, reflecting a successful adaptation to elite European basketball.
His best performance came in the EuroLeague Final Four final held in Athens 2026, sponsored by Etihad, where he scored 24 points against Olympiacos. This performance solidified his status as one of the most successful signings for the white team in the season, significantly increasing his market value internationally.
Insurmountable financial obstacles for Real Madrid
Despite Real Madrid's interest in keeping him, the club faced financial obstacles that were impossible to overcome. The high Spanish tax system prevented the Madrid entity from matching the lucrative net offers that other clubs were presenting to the player. Matching these proposals would require a gross outlay of over five million euros, a figure that would completely disrupt the team's internal salary structure.
This situation reflects a common reality in European basketball: Spanish taxes make it more challenging to retain elite players when there are competitive offers from leagues or countries with more favorable tax systems. Real Madrid prioritized maintaining budgetary balance over an operation that would have significantly unbalanced its accounts.
Priority on returning to the NBA
Lyles has recently changed his representation, switching agencies to prioritize his return to the NBA. The player born in 1994 has a solid career in North America, where he played 662 games during a decade-long career. He was selected 12th in the 2015 draft and is an alumnus of the University of Kentucky.
While several major EuroLeague teams are persistently trying to sign him, Lyles remains focused on resuming his career in the United States. The power forward is currently evaluating his options on both sides of the Atlantic, but the NBA remains his preferred destination after his successful stint in Europe.
Active transfer market
Lyles' departure represents a significant move in the European basketball transfer market. His exit from Real Madrid opens up a spot in the offensive rotation of the Madrid team and confirms that top talents continue to seek opportunities in the NBA when they reach a competitive level. The fact that he has increased his value after just one season in Europe demonstrates the quality of the work done by both the player and the white club during these months.
Lyles' decision also underscores how taxes and the tax structure can be decisive in the decisions of European teams when it comes to retaining or renewing their top assets. While Real Madrid seeks alternatives to strengthen its position, the market continues in motion with several EuroLeague teams attentive to the available opportunities.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Estocada al Real Madrid: Trey Lyles se marcha
