Osaka Evessa have released centre Damonte Dodd by mutual agreement, ending a short B.PREMIER stint as the club scrambles to rebuild an injury-hit frontcourt. Osaka confirmed the contract termination on Friday, 30 October, with the 32-year-old added to the league's free-agent list that afternoon.
Dodd arrived from Veertien Mie on 25 September and appeared in nine league games. He averaged 4.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.7 assists, according to Basketball King's report carried by B.LEAGUE. The 211cm centre was injured against Kawasaki Brave Thunders on 21 October and subsequently missed games with a right adductor muscle injury. His exit is confirmed; a return date or next club is not.
The timing is particularly awkward for Osaka. Sebastian Saiz, another important frontcourt piece, was placed on the injury list on the same Friday with damage to the lateral meniscus and cartilage of his right knee. League rules prevent a player from being re-registered for at least 30 days after injury-list placement. That restriction makes Osaka's immediate depth problem more than a one-week selection headache.
The club has already moved. Osaka announced power forward Worth Smith and power forward-centre ChukwudieBere MaduaBum as new signings on 30 October. Smith brings extensive experience across Japanese clubs; MaduaBum adds size and another interior option. Both agreements are confirmed, but neither announcement promises a particular number of minutes or a specific starting combination.
Dodd's departure also puts his brief stay into perspective. Osaka brought him in from the B3 competition in September, giving the club a 211cm body in the middle. Nine appearances later, a mutually agreed release has ended that stint following an injury interruption. In his farewell message, Dodd expressed disappointment about getting hurt and thanked the organisation and its supporters. The club did not publish a detailed medical prognosis in the termination notice.
Osaka now face Gunma Crane Thunders on Saturday, 31 October, with the club fixture listing showing a 3:05 pm tip-off in Japan. The immediate question is how quickly the new arrivals can help the existing rotation hold its shape, particularly on the glass and around the basket. A signing announcement is one thing; getting useful possessions from a newly assembled frontcourt is the harder part.
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