The story didn't break through ESPN.
It started on Reddit.
A screenshot of a leaked text chain between an Orlando Magic assistant GM and Zoran's agent Marko Stoichkov appeared on r/NBA late at night. The caption was short:
"Dallas is freezing this man out. This ain't right."
It exploded in hours.
Subreddits lit up. Twitter followed. Then came the YouTube breakdowns. Analysts replayed Zoran's highlights over dramatic music. Podcast hosts raged at Nico Harrison's "control tactics." TikTok edits hit the algorithm hard—clips of Zoran balling out against Miami and Denver, overlaid with captions like:
"Held hostage by the Mavericks."
In Orlando, it hit even harder.
Local radio called it "basketball sabotage." Magic fans flooded NBA comment sections with hashtags: #FreeZoran, #LetHimSign, #OrlandoDeservesBetter.
By the next day, a fan mural appeared outside Amway Center.
Zoran in a blue Magic jersey, hands raised.
Underneath: "Let Him Play."
Zoran saw it all from his hotel room.
He hadn't accepted the second 10-day yet. The Mavericks hadn't pulled it either. The paperwork sat untouched.
He scrolled through social media in stunned silence.
Someone had made a fan edit of him walking away from the Mavericks bench in slow motion. The caption read:
"He gave them everything. They gave him silence."
He had to turn off his phone.
At noon, he got a knock.
Kyrie.
He stood at the door, hoodie up, sunglasses on.
"You got ten minutes?"
Zoran stepped aside.
They sat in the hotel café, back corner booth, unbothered.
Kyrie didn't order anything. Just looked at him.
"This ain't normal," Kyrie said.
"I know."
"You're not a rookie with character issues. You're not a vet chasing money. You've done everything right. Played the right way. Carried yourself clean."
Zoran stayed quiet.
Kyrie leaned in. "They're trying to hide you."
"I know," Zoran said again. "But now the world sees it."
By the time Zoran returned to his room, his inbox had exploded.
Bleacher Report. The Ringer. Woj.
But more importantly: a quiet call from a league rep.
"Hey, Zoran. We're reviewing the situation regarding your hold. Nothing formal yet. But we want to understand what's going on. Expect a follow-up."
He ended the call without emotion.
That night, Nico Harrison texted him again:
"Call me when you're ready."
Zoran didn't reply.
Not yet.
Mavericks Record: 5–4.
Zoran Vranes: Still unsigned. Fan movement growing. NBA review pending.