By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
For yet another year Laboral Kutxa is facing serious financial problems, but this time it looks like they are more serious than ever.
The Basques will compete in the Euroleague in the new season but they are in danger of presenting a totally different team compared to last year, primarily because of the debts that they have.
The last few years Laboral have been facing several problems but through a number of sales that they made they managed to save enough money to remain competitive. For instance, last year they saved money from Pleiss’ departure in the summer to Barcelona and Heurtel’s to Efes in December.
Despite this, the older debt is substantial and this year the Basques did not manage to be punctual, still owing a large part of last year’s contracts to most players.
Only the news that Fernando San Emeterio, a player-symbol and the team’s flagship player since 2008, is looking for a team and a way to get back some of the amount that is owed, is enough for someone to realize that Laboral have to once again overreach themselves in order to be competitive in the new season in the Euroleague and the Spanish championship.
Fabien Causeur is also at the exit door, while it is uncertain whether next season will be activated in the contracts of the Americans Adams, James and Iverson. Perhaps the only ones that might be rescued from the “tsunami” of changes are the two bigmen, Tillie and Shengelia.
Velimir Perasovic took over the team’s coaching position a few days ago but if the financial situation in Laboral is not cleared up, his work will be very difficult. Because the team the Croatian coach left behind eight years ago is a completely different team from the current one.