By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
The season that just ended for Khimki was bittersweet. The team played great basketball, had consistency, specially in Euroleague, but in the end couldn’t get any trophy. After missing the Euroleague play offs, lost also the chance to play in VTB Finals by losing Game 5 to CSKA Moscow and now the question is the future of the team.
The well known financial problems of the team still exist, the players are still owned a respectable number of monthly salaries and everyone is waiting to hear the plan of the management for next season. Coach Rimas Kurtinaitis has a contract for next season and the same applies to many players. However, Zoran Planinic is a free agent and after his great season it will be hard for Khimi to keep him, while Paul Davis wants out.
The American center proved that he can be a force in the paint in Euroleague level (13.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 16.1 rpg, 1 bpg, 1.3 asp and 60% in two points), he has a million US dollars contract, but under the current conditions he doesn’t want to remain in the team and he also wants to compete again in Euroleague. His agent is expected to contact the Russian team soon in order to ask the release of his client and according to our sources, at least three Euroleague clubs have already offered Davis a contract.