By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Vladimir Romanov entered the scene in Zalgiris is the team’s great big financial hope, however his legacy was only trouble and debts. The team is still trying to find its steps after last season and the person who is behind the new effort is none other that Arvydas Sabonis, like he was before the coming of Romanov.
The total budget of the club for the next season is 4.3 million euros, but things are not always what they seem to be and that also explains why the team had to pull out from the VTB league. The operating expanses of the club are almost 1 million euros, you have also to add the money that still need to be paid from last season to Rimantas Kaukenas, the Lavrinovic brothers and Robertas Javtokas and what remains in order to build a new team is almost 1.5 million euros.
Javtokas is negotiating the possibility to stay with the team, by extending his contract for one more season until 2015 and also dividing his next season’s payment to the next two years. The team is also trying to keep captain Paulius Jankunas. He seems to be the first priority and on the same time the club is searching for a sponsor in order to have the money to pay him and also build the rest of the team, something almost impossible with the current total of 1.5 million euros. This effort will continue throughout the season with an eye on the future of the team and already there are negotiations with Privat Bank for a three-year 10 million euros sponsorship.
According to Eurohoops sources, one more player from last season is returning, injured Tadas Klimavicius and at least two players from the junior team will be members of the men’s squad. The next step will be the addition of an American guard. There is already one prime target who is willing to sign for 100.000 dollars.