By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Barcelona’s paint will still be barricaded for opponents next season. Fran Vazquez left for Unicaja Malaga, but the team announced the signing of Nathan Jawai, or the Australian “baby Shaq” as he was once known to the basketball world. After a good season at Unics Kazan and three great Euroleague play offs games against Barca, he will wear the Catalans’ colors.
Also in Spain, Caja Laboral announced its mutual divorce with Serbian prospect Dejan Musli, who signed moments later a contract with perennial Serbian powerhouse Partizan. It will be interesting to see if Musli, a 7 footer with tons of talent, can finally play at the level he was predicted to. Caja Laboral also cut loose point guard Pau Ribas who will continue his career at Valencia.
However, the spotlight of the day belonged also to Bayern Munich. The Germans, one of the biggest football clubs in the continent, are trying hard the last three years to build also an elite basketball team and they added to their perimeter two players with Euroleague experience, Israeli guard Yotam Halperin and American Tyrese Rice.