[lptitle title=”Begin the countdown”]
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By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
The NBA is getting ready for the playoffs and some of the biggest stars of European basketball will fight for the title. Eurohoops looks at what the Europeans that compete in the best league in the world have done and presents in four parts what they have achieved this season and what we expect from them to do. We’ll start from those that compete in the Eastern conference teams that didn’t make it to the playoffs.
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[lptitle title=”New York Knicks“]
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Three Europeans finished their season in this year’s disappointing Knicks. The Italian Andrea Bargnani, the Spaniard Jose Calderon, who after an annoyance in his achilles from the end of February onward didn’t play any more basketball, and Alexei Shved who ended up there after Philadelphia and Houston.
We are speaking of three completely different cases of players. Calderon can become a substantial unit in the coming season and he proved that this year, while he has a contract until 2017. Alexei Shved is a restricted free agent and he has stated that he wants to stay in New York. He too has shown that he can help his team and he was one of the pleasant surprises of the season’s finale. Bargnani is now a free agent, not bogged down by the big contract he had signed in Toronto and which he never justified, but as to where he is going to end up is more than anything else a financial matter. The fact that the Knicks have stated that they want him if he accepts the minimum veteran fee makes matters even more complicated.
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[lptitle title=”Philadelphia Sixers“]
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The Turk Furkan Aldemir and the French Ronny Turiaf finished the season in Philadelphia. Both are making their living in the paint but they are very different cases. Turiaf, one of the most likeable characters of world basketball, is a free agent and in the last few years he is a shadow of his former self. Aldemir showed good signs and his team has the capability to put in effect an option for renewal of his contract (team option) for 2,6 million dollars a year. This amount for a player like Aldemir can even be considered even favorable and it’s more than affordable.
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[lptitle title=”Detroit Pistons“]
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After the decision to let go of Jerebko and Datome the Pistons are without any Europeans. We’ll see in the summer whether this will change.
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[lptitle title=”Indiana Pacers“]
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The Pacers missed the playoffs in the last moment but with Paul George healthy things are going to be different and there are two Europeans coming off the bench and offering some quality minutes. French center Ian Mahinmi and the Croatian forward with shooting as his specialty Damjan Rudez have shown that they have a role to play, they have a contract and next year they will be called to give even more.
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[lptitle title=”Charlotte Hornets“]
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The Swede Jeffery Taylor will be a free agent. Despite having shown that he can contribute, how things will turn out for his case remains a question, while the possibility of European teams to come knocking, because of his EU passport, is not ruled out. In any case, he has the talent to remain employed in the NBA.
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[lptitle title=”Orlando Magic“]
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The Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic is one of the best young centers in the league and the French guard Evan Fournier is developing into a player with an essential role in the Magic. They have a contract and they are part of the young core of the Magic. In contrast, 32-year old Brit Ben Gordon – even though he had never play for Great Britain’s national team after all – is on a downward trend and it’s not at all unlikely for Orlando to decide not to use the team option of his contract that sees a reward of 4,5 million dollars for next year.
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[lptitle title=”Miami Heat“]
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Bosh’s injury derailed the Heat and it remains to be seen what the new version of Miami can achieve. This version is expected to include the Brit Luol Deng who has the chance to use the clause for the renewal of his contract (player option) for another season for the price of 10,1 million dollars. The newcomer Goran Dragic is a free agent, but the Slovenian and the Heat have stated that they want to continue their partnership. It was with this prospect that Dragic left the Suns for Miami. Along his side will be his brother Zoran, who has a contract for next year for 1,7 million dollars.
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