By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
As it was expected after a season that ended without any goal achieved, EA7 Armani Milano decided to part ways with Sergio Scariolo and now the head coaching position of the team is one of the most coveted basketball jobs around Europe.
The new coach of the team will have one of the biggest Euroleague budgets in order to create a team almost from scratch. From the current roster the only non Italian player who still has a contract for next season is Keith Langford and also there is an option for the team to bring back Richard Hendrix from Lokomotiv Kuban.
There were many rumors during the season about Andrea Trinchieri leaving Cantu in order to sign with Milano. According to Eurohoops sources this scenario is not valid, on the contrary the relationships of coach Trinchieri with some members of Milano’s front office are not the best. So, Simone Pianigiani is the only Italian coach who has the prestige to sign with the club, the Euroleague experience and he is currently unemployed. The head coach of the Italian national team couldn’t create something big in Fenerbahce, but inside the borders of his country things can be different, like they were in Siena.
However at this point Milano is aiming even higher. The team contacted Zeljko Obradovic in order to explore the possibility of a two years project with him in charge that could lead the team in the European elite. Zoc is the hottest name in the market right now, Fenerbahce which also wants to create a new project contacted him also – but there are also advanced negotiations with coach Ivkovic in Istanbul – and the Serbian mastermind is expected to take his time before deciding where he will work next season. After all, there are rumors of him being the target of Detroit in order to become the first European head coach in the NBA.