By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow president Andrey Vatutin touched multiple topics, including the Russian powerhouse searching for a point guard on the official CSKA page on Sports updated Wednesday.
“It is clear to everyone that CSKA still needs a point guard, a player who can both score and create for his teammates,” he mentioned in the blog, “We must find him.”
Confirming the interest for Kevin Pangos during the offseason, he noted the team waited for the decision of the Canadian guard until the last possible moment. Pangos eventually joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“He was slated to organize our offense. Because we waited, our roster was not completed. Was this wrong? Maybe.” he wrote.
Mike James, the previous floor general, officially departed in September to join AS Monaco.
“CSKA had a point guard, perhaps the best on the market, Mike James. He shows it now for Monaco,” he wrote, “What happened between him and [Dimitris] Itoudis could not have been predicted. The team lost a great player and money to bring on a replacement.”
Last Friday, his side suffered a home defeat to AX Armani Exchange Milan and fell to 12-8 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
“Responsibility lies with the coaching staff, players, and all of us. We believe that the situation can be corrected. The team has the quality and great potential,” he explained, “The team lacks stars, but [Alexey] Shved, [Daniel] Hackett, [Gabriel] Lundberg, [Will] Clyburn, and [Marius] Grigonis are all adapted to creating plays.”
The team based in Moscow currently ranks seventh in the EuroLeague standings. A 9-3 W-L tally paints the picture of the VTB United League campaign.
“Sports business is decided by the result,” he pointed out commenting on potential adjustments moving forward, “So, if needed, personnel decisions will be made. But we must consider these decisions to help us not only in the present day but in the future as well.”