by Melikşah Bayrav / info@eurohoops.net
We have come to the end of another exciting season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with a thrilling Final Four in Kaunas, won by Real Madrid (almost) at the buzzer against Olympiacos. We don’t have games ahead of us, but there will still be excitement over the transfer window.
Some names whose contracts with their teams will expire this summer are on the radar of many teams in Europe. With the official end of the season in the EuroLeague, we are starting to scan the free agency market. Eurohoops brings to you the Top 10 EuroLeague playmakers whose contracts expire this summer.
NOTE: Players with a +1 year option in their contract are not included in the list.
Age: 33
Season Stats: 24 games, 11.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists
Kostas Sloukas, currently one of the league’s most fit playmakers, could leave Olympiacos following a great season with the Greek team unless his contract is renewed.
Returning to his old club after playing with Fenerbahce between 2015 and 2020, Sloukas has been sweating Olympiacos‘ jersey for the last 3 seasons.
The veteran playmaker, who was one of the protagonists in leading his team to the Final Four, has had one of the most in-form periods of his career, although being naturally overshadowed by Sasha Vezenkov.
Shabazz Napier – Olimpia Milano
Age: 31
Season Stats: 7 games, 13.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.0 steals
Shabazz Napier, who signed with Olimpia Milano in the middle of the 2022-23 season, returning to the European landscape following an attempt in the 2021-22 season with Zenit Saint Petersburg, had a tremendous impact in a short time.
The 31-year-old suddenly became the main weapon of Milan’s short rotation, which suffered a lot from injuries, and was the main factor in the acceleration of his team towards the goal of reaching the Playoffs.
Shabazz Napier, whose contract with Milan expires this summer, has more than shown what he can do on the EuroLeague stage. He is the kind of star that will fall on the radar of many EuroLeague teams if the Italian team doesn’t renew his contract.
Sergio Rodriguez – Real Madrid
Age: 36
Season stats: 40 games, 4.9 points, 1.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists
On paper those numbers are not good enough for the Top10 and Chacho is already 36 years old. However, there’s pre-Final Four Sergio Rodriguez and post-Final Four Sergio Rodriguez. You can even argue that Chacho is the real Final Four MVP over Edy Tavares, or at least the player who turned things around in both games for Real Madrid on the way to the title.
He had 12 points and five assists in the semifinal against Barcelona and he was magical against Olympiacos with 15 points and nine assists. His Final Four averages are 13.5 ppg and seven assists, a huge jump over his season’s stats who are proving the kind of player he still is.
Of course, it would be a huge surprise if he moves away from Real Madrid.
Milos Teodosic – Virtus Bologna
Age: 36
Season Stats: 26 games, 10.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, 6.0 assists
Returning to the EuroLeague with Virtus Bologna after several years of being away from the competition, Milos Teodosic showed why he’s still one of the geniuses among playmakers at this stage. Averaging 10.3 points and 6.0 assists while playing only 18 minutes per game reveals how valuable he still is.
It has been known for some time that Crvena Zvezda is seriously interested in Milos Teodosic, whose contract with Virtus will expire this summer.
Nigel Williams-Goss – Real Madrid
Age: 28
Season Stats: 19 games, 6.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists
After not finding rhythm due to injury problems last season and at the beginning of this year’s EuroLeague, Nigel Williams-Goss played an important part in Real Madrid‘s success, having crucial minutes on his back both against Partizan Belgrade and at the Final Four.
The contract of Nigel Williams-Goss, which will expire this summer, is unlikely to be renewed. However, the experienced point guard could find much more regular time if he signs with a different EuroLeague team.