By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
According to a very interesting article by Jose Ignacio Huguet, the arrival of Nacho Rodriguez to the team as the new director of the basketball section of the club, was announced both to current GM Rodriguo De La Fuente and coach Giorgos Bartzokas the morning of the day that Rodriguez was presented.
So it’s obvious that changes are expected during the summer and Bartzokas’ job is on the line, despite having a contract for next season. According to the article he can save it if he wins the Spanish League title, or if he loses to Real Madrid in “very, very dignifying way”.
And of course, his possible successor is already known, as Barcelona would like to sign Sarunas Jasikevicious. Jasikevicius was also the prime target of the team last summer and, while he denied it, according to Eurohoops’ sources a deal was almost closed between the two sides. According to “El Mundo Deportivo” last summer the deal was not confirmed, because Jasikevicius asked a full change of the roster and the management, something that the club could not offer but now things have changed.
Even Bartzokas seems to be aware of the whole situation and when he was asked today about the future “remodeling” of the team in the press conference before the EuroLeague game against Maccabi Tel Aviv, he replied: “If the new executives ask me about next season, I will give them my opinion”.