By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Los Angeles Lakers are getting ready for their vacations after their inglorious exit from the NBA play offs and Ettore Messina has a choice to make in the coming days. The team is more than satisfied by his contribution and the four times Euroleague winner will be promoted to first assistant coach if he stays in Los Angeles.
On the other hand Messina can terminate his contract in order to return to Europe, it’s up to him to decide it and the idea of winning one more Euroleague – and, of course, being the head coach – is still in his mind.
Where can he do that? Well, not in Italy and not in Spain, were he had one and a half rough season with Real Madrid. CSKA Moscow will want him back, if they decide to fire Jonas Kazlauskas – something that’s not so sure – but Messina’s family after a year in California doesn’t desire to return in Moscow’s cold weather. On the contrary the climate in Istanbul seems to be fine, the money is pouring in basketball and Messina will have the budget for a Final Four team. It was heard that Fenerbahce Ulker has a deal with him, but that’s not true and the team that seems to flirt with him heavily is Anadolu Efes, as sources from Italy confirmed to Eurohoops.