By Stathis Trapezanlidis/ info@eurohoops.net
After Kostas Papanikolaou’s negative answer to Houston Rockets’s proposal on July, Barcelona didn’t expect that things could change one month later. As a result, at this moment Barcelona has to get a replacement for Papanikolaou. “Pap” was one of the players with big minutes in Euroleague and ACB and now there is a question: There are two more young forwars in the team’s roster, Alex Abrines, who is ready for highest level and Mario Hezonja, who is a great talent and soon will be able to go to NBA.
Should Xavi Pascual look for an experienced and quality player or he could give more time to the two talented players? At this moment Barcelona is examining a lot of players and the club doesn’t have any problem to pay a buy out for them. Pascual wanted Alessandro Gentile but the Italian star has a contract and Armani Milano doesn’t want to let him go. Kostas Vasileiadis, who has an official proposal from Unicaja Malaga, was suggested. Australian Joe Ingles, who played for Barcelona in past and finished the season as a European champion with Maccabi Tel Aviv, was offered too.
Barcelona had already talks with Ingles, but Xavi Pascual wants to sign the best possible player for his team. The final decision for Pap’s replacement will probably be announced after the termination of Erazem Lorbek’s contract.