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By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Dealing with a left ankle sprain and working toward his debut with the Phoenix Suns, Vasilije Micic confirmed a timeline for possibly exploring options beyond the NBA.
“Honestly, I never considered going back to Europe. As long as I have a contract in the NBA,” he mentioned in a media session, introducing himself as a new Suns player on Tuesday.
Eurohoops recently reported the 31-year-old Serbian combo guard has been in contact with his former team, Anadolu Efes, and Panathinaikos Aktor, guided by his former coach Ergin Ataman, seeking to become the highest-paid player in Europe and the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. The timeline for such a move was accurately set until after his current contract expired.
On a related note, Micic will become an unrestricted free agent following the 2024-25 season if a team option for the 2025-26 season is not picked up by his side.
“The reason I came here was definitely for my own challenge, coming out of my comfort zone. I honestly couldn’t expect something like this,” the experienced floor general added on his approach to the league based in North America, “As long as I have an NBA contract, I will be 100% dedicated to this.”
Since moving to Efes to the Oklahoma City Thunder, before the 2023-24 NBA Regular Season, Micic was traded to the Charlotte Hornets midway through his first NBA campaign and was involved in a second trade moving to the Suns last week, at the deadline for traded players to remain eligible for the 2025 Playoffs.
“I will try to be the best version of myself,” he projected his contributions to the Suns, “It was my second trade. Something that we all have to be ready for. But this team is already established. It has great, great players. I will just try to help them increase their level of basketball.”
“They have three top scorers,” he added looking into the squad of the team coached by Mike Budenholzer, “I don’t think they are missing something too much, but definitely some energy, some maturity, a player who can pass and involve everyone. That’s something I’ll try to do.”
After sitting out the clash with the Memphis Grizzlies in Footprint Center on Tuesday, Micic is hoping to make his first appearance with the Suns in Wednesday’s game versus the Houston Rockets in Toyota Center. The next fixture is following the All-Star break, versus the San Antonio Spurs in Moody Center, on February 20.