By Stefan Djordjevic, Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
While the 2019-20 German, Spanish and Israeli League campaigns are yet to be finished with the Final Tournaments, the teams across Europe have already entered the ‘offseason mode’ and are planning a roster for the upcoming short and long term challenges.
Although the clubs have taken a hit due to the coronavirus pandemic and most will have to make compromises in putting together a competitive roster, there is no doubt that a need for elite shooters is all-present and there will be a spot for them in every squad.
And there are quite a bit of top-level shooters currently on the market as free agents. Eurohoops prepared a list of the most-wanted who played in EuroLeague this past season.
Keep in mind that it includes only the players who are currently and officially free agents, so, for example, Jimmer Fredette isn’t on it despite his departure from Panathinaikos being expected.
Here are the top ten shooters currently without a contract, in no particular order:
James Nunnally has had busy two seasons as he played for five teams across the globe in that time span. He got back to the NBA after four years and played 13 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves after which he had a 10-day contract with the Houston Rockets, however, he ended up back in Europe where he finished the season with Olimpia Milano.
He didn’t stay there for long either, moving to China for Shanghai Sharks and then finally returning to Fenerbahce, the club with which he won the EuroLeague in 2017.
The 29-year-old American averaged 9.2 points over 14 games with Fenerbahce in Turkey and EuroLeague while shooting 46.8% from the three-point territory. It might be time to settle down with a team, for a season at least.
Alexey Shved
The 2018 Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer in Alexey Shved needs no introduction as he and his skills are well-known to both the European and NBA basketball enthusiasts and experts.
After his three seasons in the NBA (2012-15) with multiple teams, Shved settled down in Khimki for the past five years and has been tearing the opponents’ nets regularly in VTB League as well as in the European competitions.
Khimki’s No. 1 shot 34.4% from deep before the season hiatus and averaged 21.7 points as well as 7.2 assists across EuroLeague and VTB League.
Shved has been considering returning to the NBA but only in case he would get a guaranteed satisfactory role on a team. Meanwhile, he’s been one of the best-paid players in Europe and although many clubs would want him for themselves, there’s no doubt that Khimki will do everything to keep him.
UPDATE: Reportedly has signed a three-year extension with Khimki, not official.
Sasha Vezenkov
The list, although filled with, isn’t exclusive to guards and Sasha Vezenkov has been a prime example of a European big man that can shoot the lights out.
Olympiacos power forward went viral recently after the security cameras caught him banking 98-103 threes in the gym during shooting practice.
Far from it that he’s doing the damage only in an empty gym, as he has been averaging 45.9% from deep this past season, a significant improvement from the 32.6% the year earlier. And there’s even more upside to the Bulgarian-Greek that’s just 24 years old.
UPDATE: Close to finalizing an extension with Olympiacos, according to Eurohoops sources.
Amedeo Della Valle
Amedeo Della Valle is no stranger to the impressive numbers during shooting practices that made their way into the public. Recently, he made 101 out of 103 shots three-pointers including 65 in a row. It doesn’t get much better than that.
The 27-year-old spent his whole career in Italy, starting from Junior Casale Monferrato, to Reggio Emilia and then finally in Olimpia Milano where he spent the last two years. The sides won’t continue together as Della Valle himself announced.
The Italian guard host an outstanding 50% from deep in EuroLeague this past season and has logged multiple impressive, explosive and clutch performances that pushed Milano to victory.