by M. Bahadır Akgün, Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
Another Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season is in the books, and as the domestic leagues are also coming to an end in the coming weeks, the fun begins for the supporters of the competition and it’s none other than the free agency!
Teams will roll up their sleeves to prepare for the new season with more hope and will try to sign the best possible players for their respective teams.
Just like every year, Eurohoops is bringing its readers a series of the Top 10 free agents in every position, and the shooting guards are up next. You can check the Top 10 point guards, Top 10 shooting guards, Top 10 small forwards and Top 10 power forwards in the free agency.
Note 1: Players who have an option in their current contracts are not included on the list.
Note 2: The list has been formed in random order.
Note 3: Players who have fled Russian clubs and signed with non-Euroleague clubs are included.
Arturas Gudaitis (Zenit St. Petersburg)
Age / Country: 29 / Lithuania
EuroLeague Career: 7 seasons – 144 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 17 games | 6.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 8.6 PIR
Best Game: 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 23 PIR vs AS Monaco (Round 16)
Alex Poythress was among the players to depart from Zenit upon Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine and finished the season in Naples, Italy.
It’s obvious that the “demand” for Gudaitis has dropped considerably due to the injuries he suffered, though this past season, he reminded everyone that he can be an efficient player in Xavi Pascual’s system.
Gudaitis made a difference with his experience and rebounding in Zenit, though his lack of three-pointers could be a disadvantage given the evolution of the game.
Donatas Motiejunas (AS Monaco)
Age / Country: 31 / Lithuania
EuroLeague Career: 3 seasons – 51 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 38 games | 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 10.8 PIR
Best Game: 22 points, 4 rebounds, 22 PIR vs LDLC ASVEL (Round 19)
It’s been a long road for Donatas Motiejunas before his return to Europe. From the NBA to the Chinese League, with several injuries in between, his signing with Monaco raised many questions.
However, Motiejunas didn’t miss a single game this season in Euroleague and was productive from the field in the majority of the regular season games. He struggled a bit in the playoffs series against Olympiacos, which could be attributed to the fatigue factor. Nonetheless, it’s a fact that the Lithuanian big man showed that he belongs to the EuroLeague and can expect several offers this summer.