By Giorgos Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
This summer is characterized by the many departures of players for the Chinese League and the NBA, but this doesn’t mean that the 16 clubs that will take part in the EuroLeague next season did not try to reinforce themselves.
Some teams spent more money and some less, and as a result, there were some transfers that caused more “noise” and some that caused less.
Eurohoops compiled and presents here the most important signings, taking into consideration the quality of each player, the team’s dynamics, the player’s role, but also the subjective criterion that always affects these kinds of matters.
The presentation begins backwards, which means from number 20 to the top…
20. Zach Auguste (Panathinaikos)
The interest from the other side of the Atlantic wasn’t enough to spoil Zach Auguste’s transfer to Panathinaikos, who showed how much they wanted the player and so kept him at the OAKA.
The 24-year-old center is getting ready to make his debut in the EuroLeague and seems set to don the… Greens’ heavy jersey, taking advantage of his athletic qualities, his great ability in the pick-and-roll, but also his (short) European experience with the Turkish team, Usak, where he averaged 11.6 points and 7.5 rebounds.
Auguste is one of Panathinaikos’s major bets this year and if the estimates are confirmed then the player will provide great solutions for Xavi Pascual and will rapidly increase his value on the market.
19. Jamel McLean (Olympiacos)
Khem Birch’s departure for the Orlando Magic just before the deadline created a big gap in Olympiacos’s frontline, one that Jamel McLean is called to fill.
The Red-and-Whites moved swiftly and reached an agreement with Armani Milan’s former center, who is coming off a mediocre season for his standards, in which he averaged 8.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in almost 21 minutes of playing time.
With this particular addition, Ioannis Sfairopoulos now has a player who will provide great solutions in the pick-and-roll and help in the post, but who will have to make an even bigger effort in the defensive department. At any rate, it’s worth noting that Jamel McLean’s transfer to Olympiacos has an intense aroma of “undersized center” about it and is quite reminiscent of Kyle Hines’s selection.
18. Adrien Moerman (Barcelona)
The nightmarish last season now belongs to the past for Barcelona, who want to make a new beginning, with the management making a series of transfer moves that include Adrien Moerman.
The French forward’s move to the Catalan club might not have caused a lot of “noise” but if the player performs according to his real potential then he’s going to contribute a lot of quality minutes.
Under the directions of David Blatt in Darussafaka, Moerman was on the court for a little less than 22 minutes, with an average of 8.1 points and 5.1 rebounds. He’s a threat from any range, he has good moves in the post and he’s always alert for the defensive and offensive rebound. These particular elements will help him “survive” on a roster that has great forwards like Claver, Vezenkov and Sanders.
17. Leo Westermann (CSKA Moscow)
The great progress that Leo Westermann has made in his game in recent years secured him a spot on CSKA Moscow’s roster, as they replaced Teodosic and Jackson with Sergio Rodriguez and the French guard.
At 25 years of age, he’s ready for the biggest challenge of his career, learning a lot last season from the former top playmaker and current coach, Sarunas Jasikevicius. It’s telling that the young Frenchman is coming off the most productive season of his career with an average of 5.5 assists, without failing to contribute in other areas (8.2 points, 3.2 rebounds).
Westermann penetrates to the basket, reads the game extremely well, makes the right decisions, has a high basketball IQ, and he’ll definitely be making his teammates happy very often.
16. Stefan Markovic (Khimki)
Stefan Markovic was one of Khimki’s first transfer moves as they make a dynamic return to the EuroLeague after a year of absence.
The Russians lifted a pretty hefty amount from their funds to secure the signature of the Serbian guard, who is coming off a very good season in the VTB in the colors of Zenit, averaging 10.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists.
Georgios Bartzokas’s squad has a sizzling backcourt with Shved, Jenkins and Markovic complementing each other in an ideal way. Compared to the other two, Markovic is a more controlled player who can offer calmness and structure, and who can control the pace and contain the rival guards.
15. Jordan Theodore (Armani Milan)
Jordan Theodore is clear proof that Armani Milan intends to return stronger for the new season after the complete failure that was last season.
Besides, we’re talking about the best player in the Basketball Champions League, with an average of 16.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists, but also, quite possibly, the most important rookie of this year’s EuroLeague, whom Anadolu Efes also tried to acquire.
Aside from that, it’s going to be very interesting to see how he will “gel” with Andrew Goudelock when they will be in the same line-up, since we’re dealing with two players who have a similar build, while they both have a tendency to take on too many attempts.
14. Erick Green (Valencia)
Playing for Olympiacos, Erick Green proved that he’s a very reliable scorer, but the Red-and-Whites’ management decided not to use the option that was in the contract and, as a result, he became a free agent.
Despite the fact that the American guard got close to leaving the EuroLeague to continue his career in China, Valencia moved swiftly and managed to add him to their manpower.
It’s certain that Green will find more opportunities in the Spanish club but also more playing time, compared to the 20 minutes he had at Olympiacos, something that will help him raise his productivity, which, in the 2016/2017 season, was 9.9 points per game.
13. Errick McCollum (Anadolu Efes)
Errick McCollum was on Olympiacos’s transfer list but in the end he signed a contract with Anadolu Efes, which means that we’ll be seeing him in the EuroLeague again next season.
No special recommendations are needed for the American guard, since the 18.1 points he scored on average in the 2015/2016 season with Galatasaray prove the unique gift he has for getting the ball through the hoop. Of course, this doesn’t mean that he cannot create for his teammates as well, but this isn’t the most important element of his game.
With McCollum’s acquisition, Velimir Perasovic to some extent wants to fill the gap left by Thomas Heurtel and Jayson Granger, with the demands being great but with the American having proven in the past that he can manage and then some.