By Giorgos Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
Summer is one of the favorite periods for basketball fans since the interest surrounding the various transfer scenarios that are out there peaks.
Coaches, in collaboration with the teams’ management, start planning out the next season, which, among other things, includes departures but also important transfers. At the epicenter, of course, there are the players who are free agents and who are negotiating with teams in order to pick the next step in their career.
Eurohoops presents a list of 10 athletes in no particular order who are free agents and who are expected to grab the attention of EuroLeague clubs as well as others…
Nick Calathes
Stats: 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 8 assists, 18.5 PIR
When it comes to Nick Calathes, there’s no need for any special recommendations. Panathinaikos’s leader is coming off an outrageously good season, during which he broke the single-season assist record in the history of the EuroLeague and proved that he’s the best player in his position.
The contract with the Greens formally expires in a few days and the Greek team’s management has already made its move in order to continue working with the Greek playmaker. Of course, a lot will depend on the offers that Calathes will get from the other side of the Atlantic, while Fenerbahce and Khimki are also expected to take an interest.
Calathes’s value is very high but he’s more than worth it. He’s undoubtedly at the top of the list of point guards on the free agent market and his name is going to be mentioned a lot in the next few weeks.
Brad Wanamaker
Stats: 11.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 12.9 PIR
Brad Wanamaker adapted quickly in Fenerbahce and he helped them reach the EuroLeague final, where he chalked up 14 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. The coveted back-to-back win may not have been achieved but the American once again proved that he belongs in the elite of European basketball and that he has a place in any roster.
A few weeks after winning the championship, Wanamaker’s contract with the Turkish club expires and despite an assurance from Obradovic that the player will not leave, this is by no means certain.
There are already plenty of reports speaking of a 3 million euro offer by Barcelona and it’s a given that the 28-year-old combo guard will attract the interest of even more clubs.
Taylor Rochestie
Stats: 13.4 points, 5 assists, 41% in three-point shooting, 14.4 PIR
The years have gone by for Taylor Rochestie, but he doesn’t seem to be affected. His season with Crvena Zvezda is deemed particularly satisfactory since he was the team’s best player in the departments of execution (13.4 points) and creation (5 assists).
Despite this, the Serbian club lost to Buducnost in the finals of the Adriatic league and failed to qualify for next season’s EuroLeague. This particular development makes the player’s stay in the team extremely doubtful, with the contract between the two sides, have already expired.
Rochestie is 33 years old and has the experience and quality that can secure him a spot on the roster of most EuroLeague teams.
Pau Ribas
Stats: 6.7 points, 3 assists, 47.8% in three-point shooting, 8.1 PIR
For yet another season, Barcelona had a disappointing course in the EuroLeague, they won the Copa del Rey and were knocked out in the semifinals of the ACB. It’s a given that there will be significant changes in their roster and one of the players who are on the free agent market, at least with what we know so far, is Pau Ribas.
The Spanish guard got limited playing time (17.48 minutes) and so his numbers in scoring and creating are not high. However, he remains an excellent shooter, while his Spanish passport provides him with a big advantage compared to other players when it comes to his country’s teams.
Ribas has overcome his serious Achilles tendon injury and, at 31 years of age, he’s a very interesting case in the transfer market.
Kevin Pangos
Stats: 12.7 points, 5.9 assists, 47.5% in three-point shooting, 14.2 PIR
The season that just ended can be characterized as the season Kevin Pangos exploded! Zalgiris’s big leader put up some unique performances for the EuroLeague’s fans and, as a result, his value went through the roof and he attracted a lot of interest.
Barcelona seems to be ahead in the race to win the signature of the Canadian point guard but until any deal has been made official, the 25-year-old remains a free agent.
The team that will reach a deal with Pangos will automatically improve their backcourt with a player who is an excellent creator, ball handler and shooter, while he was chosen to the All-EuroLeague Second Team. Without a doubt, one of the most important free agents of the summer.
Ray McCallum
Stats: 9.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists
In the summer of 2017, Malaga made a strong transfer move with the acquisition of Ray McCallum but on the court the enthusiasm was not justified. The American guard had some very good performances, he showed some of his skills, but he lacked consistency, which was also true for the Spanish team as a whole.
The contract between the two sides has expired and since the Andalusian club has not qualified for next season’s EuroLeague, the partnership seems very unlikely to continue.
McCallum, however, has certain elements as a player that help him stand on his own at the top level. He’s very fast, he can drive, and, armed with his excellent ball handling skills and his strong body, he is able to “unlock” rival defenses. What he certainly has to improve in order to go up a level in European basketball is his long-range shooting.
Norris Cole
Stats: 12.6 points, 3.8 assists, 11.1 PIR
Based on his bio and skills, Norris Cole is one of the biggest names in this summer’s transfer period. His first season in the colors of Maccabi Tel Aviv is deemed very good, especially in the first half of the season, where he showed that he doesn’t need a lot of time to adapt to a new environment.
Of course, the 29-year-old guard is not your run-of-the-mill player, since he has won the NBA championship twice (2012, 2013) and this season he helped Maccabi win the title in Israel.
Now he’s a free agent and he’s one of the players coming off the top shelf. Cole loves to run on the open court, he’s a good scorer for European standards, he has improved his shot, while he was always fast, strong and effective in 1-on-1 situations.
The only questions are his size, his ability to set plays and his appetite for creating.