Zalgiris Kaunas 2018-19

[bakas2]

So, what are your thoughts about next year? I have a very good feeling about Šaras staying. Of course, Pangos is leaving, but other players have +1s in their contracts, so there are good chances to see most of the roster back next year. During the season I thought that Kavaliauskas should go, but if he takes a smaller contract, he should be kept. I liked Udrih, but his defense is something that hurt us more than his positive impact on the offensive end.. I have mixed thoughts about him, as I like his veteran presence.

I think that Walkup is going to be taken as someone who can play PG-SG positions and he's tall, not bad definsively.

I see Birutis who will have a positive impact during the season. I also hope that Valinskas will improve during the summer and will finally become an important part of the team.

PG - Micic, Valinskas (Udrih?)
SG - Milaknis, Walkup
SF - Ulanovas, Toupane
PF - Jankūnas, White, Masiulis
C - Davies, Kavaliauskas, Birutis

I would be very happy if the final roster would look like this. I feel like Micic, Davies and White will be even better next year and they proved to be really good during their first year. I especially like the potential that Micic posseses, he is not as talented as Westermann was, but I like his defense and energy even more. I am not sure about Toups, but his athletic potential is also amazing.

 

[Kaunietis2]

I believe Walkup is SG-SF.

There is no 3pt shooting in that team except Milaknis.

 

[ZalgirisFanForLife2]

So, what are your thoughts about next year? I have a very good feeling about Šaras staying. Of course, Pangos is leaving, but other players have +1s in their contracts, so there are good chances to see most of the roster back next year. During the season I thought that Kavaliauskas should go, but if he takes a smaller contract, he should be kept. I liked Udrih, but his defense is something that hurt us more than his positive impact on the offensive end.. I have mixed thoughts about him, as I like his veteran presence.

I think that Walkup is going to be taken as someone who can play PG-SG positions and he's tall, not bad definsively.

I see Birutis who will have a positive impact during the season. I also hope that Valinskas will improve during the summer and will finally become an important part of the team.

PG - Micic, Valinskas (Udrih?)
SG - Milaknis, Walkup
SF - Ulanovas, Toupane
PF - Jankūnas, White, Masiulis
C - Davies, Kavaliauskas, Birutis

I would be very happy if the final roster would look like this. I feel like Micic, Davies and White will be even better next year and they proved to be really good during their first year. I especially like the potential that Micic posseses, he is not as talented as Westermann was, but I like his defense and energy even more. I am not sure about Toups, but his athletic potential is also amazing.

I think, that Walkup or similar player will replace Udrih, as a combo guard, that can create and switch on D. Pangos will be replaced with another guy, preferably better at D and still keep good shooting. Also, I'd be more happy if Toupane would be replaced with better shooting and keep good D on that position, plus Walkup and new guy should improve perimetral D. The roster should look like this, if Saras stays:
PG Laprovittola, Walkup(SG), Jokūbaitis
SG Micič, Milaknis, Valinskas
SF Ulanovas, Landesberg, Arlauskas
PF Jankūnas, White, Masiulis
C Davies, Kavaliauskas, Birutis

It will be really hard to keep Micič and Šaras. I don't believe Ulanovas will get to much attention.

 

[Svajunas2]

Why everyone is already assuming that Pangos is gone. Zalgiris is in better financial situation now and can afford giving him extra 300-400K. Now from players perspective, he should know, that he likely wont get better opportunitie to be the main guy and learn from great coach anywhere else in europe and I doubt that he will get that much attention from NBA because of his size and weak defense. And remember Zalgiris went to final four, conracts from Barcelona and alike, if they are not that much financialy better, shouldnt look like such a sweet deal anymore.

 

[Straight forward2]

Why everyone is already assuming that Pangos is gone. Zalgiris is in better financial situation now and can afford giving him extra 300-400K. Now from players perspective, he should know, that he likely wont get better opportunitie to be the main guy and learn from great coach anywhere else in europe and I doubt that he will get that much attention from NBA because of his size and weak defense. And remember Zalgiris went to final four, conracts from Barcelona and alike, if they are not that much financialy better, shouldnt look like such a sweet deal anymore.

If I was Pangos and I woudn't get an NBA offer I would stay in Kaunas with the condition Šaras is staying. Let's face it, the main peace is Jasikevičius. If he's gone, you never know at what level of strategy and coaching would Zalgiris end up.

Why no-body mentioning Lekavicius? Let's bring the kid back, he would be huge for for Zalgiris. I wouldn't mind seeing Lekavicius and Micic at 1.

 

[Nikiforenko2]

Sarunas Vasiliauskas had a good season with Trabzonspor at Turkish League. (14.6 pts, 6.3 assist) Maybe he can be a good fit for Zalgiris alongside with Pangos and Micic.

 

[Straight forward2]

Sarunas Vasiliauskas had a good season with Trabzonspor at Turkish League. (14.6 pts, 6.3 assist) Maybe he can be a good fit for Zalgiris alongside with Pangos and Micic.

LOL, no. He's not even close. It would be a waste of time.

 

[ZalgirisFanForLife2]

Toupane, Micič and Šaras will most likely stay, by various of sources. With Ulanovas it is not clear, he and PAO had talks in Belgrade. I mean, there's always Mačiulis.
I would love to replace Pangos with something more physical, but we need offensive power and that could bring Laprovittola. In Spain, he was amazing, I think with Šaras discipline, he will be not worse than Pangos, on D maybe even better. So I think Udrih will be replaced, because off the bench I would like something with bigger impact, better defender, better scorer. That's Walkup for me. We don't have so much scoring power, especially off the bench with White, Toupane, Kavaliauskas or Birutis. There is Milaknis, but he will be well guarded if there's no offensive threat.

 

[Hepcat2]

With Ulanovas it is not clear, he and PAO had talks in Belgrade. I mean, there's always Mačiulis.

What?!!!



Is that allowed in Europe? Approaching a player still under contract with another club would result in enormous league fines and other sanctions in North America for tampering. It's just not done therefore.

 

[ZalgirisFanForLife2]

What?!!!



Is that allowed in Europe? Approaching a player still under contract with another club would result in enormous league fines and other sanctions in North America for tampering. It's just not done therefore.

You're talking about NBA, not Europe. Nedovic for example already have agreed with Armani. Walkup agreed with Zalgiris. There's no rules in Europe, we are like savages. Maybe with Nachbar and his player association will change something.

 

[Hepcat2]

It's not just the NBA. Every single professional sports league in North America strictly forbids tampering with players signed to other clubs in whatever league.

 

[paspalj2]

It's not just the NBA. Every single professional sports league in North America strictly forbids tampering with players signed to other clubs in whatever league.

Well you need to keep in mind that that teams in the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLS, MLB belong in the same league. So, talking with a team before the year ends can lead to conflict of interest.

In Europe you have lots of domestic leagues and therefore, talking to somebody before the season ends, doesn't necessarily mean that.

 

[Hepcat2]

No. NFL teams are also prohibited from tampering with players signed to CFL teams. And MLB teams are prohibited from tampering with players in other leagues such as the Pioneer League and Frontier League (I think).

 

[efap2]

My take on next year roster:

PG: New foreigner, Valinskas
PG/SG: Micic, Kalnietis
SG: Milaknis
SF: Ulanovas, Maciulis, Toupane
PF: Jankunas, White
C: Davies, Birutis, Kavaliauskas

Financially realistic (I think). New foreigner to replace Pangos, not likely we're going to see equal replacement, but I expect Micic will be better next year (as Pangos was in his second).
Kalnietis playing PG/SG role with veteran leadership, I see him more as a SG and third string PG. He proved in Lokomotiv that he can excel when he is playing a bit more off-ball.
I think we lacked in SF this season, specially when both Ulanovas and Toupane played multiple positions. Adding Maciulis will let us use some interesting lineups more often, Ulanovas/Toupane at SG with defence intensive and tall lineup or Ulanovas/Maciulis playing PF while playing small ball.
At C I have Birutis coming in, I'm thinking Birutis and Kavaliauskas should play a similar role in terms of minutes, depending on the opponent.
Add some youngsters from B team and we have a team.

This team is lacking in 3point-shooting, so the new foreigner PG should be good at it.
Adding some veteran leadership and Lithuanians in the locker room and keeping in mind that most of the foreigners will be playing their second season in Zalgiris I think this team can perfom quite well.

Edit:
Coach: Saras/Andrea Trinchieri (has no team ATM)/Plaza ( I think his contract with Unicaja is ending this summer)

 

[ZalgirisFanForLife2]

If Šaras stays I can give you a couple examples, how roster will be:

PG -----, ------, Jokūbaitis
SG Micič(PG), Milaknis, Valinskas
SF Ulanovas or Mačiulis, Walkup(SG), Arlauskas
PF Jankūnas, White or 600k buyout and 350k salary, so he or pretty much one million, Masiulis
C Davies, Kavaliauskas with decreased salary, Birutis

So pretty much, we already have one new comer - Walkup. A solid SG, that can guard best offensive opponents, he can go to SF position, he can shoot, dribble the ball, good slasher. Like our German friend said, he is a gem.
We know already, that Udrih is gone, Toupane will most likely be replaced with Walkup. Pangos will be gone to.
Also, there is possibility to lose Ulanovas and White. Ulanovas already declined 400k offer from Zalgiris. White can go only to NBA, but there are reports, that he gets much attention from there, so he can be gone as well. Ulanovas buyout would be 150k and White's buyout would be 600k. Maciulis will most likely replace Ulanovas. White would be harder to replace, but with that money, I think it would be okey. Udrih and Pangos could be replaced by a couple of players, for example - Nicolas Laprovittola, Josh Adams, John Roberson, Lukas Lekavicius and so on.
Kavaliauskas also could be replaced by foreigner, but that has a low chance.

 

[bakas2]

Walkup to Žalgiris - 99.9%
Another target - Marius Grigonis (Alba, Berlin). He has a contract until 2020, but Žalgiris is willing to buy him out.
Rumors about Jonas Mačiulis coming back to Kaunas are also going around.

So far so good, I guess these players would replace Pangos, maybe Toupane, Udrih. Hopefully, not Ulanovas. Or maybe it would prolong the bench, as Žalgiris always registers players who are not playing in the games like Arlauskas, Sajus, etc.

PG - Micic, Valinskas (LKL - Jokūbaitis)
SG - Walkup (PG), Grigonis (SF), Milaknis (SF)
SF - Ulanovas, Mačiulis, Toupane (?)
PF - Jankūnas, White, (LKL - Masiulis)
C - Davies, Kavaliauskas, Birutis.

Looks like a very promising roster.

 

[ZalgirisFanForLife2]

Walkup to Žalgiris - 99.9%
Another target - Marius Grigonis (Alba, Berlin). He has a contract until 2020, but Žalgiris is willing to buy him out.
Rumors about Jonas Mačiulis coming back to Kaunas are also going around.

So far so good, I guess these players would replace Pangos, maybe Toupane, Udrih. Hopefully, not Ulanovas. Or maybe it would prolong the bench, as Žalgiris always registers players who are not playing in the games like Arlauskas, Sajus, etc.

PG - Micic, Valinskas (LKL - Jokūbaitis)
SG - Walkup (PG), Grigonis (SF), Milaknis (SF)
SF - Ulanovas, Mačiulis, Toupane (?)
PF - Jankūnas, White, (LKL - Masiulis)
C - Davies, Kavaliauskas, Birutis.

Looks like a very promising roster.

There won't be Ulanovas and Maciulis at the same team, that's for sure. And Toupane is gone. Valinskas will be bench warmer or he will be loaned to LKL team. The roster most likely will look like this:

PG Micic, new guy, Jokubaitis
SG Walkup, Milaknis, Valinskas
SF Maciulis, Grigonis, Arlauskas
PF Jankunas, White or new guy, Masiulis
C Davies, Kavaliauskas, Birutis

Almost everything is clear now. It's either Maciulis or Ulanovas, but most likely it will be Maciulis.

 

[Svajunas2]

There won't be Ulanovas and Maciulis at the same team, that's for sure. And Toupane is gone. Valinskas will be bench warmer or he will be loaned to LKL team. The roster most likely will look like this:

PG Micic, new guy, Jokubaitis
SG Walkup, Milaknis, Valinskas
SF Maciulis, Grigonis, Arlauskas
PF Jankunas, White or new guy, Masiulis
C Davies, Kavaliauskas, Birutis

Almost everything is clear now. It's either Maciulis or Ulanovas, but most likely it will be Maciulis.

Everything is clear now? The season is not even over. Nothing is clear yet.

 

[ZalgirisFanForLife2]

Everything is clear now? The season is not even over. Nothing is clear yet.

Well, it is clear to me that:
- Walkup will replace Udrih
- Saras will stay
- Birutis will replace Sajus
- Pangos will be replaced by foreigner
- Grigonis will replace someone on SF, it's either Ulanovas or Toupane
- Kavaliauskas will stay

The only unknowns are:
- is Micic smart enough to understand, that it's his chance to be leader of Saras team and next summer get contract of his life
- is Ulanovas attractive for other EL teams
- will White go to NBA, or stay.

 

[Hepcat2]

Well, it is clear to me that:

- Kavaliauskas will stay

Both Antanas Kavaliauskas and Žalgiris would be better off if Kavaliauskas goes to another team. Žalgiris doesn't need to pay that high a salary for a third string center, and Kavaliauskas would benefit from time on the floor elsewhere as opposed to time on the bench at Žalgiris.