Zalgiris Kaunas 2019-20

[ZalgirisFanForLife]

Ulanovas stays in Žalgiris. Milan (more like Messina) wanted him badly, but he refused to leave Žalgiris. Lokomotiv also showed big interest in him, second summer in a row.
A new core of lithuanians - Ulanovas, Lekavičius and Grigonis is Žalgiris new face and who knows, maybe Geben will join them shortly, because he develops very quick.
Žalgiris fans are happy about Leday, Landale, Hayes and Jankūnas frontcourt. LeDay will meet a coach, he never met - simply Šaras. He is Obra kind of temperament, maybe even more. He will shout at his face, knocking their foreheads at each other, but guess who will win, yes, Šaras. Landale is very promising prospect, he took SL by storm, Hayes should be our PnP guy and Jankūnas as well, giving his veteran experience to those guys. Also, Geben in the mix, maybe he will take Jankūnas minutes after a half of season, because his development is simular to Landale, very quick.

[yessuz]

I m not optimist about Zalgiris this season .Previous season wrong trasnfers on position pg and sg could cost them a lot.I understand choice the type player of Leday ,but I dont think Leday is good choice .He is wild player ,unreliable ,undisciplined ,also Landale hadnt enough weight for center,also has a lot of lucks .

Well, Zalgiris needed powerful and high jumping PF. so got it. that's about Leday.
Landale had monster performance in summer league and has superb potential.

Both are young players with tonnes of potential..

Last year Zalgiris was attacking via post. This year it will be even more.

[MrRager]

Well, Zalgiris needed powerful and high jumping PF. so got it. that's about Leday.
Landale had monster performance in summer league and has superb potential.

Both are young players with tonnes of potential..

Last year Zalgiris was attacking via post. This year it will be even more.

But Saras explicitly said that he wants more 3 pointers in the upcoming season. So which is true then?

[Straight forward]

My point is, unless Perez is much worse than Wolters, Grigonis/Walkup/Perez/Lekavicius doesn't look worse than Grigonis/Walkup/Westerman/Wolters in September 2018

No doubt. Westerman is highly overrated, IMO. Walkup was a nightmare for a half of a year. Wolters struggled in the second half because of injuries. This should be better and healthier backourt.

[bakas]

But Saras explicitly said that he wants more 3 pointers in the upcoming season. So which is true then?

All of the bigs can shoot threes. (Hayes 1.9/4.4 PG 43%, LeDay 0.3/0.93 PG 35%, Landale 0,8/1,3 38% for Partizan, 2/4,8 PG 41,7% in Summer League, Geben 0,3/0,9 PG, 38%, Jankunas actually has the worst % of them all and he is constantly attempting threes). That means we can lure out the opposing centers from the paint and have more free space for our slashing players. All of our guards are very agressive and can drive into the paint. From what I’ve heard Javonte Green is our final target (would’ve liked Erick Green more) and he is also someone who gets into the paint really hard and also is an okay 3P shooter. So, I think that’s the basic idea of how we’re going to play, running to fastbreaks, more threes from bigs and more space for small players to drive in, getting opponents fouled and getting either easy baskets or threes.

I think this is gonna be the most interesting team to watch from all of Šaras teams we had. I wasn’t really a fan of letting Davies play individually as much as he did, he never passed back and I think we relied on his individual performances a bit too much. The team next season will rely more on tactics and team play and less on individuals.

Anyway, I’m pretty optimistic about our offensive potential. Though I have serious doubts about our defense and playing against strong bigs.

[Efesdxb]

Javonte Green would be a good addition. He can play SG/SF and even he is 1.96 there were minutes he played as PF at Ulm, thanks to his 100 kg weight.

[Mindozas]

Javonte Green would be a good addition. He can play SG/SF and even he is 1.96 there were minutes he played as PF at Ulm, thanks to his 100 kg weight.

There were minutes he was defending PGs too. Hayes and Javonte were among my favorite guys in Eurocup last season. Wrote about both of them as a wish back in April/May - we have one, now it's time to get the second No doubt that he is Saras list, he is a player Saras love - physical beast, fine defense, quick hands, steals, maybe just a bit too many unnecessary fouls cause of tries to steal the ball in some hopeless situations. Also sometimes tends to lose game rhythm, standing somewhere in the corner without being involved in the game. But that's a matter of system too. But guy is deadly in transition, good 1on1 skills. We lack that. The question remains - what kind of player we are looking for (if any?), also some richer teams are chasing him already, there was big interest from Baskonia lately

Also still fishy situation with Leday. Hope he will be signed at the end

[AMJA]

where the information came about Javonte Green?

[Mindozas]

where the information came about Javonte Green?

Mostly from logical and wishful thinking. Other than that, no reliable info if club is on the market for some other guys in the backcourt at all. Maybe I missed that tho, wasn't following the news too much last couple of weeks, so some interview could've went by me

[MrRager]

If Zalgiris signs that guy, I am buying courtside tickets

EDIT: It seems there'll be no Green - Zalgiris' GM just confirmed that the roster is complete and there will be no more additions.

[bakas]

If Zalgiris signs that guy, I am buying courtside tickets

EDIT: It seems there'll be no Green - Zalgiris' GM just confirmed that the roster is complete and there will be no more additions.

This is bullcrap. They say it every year and then they add one player at least. I don't trust them, at all.

[Saras_Fan]

I think Leday is pretty good sign, he has some important aspects but weak size. I am sure that Saras will increase his efficiency and will force him to become more agressive. On the other hand our backcourt looks shaky.

[Mindozas]

This is bullcrap. They say it every year and then they add one player at least. I don't trust them, at all.

They aren't looking for someone now. But then anything might happen. Walton was not planned last year, but circumstances forced us to sign new guard. Then remember Seibutis case - out of nowhere he was left without club in the beginning of Autumn and was offered to Zalgiris - how can you miss such opportunity? Then Vougioukas was signed thnx to bonus we received from sponsors. Anything might happen, but now we must face the truth - it's done. At least good that Leday case is more or less resolved and we should have him.
Overall speaking I'm fine with frontcourt. Hayes was the player I really liked in GS, Landale is a bit raw, but Davies was too, however there is big enough potential and Saras will know how to use it. Leday great PF/C filler for us, Geben should fill Antanas shoes and Jankunas needs to stay healthy. If he is going to NT, then his health issues is solved and I think he will have fine EL season giving needed experience.
What I'm sceptical about is backcourt. Lekavicius is downgrade to Wolters. Not by a mile, but it feels like that for now. Saras wanted him badly, so maybe he'll lift him to his ceiling, but I don't expect miracles. Feel a bit mixed about Leo leaving. Good that he is familiar with system and such player will be missed since opening games, but on other hand, he wasn't really that good all season long, there's always a feeling that we might get someone better. I don't know Perez too good, saw him with NT in 2017, the potential was there, it was obvious that guy can ball. Coming from the bench was not a problem, versatile offense, good court vision, fine shooting touch, a bit wild game and questionable decision making at some point, but it was Latino game, so it's usual stuff. Also he lacked experience back then. Now has two seasons under his belt in Europe. But it will be tough in the beginning, hope he doesn't have hot Latin temper, otherwise it will be fcking hard to deal with Saras well, good that there's Walkup at least, who can take a PG spot if smth will go wrong. However, backcourt still left me wanting for more and makes overall picture a bit mixed

[Prancūzėlis_ZLD]

Despite the announcement that the roster is done, I've just read in a french media (Bebasket), that Paul Lacombe had been approached by Žalgiris.
Has anyone heard about it (maybe this is old news)?

To be honest, this is exactly the kind of player I'd like to see in the roster in near future, but for next season it seems there is just no more spot available for him anyway.

[Mindozas]

Despite the announcement that the roster is done, I've just read in a french media (Bebasket), that Paul Lacombe had been approached by Žalgiris.
Has anyone heard about it (maybe this is old news)?

To be honest, this is exactly the kind of player I'd like to see in the roster in near future, but for next season it seems there is just no more spot available for him anyway.

There were news about Lacombe some week or two ago

Btw, Zalgiris already sold 6000 season tickets, all that was available for the moment