Kaunas Zalgiris Thread

[Shawshank]

watch how zalgiris perimeter guards Mudiay,Lekavicius,Kalnietis,Sterlnieks,Milaknis plays defence in euroleague 2021 is like comedy that defensive type coaches would risk getting heart attack.

Everyone is late,easilly beaten 1 vs 1 on first step, too weak physically,too soft... just nightmare.

Ulanovas also lost atleast one step defensively from what he was 2 years ago.

Im sorry but its impossible to win anything on highest level without no defence in most critical point where basketball games is won in 2020s... on perimeter.

[Straight forward]

My claim is that Kalnietis, Milaknis, Jankunas are not EL players anymore. If today Saras' would be guiding Zalgiris, none if these would be in Zalgiris. Maybe Jankunas just for symbolic reasons, but not game wise. It's more than obvious that these 3 are not EL material anymore. Ulanovas at the given time is not EL player either. But at least he should be getting back in shape in a round half of year and he should be OK at the end of the season, but now he's horrific as well. Only Lekavicius has a status of EL role player for Lithuanians currently. I think this season opened up a truth face of "emerging management legend" Paulius Motiejunas.

[Dreamcatcher]

I want to say that probably was clear a long time ago that Shiller did criminally bad ignoring Blazevic and not loaning him anywhere.

[Shawshank]

playing without 3 starters Lauvergne,Strelnieks,Mudiay and almost winning i like the fought Zalgiris gave yesterday.

They were fighting on defence too with lots of physicality when i see that i have no problem even if team lost.

Ulanovas after 5 games : 28min 4,4pts with 20% 22% and 44% its impossible to play any worse for NT material player.

Put any NT level forward Kuzminskas,Butkevicius,Giedraitis,Sedekerskis out there for 28min today they would help team more for sure.

Its obviuos not playing for half year and comming from seriuos injury affected Ule big time both physically and mentally he isnt ready yet to play on highest level.

Zalgiris will need patience with him but eventually he should find his game.We all know he can play on that level.

[Straight forward]

Yeah, got a give credit for the team, they played their ass off. When Lukas Lekavicius jumps on the refs and shows real emotions, you know that guys had the right attitude.

However, this didn't increase my belief in this Zalgiris a bit. I do believe that current Jankunas, Milaknas are not EL material anymore, they simply are not. Too limited. They could play a bit somewhere in Champions League as Maciulis did in recent years, but that's all. Kalnietis is a borderline EL material. He can still provide here and there offensively, to play solid p'n'r and hit an open jimmy, but that's all. He can't play D, he can't penetrate offensively (struggles to shoot for 2), he can't deal with EL physicality. OK, he handles those 15min passably, but only passably. Now after rehabbing Garino all year long on previous season, to sign post injury and out of shape Ulanovas was also stupid decision. He's horrible and the way I see it he will need half of the season to resemble his old self and even that is not guarantee cause other injuries may happen. All these 4 Lithuanians is Motiejunas' decisiont. He signed those and basically none of them today are truth EL material. The myth of Motiejunas greatness shrunk. Prior Saras era Motiejunas never established himself as smart GM constructing the team, post Saras era we see the same. He sucks at it. Only Saras raised Zalgiris organization the heights which otherwise never could happen.

From what I see Schillers choices wasn't even all that bad. Nebo is great, Mudiay just needs time (19pts against OLY was a good sign already), Giffey delivers. The only really trashy choice by Schiller was Tyler Cavanaugh (he's horrid and he won't change defensively), So Motiejunas finding scapegoat in Schiller is pretty low, he just trying to cover the fact that he has no gene for basketball and has no ideas how to construct the team.

Now what regards Zdovc I'm actually shocked with unprofessionalism and plenty of mistakes. FOA, when he came to Kaunas he all whined along how difficult this situation is for him and later he openly announced that he doesn't know the plays and sets of Zalgiris in the game day, later he says "I didn't know what to do" during the other game, later he gives comments like "we simply gave up we were demoralized" and no further comments. After the last game against Bayern, he said that Marekas Blazevic (who did impressive job in last 2 games) "can't play in EL for winning". It's so un PRO that it's hard to describe. And he wasn't able to draw the key play for the game till the ref came and said that the timeout is over. So far he reminds me less naive, less cocky Maskoliunas, but nevertheless almost completely lost just as him, unable to deal with head coach functions and providing tons of ridiculous press conference comments (off course, he won't surpass legendary Maskoliunas, but, oh, boy we already have some data...). So far I've seen him strangely timid and lost than strict which had to be his credit card. So far it seems like he's trembling unexpectedly receiving such an incredible opportunity, maybe he will get things together. But seeing how non PRO he handles things and how many stupid things he says during the conferences, I'm not a believer in Zdovc. Seems like he simply lacking the culture, preparation to be real EL head coach.

And, yeah, Kalnietis is totally right. This Zalgiris, the way it is constructed, is just destined to struggle against switch all defence. Basically only Mudiay (if he will get into shape eventually) and Lekavicius can split it a little bit, but that's all.

[Straight forward]

I want to say that probably was clear a long time ago that Shiller did criminally bad ignoring Blazevic and not loaning him anywhere.

But that was more Motiejunas decision to keep him close. Off course, Motiejunas was against Schiller's attitude towards Marek, I understand that. But he didn't oppose Schiller on the matter which he could as an owner and he refused to loan Marek announcing that "Zalgiris is the best place for Marek to develop". On the bench that is

Now, they lost Lauverge for a month and Marek looks good, but nevertheless they make sure to let everyone know Marek is not in any serious plans Blazevic gotta love his choice to sign Zalgiris...

[LuDux]

In LKL, under Schiller, Blazevicius played big minutes in games where Nebo or Lavergne were unavailable and we don't know how much Zdovc would play him if Lavergne was available

[Straight forward]

BTW, my recipe for next season's Zalgiris...Lithuanian targets (counting their next season's age):

98 generation

24yo A. Kulboka (free agent, doable if his NBA career will shrink)
24yo G. Masiulis (free agent, absolutely doable, the question only will be if he's really worthy the spot in Zalgiris)

99 generation (Velicka is a borderline 2000 generation that's why he's younger)

23yo I.Sargiunas (free agent, more than doable)
23yo I. Brazdeikis (free agent, unlikely, but if his NBA career completely shrink for a moment)
22yo A. Velicka (free agent, pretty doable)

00 generation

22yo D. Sirvydis (free agent, some obstacles as ex Rytas player, pretty doable).
22yo D. Giedraitis (less likely, contracted with Estudiantes)

That's a solid pool of options. Unfortunately very little to choose from reliable vets. OK, Dimsa, Kuz for consideration, but I'm not a fan of either of them when it comes to EL. Dimsa is ridiculously inconsistent and streaky. Kuz is soft and bad defender. IMO, Zalgiris should only keep Lekavicius and Ulanovas as Lithuanian vets. BTW, I do believe Grigonis will be coming back to Zalgiris at some point. I doubt his chances to stay long years in EL contender teams. He, IMO, will be more of Westermann than some J. Maciulis.

Way premature, but since this season, IMO, is done, something like this would be nice (I mark foreigners):

Mudiay, Lekavicius, Velicka
Athletic foreigner, Sargiunas, Rubstavicius
Giffey, Ulanovas, Sirvydis
Athletic Foreigner, Kulboka
Nebo, Lavergne, Blazevic

That would be really interesting roster if say instead of softies Sterlnieks, Cavanaugh Zalgiris would get some athleticism, defence and explosiveness. That means Zalgiris somehow would split long term stupid contract with Cavanaugh. And to sign Kalnietis for 2 years was also incredibly stupid, Jeez. It will get ugly next season, and this season it will already be pretty ugly. Motiejunas made too much damage to clean this sh...as easy as I constructed here. Zalgiris is in deep shit. It took 1 year Saras away from Zalgiris. One fucking year away and it's a complete mess

[LuDux]

Mudiay, Lekavicius, Velicka
Athletic foreigner, Sargiunas, Rubstavicius
Giffey, Ulanovas, Sirvydis
Athletic Foreigner, Kulboka
Nebo, Lavergne, Blazevic

Poor Blazevic...

Zalgiris has only 3 guaranteed contracts for next season: Blazevic, Cavanaugh, Kalnietis and 4 +1's: Nebo, Lauvergne, Giffey and Lekavicius

My less radical re-make

Nebo, Blazevic
PF/C, Cavanaugh, PF
Ulanovas, Giffey
SG, Lekavicius, SG
PG, Lekavicius, Kalnietis

I think Blazevic will force Zalgiris to choose between Nebo and Lauvergne, PF/C will be insurance at C. Cavanaugh will improve enough to force Zalgiris to respect contract. Ulanovas will improve, but not enough to become too expensive. With solid starting guards Kal&Lek will stay, Kalnietis will assume Jankunas' role of player with solid role but limited minutes. Now we only need SG and PF to compliment existing players (if SG is shooter then SG is slasher like Sargiunas, etc)

[Straight forward]

PG, Lekavicius, Kalnietis

This would be instant suicide for any EL club, IMO.

[Toruko]

This would be instant suicide for any EL club, IMO.

for sure.

[LuDux]

Zoran Dragic close to Zalgiris

[LuDux]

So I tried to improve my vision:
C Solid EL player, average EL player, young local player with NBA aspirations
PF Solid EL player, average EL player, young bordeline NBA player
SF Solid EL player, average EL player, young bordeline NBA player
SG Solid EL player, average EL player, young local player with NBA aspirations
PG Solid EL player, average EL player, young local player with NBA aspirations

[Straight forward]

So I tried to improve my vision:
C Solid EL player, average EL player, young local player with NBA aspirations
PF Solid EL player, average EL player, young bordeline NBA player
SF Solid EL player, average EL player, young bordeline NBA player
SG Solid EL player, average EL player, young local player with NBA aspirations
PG Solid EL player, average EL player, young local player with NBA aspirations

Too much too ask, IMO. Specially if we treat aspirations as being realistic NBA prospect.

[Straight forward]

Zoran Dragic close to Zalgiris

Desperation and confusion. That's post Saras Zalgiris. That's post Saras Paulius Motiejunas. The king is naked. Another desperate short term contract which won't change the season by any means, IMO.