Kaunas Zalgiris Thread

[Straight forward]

So now CSKA is attacking Jokubaitis...Amazing. They offer to pay all 350k buy-out. It would suck balls so bad if both Jokubaitis and Girgonis would play for CSKA, jeez...A nightmare. Jokubaitis is too good to ever step onto any authoritarian land, he can comfortably play in Span, USA, other free lands...

[Mindozas]

So now CSKA is attacking Jokubaitis...Amazing. They offer to pay all 350k buy-out. It would suck balls so bad if both Jokubaitis and Girgonis would play for CSKA, jeez...A nightmare. Jokubaitis is too good to ever step onto any authoritarian land, he can comfortably play in Span, USA, other free lands...

Enough of that political stuff again. Talking about sports related things, it would be not wise to go there cause no one would be patient with him and as foreigner he would have to show results more or less immediately, otherwise benched. I think he is wise enough to get it, CSKA doesn't have Saras to back him up, Itoudis is under pressure to show results, Vatutin too. If Grigonis is surely ready for such path, then Jokubaitis, no matter his character, would be still too raw for his first season abroad in EL title contender without a coach who would trust him no matter what

[Hepcat]

Well if he wants more as opposed to less playing time, Rokas Jokubaitis won't sign with Barcelona. He'll stay with Žalgiris.

[Straight forward]

Seems like Kalnietis might be close coming back to Zalgiris. Interesting.

[Toruko]

Seems like Kalnietis might be close coming back to Zalgiris. Interesting.

Poor Zalgiris then...

[Straight forward]

Poor Zalgiris then...

MVP of VTB...

[LuDux]

Poor Zalgiris then...

Surely that depends on his role?

[Hepcat]

If anyone doubted that everyone in Lithuania is basketball expert, doubt no more. Fact that Algirdas Paleckis and Vardenis Pavardenis (first I wrote Petras Grazulis but remembered that these days he's fighting cosmopolitism homosexualism and other scary-isms together with Putin) are so well versed in basketball proves it beyond any doubt

What the bloody hell does "cosmopolitan homosexualism" have to do with this thread? You seem to make a habit of introducing inane remarks into threads. Well it's high time that stopped.

[edvinas9]

According to 24sek.lt Zalgiris is offering Walkup a salary of 650K per season, while Olympiacos proposed roughly 700K/y. Any thoughts?

[Straight forward]

According to 24sek.lt Zalgiris is offering Walkup a salary of 650K per season, while Olympiacos proposed roughly 700K/y. Any thoughts?

IMO, worth to even match Olympiacos offer. At the end of the season Walkup even reached another level. It's just Rytas, but the guy is in his prime. He expanded his offensive game to the level where he's decisive and aggressive and shoots with confidence. He's a 2 ways physical beast and next season he probably would be the best player of Zalgiris. At the end of the season he was the best player of Zalgiris by far. I doubt Zalgiris can find a player who instantly would give what Walkup would provide next season, if we are talking about player of 600-650k range. It's possible, but highly unlikely. Current Walkup provides at both ends of the floor and is in his prime so it's basically mission impossible.

[edvinas9]

It's evident that in case he decides to leave Zalgiris, the decision won't be influenced by salary. Additional 100K in two seasons doesn't sound to be that sum that would attract players to leave their current teams. As you said, he'd be a franchise player in the upcoming season, should he decide to stay.

[Toruko]

Considering the losses the transfer rumors make Zalgiris look very weak next season. Zalgiris was always very successful to substitute the losses but this time there are too few players and Zalgiris seems to be out of money.

[Straight forward]

Considering the losses the transfer rumors make Zalgiris look very weak next season. Zalgiris was always very successful to substitute the losses but this time there are too few players and Zalgiris seems to be out of money.

It's too soon to tell. We don't know the pieces that will change Grigonis, Walkup, Hayes. It surely won't be Lekavicius and Kalnietis, those can be just a role players. Have in mind that Zalgiris played without SF all season long, well Hayes played some there, but generally there was a hole for the bigger part of the season. Now they might sign good SF, to sign couple of quality guards and the team will be competitive. Off course, now it's completely open and can go either way and we don't have Saras who would pretty much guarantee Zalgiris competitiveness.

BTW, Jokubaitis finally got his award. Euroleague players association named him as best young player of the league:

https://twitter.com/the_ELPA/status/1402928787671732226

[edvinas9]

Zalgiris will be trying to find cheap gems overseas. Motiejunas expressed that Schiller's rapid adoption of Euroleague's basketball and his connections in the USA might be helpful to find and integrate novel players that have not played in Europe yet.

[Straight forward]

Zalgiris will be trying to find cheap gems overseas. Motiejunas expressed that Schiller's rapid adoption of Euroleague's basketball and his connections in the USA might be helpful to find and integrate novel players that have not played in Europe yet.

That sounds like tanking season knowing how much player as Vasturia developed under Schiller But we'll see.