Nick Calathes: five possible destinations that would change EuroLeague picture / News - Basketnews.com

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FC Barcelona star guard Nick Calathes is being shopped around the EuroLeague.

Nick Calathes

MIN:24.51PTS:7.34 (48.33%)REB:3.97As:6.38ST:1.07BL:0.07TO:1.93GM:29ProfileEuroLeague2021/2022

Although a 33-year-old floor general is under the contract with Barca for one more year, both sides are exploring other options.

Per BasketNews sources, other EuroLeague teams have suggested covering part of the next season's deal. Calathes' contract with Barca is worth around €2M.

In case Calathes leaves, BasketNews explored the most suitable and possible landing destinations for one of the best point guards in the competition.

AS Monaco

Monaco have experience in splitting superstar contracts. They agreed on similar terms with Mike James last September when CSKA had to pay compensation for his contract termination.

And Monaco also tends to surprise everyone.

Calathes is the floor general that Monaco needs next to scoring firepower Jordan Loyd, Elie Okobo, and, likely, Mike James.

The EuroLeague leader in assists per game (6.4 APG) could share the load with his score-first colleagues, set the offense, and play defense.

Although Calathes' fit in Sarunas Jasikevicius' system was questioned, Barcelona's head coach always pointed out how much value he brings on the court besides orchestrating the offense (Barca were the 1st per offensive rating in the regular season, according to BBallytics).

"The main point that nobody is talking about is his defensive ability,"Jasikevicius said in the 2021 EuroLeague Final Four.

"Everybody is talking about the number of assists he does, how he runs the team, and how he is an amazing highlight passer. This is very nice for Instagram or Facebook," the coach added.

Points this season

49%81,5Points made:81,5Accuracy:49,2%Place in standings:2Record max:111Record min:52Best scorer:Nikola MiroticTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

"But as his coach, I want to talk more about his defensive presence, the pressure he puts on the opposing point guards, and the size he has for the point guard position. He's our first lineup defense, and nobody talks about it."

Per BBallytics, Calathes was the second-best in defensive impact per 100 possessions on Barca's squad.Barca allowed 4.6 points more per 100 possessions with him on the bench.

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens

You never realize the value of something until it's gone.

When Nick Calathes was running the show in OAKA, Panathinaikos made the playoffs in all four seasons from 2015 to 2019.

Of course, when he left, more things prevented Panathinaikos from reaching the EuroLeague elite eight again.

But facts are facts: Calathes presence on the court made Panathinaikos a playoff team every year. That will be the case if Calathes decides to return home.

The first question is if Calathes and Panathinaikos can get over the divorce in 2020, that wasn't so nice.

If things get serious, another question is if Panathinaikos can afford him with one of the smaller budgets in the Euroleague, especially looking at his potential second-year salary.

But there are a couple of factors to examine. First of all, Georgios Papagiannis might leave Athens for the NBA. Considering Papagiannis NBA buyout ($4M), that would create space in PAO's payroll for a signing like Calathes.

Also, Dimitris Gianakopoulos is back in business, which might mean a financial boost for the greens.

On the court, Panathinaikos areone of the rare options where he would get the keys to the team.

At the sunset of the career, that's what coaches or players start cherishing more than ever.

Having Panathinaikos in the playoffs picture is something neutral EuroLeague fans would be pleased about.

If Calathes wants to enjoy the sun and pure basketball without ultimate expectations, Athens is the place.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Lorenzo Brown's acquisition probably closed the window for this opportunity.

Pairing up Brown and Calathes sounds like a spacing nightmare since both guards are below 33% 3-point shooters.

But there's a reason why Oded Kattash wished to have Calathes on his team when he took over Maccabi.

When you think about it, Nick just perfectly fits Maccabi's picture.

Kattash gives a lot of freedom to his players, and we all know Nick Calathes is like a head coach on the floor. The new coach runs a lot of pick-and-roll, and Calathes was created for this game.

Also, Kattash is entirely opposite to Jasikevicius intensity-wise, so Calathes would embrace this laid-back approach in the games and especially in practices.

Calathes is a player who makes others better, and that's the guy who might connect these new Maccabi pieces on the floor.

He is the playmaker who would make the Yad Eliyahu crowd go crazy. He's a superstar that sells tickets and guarantees a highlight-reel season.

From the player's perspective, it's an even better option than Panathinaikos because Calathes and Maccabi don't have any bad past experiences.

But can Maccabi go after Calathes when they finalized an agreement with Lorenzo Brown? That's a big question mark.

Partizan NIS Belgrade

If you're looking for the best out-of-nowhere move, Partizan Belgrade are the experts at closing big deals silently.

Last year they shook the market by signing Kevin Punter and Zach LeDay, and they have the potential to surprise us all again.

They're yet to drop any transfer bomb this summer. But if you're expecting a jaw-dropper, the point guard position is where Zeljko Obradovic might make some big moves.

According to BasketNews sources, Partizan were already looking for a point guard midway through the 2021-22 season. Back then, Serbs were approaching some solid EuroLeague names.

With many free agents emptying the top shelves, there's not much to choose from in the market.

Returning to the EuroLeague after eight years, Partizan could find an additional million or two to reunite him with Zeljko Obradovic.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Fenerbahce sound like the most logical destination for Nick Calathes.

Fener are on a rebuild with the new coach Dimitris Itoudis. They already locked Scottie Wilbekin to a three-year contract.

And after parting ways with the franchise player Jan Vesely, they're turning a new page in their history books.

Calathes would nicely fill the backcourt next to Wilbekin, sharing the load handling the ball and the fate of Fenerbahce.

Sounds like a plan, right?

Well, don't underestimate the coaching factor. If Jasikevicius was a problem, let us remind you that Itoudis is another super demanding EuroLeague head coach.

He won the EuroLeague twice in eight years and paved the way to success through intensity, focus and demand.

So, who can assure Nick Calathes is not running out of the frying pan into the fire?

But if Calathes still sets his goal high to win the EuroLeague for the second time, Fenerbahce is in the best position among these candidates to come out on top.

A lot of pros and cons have to be taken into consideration. But these pros and cons make this decision even more exciting. No matter what he decides, Calathes will change the EuroLeague picture.

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