Rolands Smits reportedly nearing deal with Baskonia / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Zuma Press – Scanpix Credit Zuma Press – Scanpix

Rolands Smits is getting closer to becoming Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz's first signing for next season, Spanish outlet Gigantes del Basket report.

Free throws this season

81%14,1Points made:14,1Accuracy:80,9%Place in standings:3Record max:42Record min:4Most made FTs:Nikola MiroticTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

The Latvian power forward, who will leaveFC Barcelona this summer, is one of the great goals of the Basque team, which continues to take steps to hire him. Baskonia are negotiating a multi-year contract with the player, who had one of the lowest salaries on the Blaugrana squad, just over 600,000 euros.

Smits comes off some good performances in the ACB League finals with Barca and would reinforce Baskonia's inside game, which is looking for reinforcements. Baskonia's interest in Rolands Smits was first reported by Encestando and El Correo.

Smits played 83 games for Barca last season, alternating positions at 5 and 4, starting 14 games with averages of 4.9 points and 2.9 rebounds. The Latvian big man is set to leave Barca after four seasons after his arrival from Urbas Fuenlabrada.

Smits has been the primary substitute forNikola Miroticduring the last several years in Barcelona. He averaged 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds for 4.8 PIR in the EuroLeague. Smits' numbers in the Spanish Liga Endesa are similar - 5.2 points, 3 rebounds, and 4.9 PIR.

It is believed that the Catalan club will replace Smits with Oscar da Silva. According to sources,the club is in advanced talkswith the ALBA Berlin forward.

Barcahave also signed Jan Veselyafter the current club'scenter Brandon Davies rejected the renewal offer and moved to AX Armani Exchange Milan instead.

Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Position Player Status PG Arturs Kurucs Signed until 2023 SG Sander Raieste Signed until 2024 SG Vanja Marinkovic Signed until 2024 SF Rokas Giedraitis Signeduntil 2023 SF Tadas Sedekerskis Signed until 2024 SF Simone Fontecchio Signed until 2024 PF Ondrej Hanzlik Signeduntil 2024 PF/C Yanni Wetzell Signed until 2022 +1 PF/C Matt Costello Signed until 2024 C Steven Enoch Signed until 2023 Coach Joan Penarroya(story) Expired contract Wade Baldwin IV, Alec Peters, Neven Spahija (won't come back), Jayson Granger (won't come back) Rumored to leave Interested Wade Baldwin (story), Niels Giffey, Rolands Smits (story) More Baskonia transfer news: Rolands Smits reportedly nearing deal with Baskonia Baskonia part ways with Jayson Granger Baskonia officially hire Joan Penarroya as their new head coach Neven Spahija and Baskonia split ways Baskonia's sports director: 'Wade Baldwin wants to stay' Thank you for reading us! Help us even more.