Zalgiris facing massive rebuild: Lauvergne, Nebo, few veterans are set to leave / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: LKL Credit LKL

With around eight players leaving, the newcomers are going to shape the fresh face of Zalgiris Kaunas. Former Lithuanian champs are encountering a giant rebuild entering the 2022 summer market.

3-pointers this season

35%8,4Points made:8,4Accuracy:35,3%Place in standings:13Record max:13Record min:4Most made 3FGs:Artūras MilaknisTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Zalgiris have too many reasons to reshape their roster completely.

Zalgiris didn't make the domestic league finals for the first time in LKL history (the league was founded in 1993).

That was also the first time Zalgiris finished at the bottom of the EuroLeague standings.

That quickly woke up Zalgiris, who had been dreaming for the last few years.

Just four years ago, greens created a cinderella story by making the EuroLeague Final Four. But the golden duck left Kaunas, as we say in Lithuania, and just in two seasons, Zalgiris has gone downhill.

With Sarunas Jasikevicius' departure, Zalgiris lost the character on the court, feel for constructing the roster, and all the magic that surrounded the organization for the last few years.

It's time for a huge change, and the new Zalgiris staff starts making moves with coach Kazys Maksvytis headlining the team.

All imports leaving, except for one

Except for Tyler Cavanaugh, all the foreign players are set to leave Zalgiris Kaunas.

Few of them were on contracts for the next year too. But, for example, Josh Nebo is leaving for a bigger contract since he had a small exit clause in his 1+1 deal.

Nebo was linked with Anadolu Efes Istanbul recently, but as BasketNews sources confirmed, he will not join back-to-back EuroLeague champions.

Joffrey Lauvergne had a contract for the next season, but there is a mutual interest to part ways.

Niels Giffey, who signed a 1+1 deal last summer, won't stay and might return to Germany. He also has an eye on the Spanish league market.

Janis Strelnieks, Tai Webster, and Regimantas Miniotas are leaving as free agents.

Artūras Milaknis

MIN:20.18PTS:7.29 (50.26%)REB:0.9As:0.61ST:0.52BL:0.06TO:0.29GM:31ProfileEuroLeague2021/2022

Young Marek Blazevic is the only center that might stay. But as sources tell BasketNews, his future is not clear yet.

A 20-year-old center has a player option in his remaining one-year deal. But Zalgiris is also thinking about another Lithuanian big man.

According to BasketNews sources, Zalgiris is eyeing Laurynas Birutis. 2.13 m center went through the Zalgiris youth system and made his EuroLeague debut in 2018-19 (2.7 PPG).

He spent the last two years with Monbus Obradoiro.

Lithuanian big made Top 15 in efficiency in both Liga Endesa seasons. He averaged 13.1 points on 61.4% 2-point shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 15 PIR this year.

A different fate of veterans

Zalgiris signed early extensions with the two most efficient Lithuanians on the squad Edgaras Ulanovas (until 2024) and Lukas Lekavicius (2025).

Kaunas legend Paulius Jankunas is officially retiring and joining Paulius Motiejunas in Zalgiris front office.

According to BasketNews sources, another longtime Zalgiris veteran Arturas Milaknis is expected to leave Kaunas basketball island.

Zalgiris is showing no indication of offering an extension, so Milaknis is already exploring Spanish and Turkish markets.

Milaknis, who turns 36 this month, averaged 7.3 points on 41.6% 3-point shooting last season.

Jankunas and Milaknis have the most championships in the Lithuanian league history. Jankunas tops the list with 15 LKL rings. Meanwhile, Milaknis had 10 in his collection.

Zalgiris prefers to stay with a younger shooter Karolis Lukosiunas.

24-year-old Lukosiunas averaged 3.6 points in 12 minutes on 33.3% 3-point shooting. He started 10 of 20 EuroLeague games this season, posting a career-high 15 points vs. Fenerbahce Istanbul.

Mantas Kalnietis, who turns 36 in September, has another year guaranteed in his contract. Although he's still undecided whether he'll play for Zalgiris next season, he's leaning toward staying.

Zalgiris Kaunas

Position Player Status PG Mantas Kalnietis Signed until 2023 PG Lukas Lekavicius Signed until 2025 SG Karolis Lukosiunas Signed until 2023 SG Tomas Dimsa Signed until 2022 +1 SF Niels Giffey Signeduntil 2022 +1 SF/PF Edgaras Ulanovas Signed until 2024 PF Tyler Cavanaugh Signeduntil 2023 +1 C Joffrey Lauvergne Signeduntil 2022 +1 C Josh Nebo Signeduntil 2022 +1 C Marek Blazevic Signed until 2022 +1 Coach Kazys Maksvytis (story) Expired contract Tai Webster, Janis Strelnieks, Arturas Milaknis, Paulius Jankunas (retiring), Regimantas Miniotas Rumored to leave Joffrey Lauvergne, Josh Nebo (story), Niels Giffey, Janis Strelnieks, Tai Webster, Paulius Jankunas (retiring), Arturas Milaknis, Regimantas Miniotas Interested Chris Jones (story), Marius Grigonis, Eigirdas Zukauskas, Arturas Gudaitis, Donatas Motiejunas, Kyle Allman, Caleb Homesley

Big names, small hopes

Zalgiris always set a priority for Lithuanian players. Now greens are also focusing on the Lithuanian core for the next season.

Zalgiris was chasing prime Lithuanian players in Europe, starting with Marius Grigonis.

However, there are many other suitors, such as Valencia, Maccabi Tel Aviv, or Olympiacos Piraeus, capable of offering bigger money.

His price in the market might rise to €1M, and that's way more than Zalgiris can afford.

It is expected they will operate on a similar budget like this season (€10M).

Also, Grigonis still has issues with CSKA Moscow. His contract was valid until 2024, but there's no way the Lithuanian scorer will return to Russia. However, CSKA is expected to file a suit against Grigonis to the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal (BAT) for a breach of a contract.

Other big Lithuanian names like Arturas Gudaitis or Donatas Motiejunas were linked with Zalgiris. Still, according to sources, it's highly unlikely any of these players will wear green and white again this summer (at least in Kaunas).

Tomas Dimsa, who was under contract with Zalgiris for the past two seasons but never played a single EuroLeague game, is expected to return to Kaunas for the final year of his three-year deal.

A 28-year-old guard was sent on loan to Gran Canaria last year and Treviso this season. He scored 11.7 points, grabbed 2.8 rebounds, and dished 2.8 assists on average in the Italian league this year.

Zalgiris is also expected to involve youth team prospects Motiejus Krivas and Liutauras Lelevicius in the main team.

17-year-old Krivas has a lot of fans among NBA and EuroLeague scouts due to his high IQ, skill, and attitude.

He averaged 15.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, three blocks, and 24.8 PIR in four ANGT Qualifiers games in Ljubljana this year.

Krivas posted 10.9 points (2FG: 59.2%; 3FG: 36.4%), 7.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 14.7 PIR in the second Lithuanian division.

A 19-year-old forward Lelevicius (1.99 m) brings IQ and great 3-and-D abilities.

Lelevicius led Zalgiris-2 in minutes in the second division (26 MPG) and averaged 10.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and two assists.

Main target

Zalgiris is in no rush to sign key players from abroad, but they have set a clear target on a primarily ball-handler Chris Jones.

The Lithuanian champions are ready to invest in their main point guard position, as Jones became a very attractive option after the last EuroLeague season.

Jones averaged 13.1 points (2FG: 53.7%; 3FG: 39%), 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 14.7 PIR in EuroLeague this season.

Many EuroLeague teams expressed serious interest in signing Jones, and it won't be easy to get his signature granted.

However, Zalgiris can offer the keys of the team, which might be an advantage over most other suitors.

The point guard signing will set the tone for the rest of summer work.

Maksvytis and his team are up for a big challenge to bounce back after a horrible year.

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