After yet another EuroLeague Final Four, it's time for changes for Real Madrid / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Angel Martinez/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Angel Martinez/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

The trip to Belgrade for Real Madrid didn't end up with the trophy that everyone wanted, but it also confirmed Los Blancos as one of the most dangerous teams in Europe.

Points this season

46%78,9Points made:78,9Accuracy:45,6%Place in standings:7Record max:95Record min:47Best scorer:Guerschon YabuseleTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

At the end of the day, despite a very poor shooting night, Real was pretty close to overcoming Efes after a season that has had very uninspiring moments.

The ACB playoffs might still change some evaluations, but it's pretty clear that this team is destined to change substantially next season, not only because several players are on expiring contracts but also because there were clear holes in the roster throughout the season due to some different views between the coaching staff and the front office.

So let's try to understand how Real Madrid can change this summer and what kind of reinforcements and decisions we can expect from them in the coming weeks.

The point-guard dilemma

With Nigel Williams-Goss going down in the semifinal against Barcelona, Real Madrid played the entire EuroLeague final without a real point-guard, using Alberto Abalde as the de facto playmaker and implementing a really big lineup. The situation in the backcourt has been a troubling one for the entire season.

The additions of Thomas Heurtel and Williams-Goss made last summer didn't produce the results that the club was hoping for. The French point guard has been a problematic figure inside the locker room, according to several sources, and ultimately was left out of the rotations for the foreseeable future.

Williams-Goss also struggled to have the level of performance that was expected from him when he was acquired last summer, and now, with the injury suffered in the Final Four, he'll sit out for the remainder of the season, leaving once again Real Madrid without a real creator in the backcourt until the end of the season.

Sergio Rodriguez

MIN:20.21PTS:8.29 (47.04%)REB:2.32As:4.44ST:0.71BL:0.06TO:2.32GM:34ProfileEuroLeague2021/2022

Of course, this is a situation that Real Madrid must solve in the planning for the next season. And something has already been done. As it was reported by several Spanish media outlets and confirmed to BasketNews, Real Madrid has an agreement in place with veteran point guard Sergio Rodriguez, who's expected to sign a 1+1 deal with Los Blancos.

After spending six years away from Spain between Philadelphia, Moscow, and Milan, Rodriguez decided to return to Real Madrid, where he already played from 2010 to 2016 and won one EuroLeague, three Spanish leagues, 4 Spanish Cups, and three Spanish super cups.

Rodriguez, who's currently the co-captain of AX Armani Exchange Milan, considered the possibility of staying in Italy for at least another season, with the Italian side absolutely willing to keep him with the team, but in the end, the point guard, who'll turn 36 in June, decided that a return to Spain would have been the best option for him and his family.

The decision to go after an experienced player like Rodriguez was strongly suggested by coach Pablo Laso, who has already worked with Rodriguez and felt the lack of a true creator in the roster this season.

The experience and the leadership of a player like Rodriguez will help Real Madrid in filling the hole in the backcourt, but other reinforcements will be needed, especially because Rodriguez's playing time must be managed over the course of the season at this point of his career.

Last summer, Real Madrid targeted Pierria Henry before joining Fenerbahce on a 1+1 deal. The Spanish powerhouse had actually reached an agreement with the player, but in the end, they couldn't negotiate with Baskonia a price for his rights. After the failed negotiation, Henry joined Fenerbahce.

Now Real might try another shot at Henry. Fenerbahce's disappointing EuroLeague season will definitely lead to several changes in the roster. Dimitris Itoudis will be the new head coach, and Henry doesn't have a guaranteed spot for the next season.

Coach Laso has been a fan of Henry for a while, and the former Baskonia player might be the right fit next to Sergio Rodriguez. Sure, Real would still need to find an agreement with Baskonia to sign Henry, but there's more optimism than last summer that a deal can be reached, sources have told BasketNews.

Lorenzo Brown's option

Another profile for the backcourt that could be intriguing for Real Madrid is Lorenzo Brown, who had a very positive season with UNICS Kazan before the suspension from EuroLeague for all the Russian clubs.

The situation related to Brown, though, is a tricky one. The Spanish federation is trying to get a passport for Brown in order to use him at EuroBasket.

The Spanish national team is in need of a point guard for the upcoming EuroBasket: Rubio is still recovering from a knee injury, and Rodriguez has retired from the national team. That leaves Sergio Scariolo only with Sergio Llull unless he also decides to use Abalde as a playmaker, just like Laso has been doing in the past few weeks.

If Brown receives the Spanish passport, some of those issues will be solved. The player would become immediately attractive to Real Madrid, who would have the opportunity to sign a quality player and use him as a local player without wasting a visa for foreign athletes.

But the process of naturalization is always a complicated one, especially when the timing is an issue like in this case. There aren't any agreements between Spain and the USA for double-citizenship, so if Brown is actually interested in becoming a Spanish citizen, he has to renounce his American citizenship, which is one of the main obstacles to the whole process.

The previous two players naturalized by Spain in recent years, Serge Ibaka and Nikola Mirotic, haven't been part of the national team in a while now. Ibaka hasn't been involved with the Spanish national team since the 2014 FIBA World Cup, while Mirotic hasn't played since the 2016 Olympic Games.

Both players, so far, haven't shown particular signs that they want to be part of the team for EuroBasket, and that's why the Spanish federation is trying to speed up the process for Lorenzo Brown. The case remains complicated, but Real Madrid is definitely an interested viewer.

Some help from the rivals

Last summer, Real Madrid signed two players from their rivals in Barcelona: Thomas Heurtel and Adam Hanga. In this offseason, some further help might come from their historical rivals. One of the main targets for Real Madrid in the 3-4 spot is former Barcelona forward Mario Hezonja, who played for UNICS Kazan this season.

According to Marca, Real Madrid already has an agreement in place with the Croatian wing, who averaged 14.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in EuroLeague while also shooting 35% from 3-point.

The former NBA player denied to Greek media outlet SDNA that he had reached an agreement yet, but despite that, all signs point to Hezonja joining Real Madrid next season.

For a team that can already count on players like Alberto Abalde and Gabriel Deck, Hezonja could provide a great combination of scoring, length, and size, adding additional versatility to the roster in the wing department.

On the other hand, it looks like Jeffery Taylor could leave the team after spending 7 years in Madrid. His contract will expire at the end of the season, and for the moment, it doesn't look like there will be a room for an extension.

Another player whose future with 'Los Blancos is in doubt is Fabien Causeur. The French guard, who'll turn 35 soon, is also on an expiring deal, and he might look for a different experience after spending 5 seasons with Real Madrid, sources have told BasketNews.

Causeur has often been a savior for Real in the last few seasons, providing everything that the team needed, both offensively and defensively, as we saw in the EuroLeague semifinal against Barcelona.

But with the plan of bringing some fresh new blood inside the team, these might be the last few games for Causeur with Real Madrid, although his future hasn't been completely established yet.

Coach Pablo Laso remains at the center of the project

Despite some reports during the season that cast some shadows on his future on Real's bench, coach Pablo Laso is not going anywhere. Laso, who has been the head coach of Real Madrid since 2011, has full support from Real's president Florentino Perez, who considers him the perfect man for Real.

Sure, this season has been troubling at times. The situation inside the locker room has been problematic, especially with the group of French players. The club's decisions made on the market were another element of tension.

Coach Laso wanted the club to sign Pierria Henry last summer, but Real picked up Nigel Williams-Goss in the end. Real Madrid's head coach had also asked for a replacement for Jaycee Carroll, who had decided to take some time with his family before making a final decision on his future.

But the management felt that Carroll would have returned to the club at some point during the season and left a hole in the roster. In the end, Carroll never returned and won't continue with his professional career.

Coach Laso and technical director Juan Carlos Sanchez had different opinions on moving forward with the project.

Still, with coach Laso having the full support from the ownership, it's not difficult to imagine that this summer, the coach's requests will be taken much more into consideration, starting from Sergio Rodriguez's move, which Laso strongly suggested.

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