10 biggest transfers that changed the EuroLeague landscape / News - Basketnews.com

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EuroLeague players were on the move this off-season. It will take some time getting used to the new uniforms some of the EuroLeague stars will wear this season. BasketNews present the ten most significant transfers that changed the EuroLeague landscape.

Alexey Shved

Pierria Henry

Team:Fenerbahce IstanbulPosition:PG, SGAge:28Height:196 cmWeight:89 kgBirth place:West Virginia, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

CSKA's front office thought they would never sign Alexey Shved again. Shved believed he'd never play for CSKA either.

It was almost programmed because Shved re-signed with Khimki Moscow Region on a long-term contract last season. But Khimki dramatically disappeared from a basketball map, and the best Russian player joined forces with the best basketball club in his country.

Nobody questions Shved's skill or offensive potential. He was the top scorer of the EuroLeague in three of four previous seasons. He's the fourth all-time scorer by points per game (16.83 PPG). But how do his freedom, mentality, and defensive flaws fit with Dimitris Itoudis' schemes?

Even CSKA's president Andrey Vatutin doesn't have an answer yet.

"Are there any doubts that such a bright, individually strong basketball player can become part of the Itoudis game system to accept the rules of the club? The answer to this question will be given only by life and play. But the future seems incredibly interesting," Vatutin told Timur Ganiev of Sport-Express.

Shved's ability to adjust to a different role will likely correlate with CSKA results.

Mario Hezonja

Super Mario stays green but leaves for a different team.

Beyond disappointed and heartbroken, one of the most dangerous scorers of the EuroLeague transferred from Panathinaikos to UNICS. It was a surprising move, although Croatian connection with coach Velimir Perasovic makes sense.

Hezonja (26, 2.03) is set to become a centerpiece of the Kazan team, which made a EuroLeague comeback after finishing second in the EuroCup. Hezonja averaged 14.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.6 steals in 23 minutes for Panathinaikos. You can expect the same numbers or more in UNICS.

Hezonja's departure left Panathinaikos in a no man's land again, still trying to find their identity in the post-Nick Calathes era.

Wade Baldwin

Probably the most improved EuroLeague player of the last season, Wade Baldwin, will try to boost another organization to the elite eight.

Top EuroLeague teams were competing for the best point guards in the league. But Baldwin went under the radar of the European powerhouses. That will be another motivation for Baldwin finally to get recognition from the championship contenders.

Although it will be very interesting to see how Baldwin connects with coach Dusko Ivanovic, who was always strict with his players.

"I think this adventure and this trip will be hard and fun, so I am excited to compete in the ACB League and the Euroleague, bring titles, and win as many games as we can," Baldwin said.

Nonetheless, Baldwin is a game-changer for such a team like Baskonia, and Bayern's coaching staff will miss one of their key players for sure.

Pierria Henry

Pierria Henry was at the crossroads this summer. But that's the crossroad you would love to be part of every day.

At first, he was associated with Real Madrid. Also, there was always an interest from the NBA teams, specifically the Minnesota Timberwolves. But Fenerbahce Istanbul came up signing one of the most fascinating point guards on the market.

According to sources, Fenerbahce managed to bring Henry on a team-friendly deal since the player had high expectations on the EuroLeague market.

Henry averaged 10.5 points per game in the EuroLeague last season and was second in assists with 7.3 APG. Henry was generating almost one-third of the points for Baskonia.

He took the Baskonia team on his shoulders, but now he'll have to adjust to a new role, assisting Fenerbahce leaders Nando De Colo and Jan Vesely.

Jordan Loyd

When it comes to budget teams like Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, it's always challenging to keep their leading players for longer than one season. So it came as no surprise when their top scorer decided to switch the team this summer.

With 17.3 points per game, Jordan Loyd was the third-best scorer in the EuroLeague. Zenit's GM Manos Papadopoulos couldn't resist Loyd's offensive tools and took him to Saint Petersburg.

"With this acquisition, we're planning to strengthen our attacking potential and variability in the attack. The decisive games of the season showed that we have certain problems in crunch time, and we needed a stable scorer for a better result," the general director of Zenit Alexander Tserkovny said in an official announcement.

Jalen Reynolds

Jalen Reynolds was one of the most exciting players to watch during the last EuroLeague campaign. He was first in field goals made (205), third in total rebounds (200), and fourth in index rating (15.5 PIR). His energy and efficiency helped Bayern to create a fairytale story by advancing to the Top 8.

Andrea Trinchieri knew from the beginning that it would be too hard to keep Reynolds. There's no coincidence that he was one of the first major signings of Maccabi this off-season.

"We know him well, he knows us well, and he will be able to adjust fast and get ready to help the team quickly," Maccabi head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos welcomed Reynolds to his squad.

In season 2019-20, Reynolds joined Maccabi as a back-up for Tarik Black for the first time. Now he'll be the main Maccabi player in the paint. The one who Bayern will be missing a lot.

Thomas Heurtel, Adam Hanga, Nico Laprovittola

FC Barcelona and Real Madrid fans will have a difficult time watching some familiar faces wearing condemned uniforms.

Thomas Heurtel left Barcelona earlier in that infamous 'Istanbul alone' situation before Christmas and months ago ordered a new Real Madrid uniform to be ready for the following season. Meanwhile, Adam Hanga and Nico Laprovittola probably have crossed each other midway through the high-speed train rail line Barcelona-Madrid.

It would have been shocking if Gabriel Deck suited up for Barcelona. Anyways, El Clasico will be much spicier this upcoming season.

Marius Grigonis

Mike James is just irreplaceable. But if you can't find an equivalent substitution for such a unique player, why not try using two players instead?

First of all, CSKA Moscow managed to keep Iffe Lundberg, despite his NBA dreams. And they already got a commitment from Marius Grigonis late in the season 2020-21, which showed how vital this move for them was.

A 27-year-old guard emerged as a vicious leader, guiding Zalgiris Kaunas in a crunch time and hitting a couple of game-winners. He gave Lithuanians a playoff hope, averaging 13.4 points per night on elite shooting (51-46-94).

But there's still a lot to prove for Grigonis if he belongs in the elite and meets the expectations of his three-year €4M contract.

"It's too early to call Marius the first-class star. I hope he will earn this status in the uniform of CSKA," Vatutin said to Sport-Express.

Thomas Walkup

Zalgiris Kaunas was fighting for Thomas Walkup till the last minute. But they couldn't keep one of the best EuroLeague defenders.

Walkup stole the victory from Olympiacos with that incredible last-second hustle play, a game-winner after stealing the ball from Kostas Sloukas. But now, the club from Piraeus stole one of the most beloved Zalgiris imports in years.

Although the Zalgiris people did not fully understand his decision, Walkup wanted to seek new challenges in a new environment.

Walkup's lockdown defense, dedication to his team, and off-the-court abilities will fit nicely alongside such a floor general like Sloukas. Georgios Bartzokas desperately wanted to have Walkup on his team because he believed this duo might lead them to the Playoffs.

Meanwhile, Zalgiris will need to find a new leadership example.

Sertac Sanli

"How it's possible to leave the Championship team for a runner-up?" coach Ergin Ataman asked Sertac Sanli.

But you can't underestimate the magical recruiting skills of Sarunas Jasikevicius. He shook up the EuroLeague market, bringing the Anadolu Efes backup center to Barcelona on a two-year deal.

Sanli became the EuroLeague sensation last season. A 30-year-old Turkish player started the season slowly but later become a significant piece of the Efes' championship run.

Sanli was super efficient, averaging 7.8 points and 2.2 rebounds on 66% two-point and 34.9% three-point shooting. Sanli had an exceptional Final Four, helping his team beat CSKA and Barcelona by averaging 15.5 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes.

Sanli will have his first experience outside Turkey. He will reduce the workload of Brandon Davies, who was pushed to his limits the last year. Given how detailed coach Jasikevicius is, you can be sure that Sanli was one of these critical missing pieces for Barca's championship puzzle.

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