Biggest losers of the EuroLeague off-season / News - Basketnews.com

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Roughly six weeks remain until the 2021-22 EuroLeague season tips off and BasketNews takes a look at the rosters of the 18 participants, seeking answers to some burning questions. Who got considerably worse during the summer transfer period? Who will underachieve compared to last year? Which prominent signing will not produce according to their expectations?

After pronouncing the biggest winners of the EuroLeague off-season, we asked three members of our staff to do the opposite, predicting the teams most likely to come up short during the upcoming campaign. Here's what our experts had to say.

Which team(s) is/are the biggest loser(s) of the EuroLeague offseason, based on their moves in the summer market?

Donatas Urbonas: I don’t have clear losers. But I think Zenit and AX Armani Exchange Milan had some significant departures. You just can’t replace a floor general like Kevin Pangos in the current EuroLeague market. He and Will Thomas were two of the three most efficient Zenit players in the EuroLeague. This Zenit team clicked together really well, with Pangos and Thomas being essential to that success.

Armani Exchange were big spenders this summer. But I loved the way Punter and LeDay fit that team. I believed they would have been even better this year. With all these signings, Milan will add depth and quantity for sure. But I’m not certain if those match the quality they lost with Punter and LeDay.

Giorgos Kyriakidis: Judging by the rosters as they currently stand, ALBA Berlin is my frontrunner for the team that failed the most at covering up some of its weaknesses. The German squad was only placed 15th in the latest campaign, but it seems rather unlikely that their status will improve dramatically in the coming season. Simone Fontecchio proved to be one of the revelations of the competition and will be playing for Baskonia Vitoria next to Jayson Granger who has had heaps of injury-related problems over the last years. Niels Giffey provided reliable long-distance shooting and moved to Kaunas, while Peyton Siva preferred to try the league in New Zealand, leaving the German capital after 5 productive years.

As a response to those departures, ALBA brought in Yovel Zoosman who is coming off a totally forgettable 2020-21 season, Maodo Lo from German rivals Bayern Munich and Tamir Blatt who is set to make his debut at the highest level facing the most fierce competition. Sikma, Eriksson, Thiemann and Lammers will have another round with the squad, but that's probably the only good news.

The situation got more complicated after the change on the team's bench. Veteran tactician Aito Garcia Reneses decided to take a coaching sabbatical and was replaced by his former assistant and associate Israel Gonzalez in his first-ever head coaching job with the EuroLeague team. Although the new coaching style and philosophy could be assimilated quite easily, the roster seems too weak to cope even with the less talented adversaries.

Under the present circumstances, ALBA look like the most probable candidate for the last place in the 2021-22 standings. They lack depth and most importantly, their scoring potential seems very limited.

Robertas Kliunka: ALBA Berlin and Zalgiris Kaunas are my two biggest losers of the off-season. ALBA lost their leader Simone Fontecchio, who is moving to Baskonia. They’ve also had to give up a lot of their backcourt in Peyton Siva, Jayson Granger, and Niels Giffey. The German champions did bring in Yovel Zoosman, and Tamir Blatt, but there is little doubt that these players will not make up for the significant losses.

When it comes to Zalgiris, they have also lost pieces that were instrumental to the team’s success in recent years. Their offensive leader Marius Grigonis has moved to Moscow. The defensive anchor Thomas Walkup is now a member of the Olympiacos. The versatile forward, Nigel Hayes, seems to be headed for Barcelona. The Lithuanian team did try to make up for these losses by bringing back experienced guys like Mantas Kalnietis, Edgaras Ulanovas, and Janis Strelnieks. Still, I don’t believe they are even in the same ballpark as Grigonis, Walkup, and Hayes. It may be a long EuroLeague season for ALBA and Zalgiris.

Which of the 2021 playoff team(s) is/are not going to make it to the TOP 8 next season?

Donatas Urbonas: I would say Bayern or Zenit. Not because they are bad teams. It’s mostly about them overachieving the last season. But I’m not impressed with the bottom ten teams either. I wouldn’t be surprised if this Top 8 wouldn’t change come April.

Giorgos Kyriakidis: Honestly, I believe that all of them will get to the playoffs this year as well. If I had to pick one, it would be Zenit Saint Petersburg. Kevin Pangos will definitely not stay with the Russian club - and that's where some of the problems appear.

Shabazz Napier's quality is off the charts, but his transition to a completely new environment and basketball style under Xavi Pascual remains questionable. Furthermore, losing Austin Hollins and Will Thomas came as a blow to Zenit, since they both contributed immensely to their playoff run. Hollins was replaced by the much more delicate and offensive-minded Kuzminskas, while Thomas - who had one of his best campaigns, boasting impeccable shooting and serving as a constant low-post threat - was substituted by Jordan Mickey.

Once again, the material is there for Zenit. The question is whether the ingredients will produce a fine mix. The Russians will definitely be one of the fun-to-watch teams in the competition, in terms of scoring. However, in order to make it to the TOP 8 again, they seem to miss some defensive toughness that could cost them their spot.

Robertas Kliunka: There is one clear team that stands out when we look at last year’s Top 8, and that’s Bayern. Last season’s Cinderella story will have their work cut out for them while attempting to return to the playoffs next year. The team lost two of its best players - Jalen Reynolds and Wade Baldwin IV. While they brought in quality athletes like Darrun Hilliard, Corey Walden, and Othello Hunter, I believe it will not be enough for coach Trinchieri to repeat last season’s success.

Which of the most celebrated transfers will not live up to its hype?

Donatas Urbonas: It might be Maccabi signings. I love the offensive potential of upgrading the team, especially with James Nunnally and Derrick Williams. But I’m a bit concerned about how this team will find chemistry on both ends of the floor.

Giorgos Kyriakidis: Regardless of how problematic and messy the situation was in Khimki, Alexey Shved embodied everything good and all things bad about that team. His one-man shows became second nature to him and the organization, which was more or less immersed into a losing culture over the last two years. Khimki turned into a synonym for bad recruiting, with Shved deciding the team's fate, night in and night out. Adapting to a new role at 32 will be the first imperative for the most gifted European scorer of our times.

One could argue that Shved might have a positive impact on CSKA, given his skills and familiarity with the environment, Itoudis's knowledge of how to use him, and also the player's desire to become a part of a winning ensemble. However, CSKA have already pronounced their leader in Will Clyburn, who has been able to carry the team through thick and thin. Hackett and Lundberg will be assigned different roles, while Grigonis is probably going to need some patience in order to get the ball in his hands and execute.

It is expected that Shved's usage will drop drastically, especially since CSKA are scanning the market in search of another backcourt player, but so far the Russian combo guard has not shown any hints of efficiency in his game. His transfer will turn into a win-win situation only if he takes full advantage of his excellent passing skills and leaves some room for the other players in the backcourt. Otherwise, even if Mike James's case was a tad different, Alexey Shved could be a negative force in the locker room and on the court.

Robertas Kliunka: There is a lot of hype about Nicolo Melli returning to Italy and playing for Milan. However, the 30-year-old only averaged 3 points and 2.7 rebounds over 45 NBA games last season, converting just 27% of his 3-pointers. Melli was also lackluster this summer at the Tokyo Olympics, averaging 7.5 points (27% 3PT) and 5.5 rebounds for Italy. On paper, it may look like bringing back Melli was an excellent move for Armani, but I would not be surprised if his struggles continue next season.

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