Maksvytis at risk of losing Zalgiris job, Trinchieri close to take over / News - Basketnews.com

Andrea Trinchieri is close to taking over the Zalgiris head coaching position from Kazys Maksvytis.

Credit: BNS, IMAGO-Contrast Credit BNS, IMAGO-Contrast

Zalgiris Kaunas head coach Kazys Maksvytis hadn't even started his press conference after the loss against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade when journalists in Germany and Israel announced the possibility of Andrea Trinchieri replacing him.

Zalgiris Kaunas / Schedule

Zalgiris Kaunas AS Monaco79-83 Zalgiris Kaunas Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade85-93 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul Zalgiris KaunasWed17:30

What has been rumored in Kaunas over the last few weeks seems to be becoming a reality. According to BasketNews sources, it is very likely that the Partizan game was the last one for the Lithuanian coach.

Maksvytis was under pressure to keep his job since the second half of November. According to BasketNews sources, Zalgiris' first choice to replace Maksvytis was Sarunas Jasikevicius, but he rejected the offer.

The second Zalgiris option, Trinchieri, has been closely monitoring the Lithuanian team situation for some time now and is ready to move to Kaunas as soon as the green light is given.

It is very likely that the permission for Trinchieri to arrive in Lithuania will be given very soon.

The trust in Maksvytis plummeted after the defeat in Berlin. A difficult win against Nevezis Kedainiai in the Lithuanian Basketball League didn't help either.

Trinchieri parted ways with Bayern after the 2022-23 season and has been without a team since then.

The 55-year-old Italian joined Bayern in 2020 and led the team to two German Cup titles but didn't manage to win a single BBL trophy. Trinchieri also guided Bayern to two EuroLeague playoff appearances.

In the last EuroLeague season, Bayern finished with an 11-23 record, which was good enough for 15th place.

Maksvytis took over Zalgiris in April 2022. He won the LKL and KMT titles with Zalgiris in 2023 and reached the EuroLeague quarterfinal, in which the Lithuanian powerhouse lost 0-3 to Barcelona.

This season, Zalgiris have a 5-9 record in the EuroLeague. In the LKL, they have 11 wins and 2 losses.

Maksvytis is also the head coach of the Lithuanian national team and has a deal until the end of the Olympic Games.

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