Lost trust and risky decisions: What lies beneath Baskonia's rocky start / News - Basketnews.com

As Baskonia have already suffered five losses in their first 10 games of the 2023-24 season, BasketNews delves into the reasons Joan Penarroya's future seems predetermined and whether the possible arrival of Dusko Ivanovic could be beneficial.

Credit: Aitor Arrizabalaga/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Aitor Arrizabalaga/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

On June 22, when Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz announced that Joan Penarroya would continue guiding the squad in the 2023-24 campaign, many were caught by surprise.

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz / Schedule

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz Zalgiris Kaunas82-99 Panathinaikos Athens Baskonia Vitoria-GasteizFri18:15

The Catalan coach, who landed in Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2022, had an automatic renewal clause for two seasons in case he met a series of objectives.

However, upon being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the ACB playoff and not reaching the EuroLeague playoffs, the team failed to deliver.

Consequently, the club informed Penarroya that they weren't going to exercise the opt-in clause, although the option of the two sides signing a new contract with different conditions was left on the table.

The absence of coaches who were both free agents and within Baskonia's financial reach turned out to be a decisive factor for Penarroya's stay.

While last season, the Basque side seemed to have a clear picture of what they had to do on the court, this campaign gives the impression that Penarroya is struggling to convey a concise idea of ​​what he wants from his players.

"The main problem for Baskonia is in the game direction," Ritxi Guerra of Radio Vitoria tells BasketNews.

Another important issue is Joan Penarroya's relationship with the club and owner, Josean Querejeta.

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