Partizan's president Mijailovic comments on Punter's deal with Barca / News - Basketnews.com

Mijailovic told that the information about Punter's transfer to Barcelona is still unofficial but admitted that Partizan will not bend over backwards to try and retain players beyond what the club is capable of paying.

Credit: Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic Credit Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade's star guard Kevin Punter is likely to leave Serbia and continue his career in Spain.

Kevin Punter

Team:Partizan Mozzart Bet BelgradePosition:SGAge:30Height:190 cmWeight:86 kgBirth place:New York, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

The 30-year-old reportedly declined an offer from Panathinaikos Athens and chose FC Barcelona's deal instead. Asked about the possible departure of the team's leading scorer, Partizan's president Ostoja Mijailovic provided his comment.

"For us, it's unofficial information that came out after midnight. I really don't know but it's a completely normal situation to ask for better offers when someone's contract expires, to negotiate them," he told during the Sportal Jutro program. "Players have a short career and strive to earn as much money as possible. Emotions are one thing, and reality is another. We'll fight for all the players who liked Zeljko Obradovic and Zoran Savic but there are limits and reality."

Partizan's main man told that the club could theoretically try to retain Punter by offering him a similar salary to the lucrative deals he received but the club's financial policy dictates otherwise.

"Every era has its beginning and end, everything that begins must end. We want Punter to stay but if he receives an offer that we cannot match, an offer that's too rich for us, we will not drag the club into a risky situation as we did in 2017," Mijailovic explained.

"We will try to find the players we can keep. Other teams in the EuroLeague have recognized our players' worth. Some of them have doubled their contracts by working with Zeljko," he said. "That's a success for our club rather than a loss, it's a recommendation for our club."

The club's priority is Serbian players but Mijailovic admits that Partizan will not bend over backwards to acquire them.

Kevin Punter

MIN:27.89PTS:16.08 (58.62%)REB:2.08As:2.51ST:1.03BL:0.11TO:1.27GM:37ProfileEuroLeague2022/2023

"The primary goal is Europe, we will not bring local 37-38-year-old players to sit on the bench just to have Serbian players. The priority is Serbs but we cannot invent them if they do not exist, he said.

"Everything will be dictated by the market and our budget. We need to create a team that can compete with everyone," Mijailovic continued. "550,000 fans [that visited the Arena this season] were attracted not by foreigners or locals but by the game and the atmosphere."

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Position Player Status PG Yam Madar Signed until 2024 SG Danilo Andjusic Signed until 2024 SG Gregor Glas Signed until 2024 SF Uros Trifunovic Signed until 2024 SF/PF Ioannis Papapetrou Signed until 2024 C Balsa Koprivica Signed until 2024 C Alen Smailagic Signed until 2024 C Tristan Vukcevic Signed until 2024 Coach Zeljko Obradovic (signed until 2024) Expired contract Kevin Punter, Mathias Lessort, Dante Exum, Zach LeDay, James Nunnally, Aleksa Avramovic Rumored to leave Kevin Punter, Mathias Lessort, Dante Exum, Zach LeDay, Ioannis Papapetrou, James Nunnally Interested Ognjen Jaramaz, Kevin Punter, Mathias Lessort, Zach LeDay

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