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Goodbye to Marius Grigonis, Nigel Hayes and Thomas Walkup, the Kaunas club was the first to introduce the team’s legionnaires.
“Žalgiris” has signed contracts with familiar faces of coach Martin Schiller: Tyler Cavanaugh and Niels Giffey.
Early last week, two new purchases by Lithuanian champions followed.
The people of Kaunas took on Joshua Nebo, a 206cm tall American who played powerfully in the Israeli league, and Mantas Kalnietis, who became the most useful basketball player in the United League and scored several sweet victories with Žalgiris. .
“It is important to me that I do not come to Žalgiris just to finish my career, I still have ambitions, I want to prove something.
The age of 35 has no limit, but I don’t want to talk. However, where I started my career, I will probably end it there, ”said the Lithuanian who returned to Kaunas.
Last Monday, the multiple Lithuanian champions announced that they had signed a two-year contract with the 196cm tall defender.
“It just came to our attention then. Both Kaunas” Žalgiris “club and M. Kalnietis must be satisfied. The Kaunas team lost Marius Grigonis and Rokas Jokubaitis, so we need as many basketball players from Lithuania as possible, but M. Kalneitis is not just a Lithuanian basketball player, he is a symbol of “Žalgiris”,
The Lithuanian, who played for Krasnodar’s Lokomotiv team for a very successful season, returned to Kaunas after a five-year break. He last represented Žalgiris in the 2015-2016 season.
In the United League, the player scored an average of 9.6 points per game, provided 9.8 assists and accumulated 17.3 utility points.
“Despite being 34 years old, M. Kalnietis became the best player in the regular season in the United League. This shows that his form is really good.
Buying this basketball player is a good buy not only in the sense of the game. With their experience, adding Paulius Jankūnas and Artūras Milaknis, the young players of “Žalgiris” will receive many benefits, “he reasoned. lrytas.lt T. Purlys was interviewed.
There will be no chance
Following the LKL championship win, Kaunas club strategist M.Schiller hinted that the new season’s team will contribute from the Lithuanians. However, it seems that a basketball player from the Lithuanian national team will not open his doors this year either. This is Tomas Dimša.
The 27-year-old and 196cm tall, who signed a three-year contract with Žalgiris last season, was loaned to the Gran Canaria club in Las Palmas in September, and his playing time at Žalgiris went to Steve Vasturi.
According to the news portal krepsinis.net The journalist Edgaras Pulkovskis, the strategist of “Žalgiris” M.Schiller does not see T. Dimsha in his game schemes and this season.
Meanwhile, T. Purlys is in no rush to evaluate this coach’s decision.
In their opinion, an important factor will be the person who will be chosen to take Lithuania’s place, because last season the decision to choose S.Vasturia instead of T. Dimsha did not benefit Žalgiris too much.
“Hard to say. Is this a good decision? It remains to be guessed. M.Kalnietis is a high-level player, but basketball players like T. Dimša must have great confidence in the coach.
If Schiller doesn’t see this player in his schematics, it means he doesn’t think much. Pushing a player by force with a coach is unethical and makes no sense.
Based on his play on display, T. Dimsha could possibly develop, take a few minutes. Looking back on last season, Schiller chose Vasturi instead, but the decision disappointed.
S.Vasturia probably couldn’t be worse than he played, so in this situation T. Dimša definitely wouldn’t have been worse.
On the other hand, it is the coach’s decision. He has his own schemes and knows which players are best for him, ”said the basketball expert.
Radar is another former resident of Žalgiris
The legionnaire’s first season was not very sweet for Edgar Ulanov, who was revealed in Kaunas “Žalgiris” and raised his wings to Istanbul last season.
The Lithuanian did not gain much confidence from manager Igor Kokoškov, and at the end of the year the forward began to pursue the injury.
“The situation with E. Ulanov has turned into a real misunderstanding. When Edgar arrived in Istanbul, one of his business cards was a successful back-to-back game, but the Fenerbahce team would not let him,” T. Purlys reasoned about the situation. Lithuanian.
It is not ruled out that a Lithuanian who has become a free agent could once again wear a Žalgiris jersey.
News portal basketnews.lt According to the sources of the journalist Donatas Urbonas, E. Ulanov, 29, 198 cm tall, spoke with coach Martin Schiller, who presented his vision.
“If M. Schiller saw a Lithuanian in his plans, it would not be a bad buy.
Looking back at the beginning of last season, E. Ulanov would hardly have believed in the game of “Žalgiris”, but a little later Kaunas changed his tactics and in the position of the third number would have played an important role.
He is not very fast and mobile on the perimeter, but a good use of it in the penalty area and a good defense against the third, fourth or fifth number could be of great benefit.
In this place, again, everything depends solely on M. Schiller and his visible game patterns ”, reasoned the expert.
“Žalgiris” also negotiated with undefeated CSKA Moscow defender Darrun Hilliard, but the latter’s career centered on Munich: the player will wear a Bayern jersey.
“He is a player who has played at a very high level. A great example in this situation is Joffrey Lauvergne, who played for a high-league club, but at a good club he wasn’t as confident.
It is very good that “Žalgiris” watches and talks with these types of players. These basketball players need to regain confidence and have as much playing practice as possible.
High-level players are also needed for “Žalgiris” – they have their own name, attract spectators and give impetus to other basketball players to improve “, – T. Purlys evaluated the negotiations between” Žalgiris “and D.Hillard.
Changes in the ranks of tall people.
The Kaunas club leaders made changes to the skyscraper chain and decided to tour in different ways with another Lithuanian.
According to the portal basketnews.lt The journalist Donatas Urbonas, “Žalgiris” will retain the young Marek Blaževičius, but will say goodbye to Martin Geben.
A 26-year-old 208cm tall Lithuanian who still has a one-year contract with the Lithuanian champion is reportedly looking for another team that could have more playing time.
Last season, Geben averaged 3.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 4.5 profit points per game in the Euroleague.
In the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) championship, his stats were much better: 7.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 10.7 profit points per game.
M.Blaževičius, who joined Žalgiris last summer and will remain in Kaunas, did not receive much confidence from Martin Schiller and appeared on the park in a green and white jersey during the season on very rare occasions.
The 209 cm tall basketball player in the Euroleague scored an average of 2 points in 4 minutes and collected 2.2 utility points, and in the LKL Championship in 13 minutes he scored an average of 6.5 points and accumulated 8.3 points useful.
The 19-year-old from Vilnius did not play for a minute during the LKL playoffs.
A different face
Kaunas “Žalgiris”, who introduced four newcomers in less than a week, has already started laying the groundwork for the upcoming season.
T. Purlys, unwilling to jump to conclusions, was happy with the Kaunas club’s new acquisitions, but said the departure of the leaders would be a serious stab at the Lithuanian champions.
“Currently, we still have to wait for other legionaries from” Žalgiris “and news about E.Ulanovas.
Looking at the overall game of the team, there will be M. Kalnietis, who is a very high intelligence basketball player, but is not that fast anymore and may have problems with defense against shorter and faster basketball players.
“Žalgiris” will also not have a clear leader, as was M. Grigonis last season. The team will also miss Th.Walkup, famous for his physique and good defense.
There are newcomers, but the losses are painful.
There will be more clarity when we see the final line-up of Žalgiris and the rivals, but the fact is that this team will be different, ”said the expert.
