As the 2017 offseason begins to heat up, VTB-League.com looks at the biggest changes on each roster.
CSKA
Arrived: Will Clyburn (Darrusafaka), Leo Westermann (Zalgiris)
With multiple contracts expiring at the end of the season, CSKA extended most of its key pieces, including Kyle Hines, Andrey Vorontsevich, Nikita Kurbanov and Cory Higgins. CSKA legend Milos Teodosic, however, chose to make a move to the NBA. Without the Serbian wizard running the point, the Army Men will have a different look in 2017-18.
There haven’t been any major signings quite yet. Will Clyburn was the first to ink. An athletic forward and versatile defender, he’ll shore up CSKA’s already daunting defense. On offense, Clyburn is a dangerous dunker, but only shot 29.8% from downtown and 67.8% at the free-throw line in the EuroLeague last season.
Not surprisingly, CSKA’s also signed a backcourt player. Leo Westermann, of course, has big shoes to fill with both Milos Teodosic and Aaron Jackson departing over the summer. The 24-year-old Frenchman is a talented combo guard, adept at setting up teammates and scoring points in a hurry.
CSKA isn’t done yet with free agency. Expect more updates as the summer progresses.
Khimki
Arrived: Stefan Markovic (Zenit), Andrey Zubkov (Lokomotiv-Kuban), Charles Jenkins (Crvena Zvezda)
Khimki faces a daunting schedule in 2017-18 with 54 combined regular season games in the VTB United League and EuroLeague. Experience has shown that a 7-8 man rotation isn’t enough to handle the grueling itinerary and Khimki GM Pavel Astakhov has been clear the club will focus on depth in the offseason.
Briefly delayed by a coaching search, Georgios Bartzokas ultimately came on board to replace Dusko Ivanovic.
The Greek needs no introduction. Two seasons ago, he guided Lokomotiv-Kuban to a shock appearance in the EuroLeague Final Four before moving to Barcelona over the summer of 2016. After struggling in the Catalan capital, hamstrung by injuries and a pre-selected roster, he’s decided to return to Russia.
Khimki showed patience during the coaching hunt, retaining Sergey Monia and Viacheslav Zaitcev, but giving Bartzokas plenty of latitude to choose his own players.
Since then, Moscow Region has been busy. Only a few weeks removed from the epic five-game series between Zenit and Khimki, ex-St. Petersburg point guard Stefan Markovic has joined the Yellow-Blues.
Given the recent playoff drama, some drew comparisons to Kevin Durant’s recent move from Oklahoma City to Golden State. Markovic addressed the issue, saying he’d love to copy Durant and win a title with his new club next season.
As one of the League’s biggest stars and a terrific playmaker, he’ll form a potent backcourt combo with Alexey Shved.
EuroLeague-tested Charles Jenkins arrives from Crvena Zvezda, giving Khimki another option in the backcourt. He’s a dangerous shooter (42.5% from beyond the arc) and a great option on fast breaks. Don’t forget that Jenkins once started for the Golden State Warriors.
Meanwhile, inking Lokomotiv-Kuban forward Andrey Zubkov added depth to the roster, while weakening one of Khimki’s biggest League rivals. The Russian national team member continues to progress and could take the next step in his career in Moscow Region.
Zenit
Arrived: Marko Simonovic (Crvena Zvezda), Evgeny Voronov (UNICS), Kyle Kuric (Gran Canaria), Nicolas Laprovittola (Baskonia), Scottie Reynolds (Cibona)
Zenit fans have been on quite the emotional rollercoaster since late May. Leading 2-0 against Khimki in the playoff semifinals, St. Petersburg needed only one win to clinch a EuroLeague berth in 2017-18. Instead, Vasily Karasev’s club crashed out of the postseason with three straight defeats and raised even more questions with the subsequent departures of Stefan Markovic, Aaron White, Kyle Landry, Ryan Toolson and Janis Timma.
There were other changes. The team gained independent legal status from FC Zenit, while Igor Onokov took over as general manager.
With those details settled, Zenit got busy in free agency. Serb sharpshooter Marko Simonovic was the first to sign. Simonovic shot 39% from beyond the arc last season in the EuroLeague, attempting 146 three-pointers to only 133 two-point field goals. A member of Serbia’s Olympic and World Championship silver-medal winning teams, he has experience on the biggest stages.
Kyle Kuric, meanwhile, will be asked to replace scorer Ryan Toolson. He’s also a dangerous shooter, but unlike Toolson, Kuric can create his own shot. After undergoing three surgeries to remove a brain tumor, there’s no questioning his toughness.
Zenit added another warrior in Evgeny Voronov. He’s a defense-first guard and played the best basketball of his career under Karasev at Triumph. Don’t be surprised if Voronov finally settles down in St. Petersburg after numerous moves in recent seasons.
The Blue-White-Sky Blues added even more offense with Nicolas Laprovittola and Scottie Reynolds. The Argentine Laprovittola spent time in San Antonio under Gregg Popovich, while Reynolds is familiar to League fans from his stints with Nymburk and Krasnye Krylia. Together, the duo will bring quickness and a scoring mentality to St. Petersburg.
UNICS
Arrived: Dimitris Priftis (Aris), Vladislav Trushkin (Enisey), Evgeny Kolesnikov (Avtodor), Trent Lockett (Betis)
UNICS conducted a careful search to replace head coach Evgeny Pashutin, who departed in May. Numerous names were mentioned during the hunt, including Andrea Trinchieri and Georgios Bartzokas. In the end, the White-Greens found someone who provides an exciting synthesis. Like Trinchieri and Bartzokas, Dimitris Priftis is detail-oriented, values discipline and emphasizes defense. He doesn’t have a big reputation, but he’s been successful at previous stops and is hungry to prove himself at the next level.
Kazan still has work to do on the market. Ex-Avtodor captain Evgeny Kolesnikov and rising Russian forward Vladislav Trushkin were the first players to sign with UNICS. Trushkin made the All-Star Game in his debut VTB United League season at Enisey and styles his game after Nikita Kurbanov. UNICS would love to see him continue to elevate his game and earn regular playing time under Priftis.
Trent Lockett has yet to make a splash in Europe, but UNICS could help vault him into the limelight. He’s a threat from the perimeter and prefers the shooting guard position and can also use his height to back down smaller defenders in the paint.
Lokomotiv-Kuban
Arrived: Stanislav Ilnitsky (Khimki), Frank Elegar (Enisey), Chris Babb (Ulm), Pavel Antipov (UNICS), Trevor Lacey (Dinamo Sassari)
Lokomotiv boss Sasa Obradovic joined the team early in the 2016-17 campaign, making this his first chance to run the show in free agency. Zubkov, Matt Janning, Taylor Rochestie and Ian Vougioukas have already departed and the list could grow longer.
On the other hand, general manager Alexey Savrasenko has promised “a lot of new players” with the goal of building a EuroLeague-level squad.
Last season, Frank Elegar helped Enisey to a surprise postseason appearance. He’s an elite rim protector and relentless rebounder, ranking first all-time in League double-doubles. He was due for a move to a bigger club and could quickly become a fan favorite in Krasnodar.
The Railwaymen were also able to bring in Pavel Antipov and Stanislav Ilnitsky from rivals UNICS and Khimki, respectively. Antipov has yet to reach his full potential, while 25-year-old Ilnitsky will be asked to replace Zubkov in the frontcourt.
Unlike Elegar, Antipov and Ilnitsky, Chris Babb doesn’t have the same name recognition in the League. But Loko fans probably remember him from last season’s EuroCup campaign. Babb put up 30 points, five rebounds and three assists for Ulm in a November meeting with Krasnodar.
The versatile swingman is a two-way player, reliable three-point threat and attracted lots of interest across Europe before settling on Kuban.
One more newcomer is ready to make an impact at Loko. Trevor Lacey is a terrific shooter and capable of playing at multiple positions. The Serie A star hopes to take the next step in his career in the VTB United League.
