Sasha Vezenkov Rumors | Hoops Rumors

International Notes: Vezenkov, Anderson, Gillespie, Brazdeikis, Jokubaitis, Moneke

July 25th, 2024 at 9:37am CST by Dana Gauruder

Sasha Vezenkov is thrilled to be back in Europe, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net writes. He signed a five-year contract with Olympiacos after getting waived by the Raptors.

“The goal is to reach the top. With a few words and a lot of work. I am happy to be back with all of you, to rejoin my old teammates and the new players,” Vezenkov said in a press conference.

The Greek team is equally as excited to have Vezenkov back in the fold. “Vezenkov is the best player in Europe. He went to the NBA as the best player in Europe. He has won and will continue winning championships with Olympiacos for the next five years,” team co-owner Panagiotis Angelopoulos said.

Vezenkov was so eager to return that he reportedly gave up his entire $6,658,536 NBA salary for 2024/25 in a buyout agreement with Toronto. According to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops, the forward’s new deal with Olympiacos is worth 18.5 million Euros across five years, post-taxes.

We have more international news:

Former NBA wing Justin Anderson has joined FC Barcelona on a one-year deal, Sportando relays. Anderson played last season for Valencia Basket. Anderson appeared in 242 NBA games after being a 2015 first-round pick, most recently with Cleveland and Indiana during the 2021/22 season.
Freddie Gillespie has signed a one-year deal with the New Zealand Breakers, ESPN’s Olgun Uluc tweets. The American forward last played for KK Crvena Zvesda. He appeared in 29 games for Toronto and Orlando from 2020-22.
Forward Ignas Brazdeikis is returning to Zalgiris Kaunas, according to a press release. The University of Michigan product appeared in 64 NBA games, mostly with Orlando, from 2019-22.
Rokas Jokubaitis has officially signed his three-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to a team press release. His former team, Barcelona, announced this week that it has officially parted ways with him. Jokubaitis played for the Knicks during the Summer League and his NBA rights continue to be held by New York.
After a report surfaced this week claiming that he had agreed to sign with Partisan Belgrade, former NBA big man Chima Moneke declared on his social media account (Twitter link) that he is committed to playing for Baskonia next season. “I genuinely don’t know who is making up all these rumors but they’re getting tiring. I’m a Baskonia player and I’m really excited for this season,” he wrote. Moneke appeared in two games with Sacramento in 2022/23.

Raptors Buy Out Sasha Vezenkov, Waive Javon Freeman-Liberty

July 22nd, 2024 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have cut a pair of players from their offseason roster, announcing today that forward Sasha Vezenkov and guard Javon Freeman-Liberty have been placed on waivers.

Vezenkov is the more notable name of the two. The 2023 EuroLeague MVP signed a three-year contract with the Kings last summer, but had an underwhelming NBA rookie season, logging just 12.2 minutes per game in 42 appearances off the bench. He averaged 5.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game with a shooting line of .440/.375/.800.

Vezenkov, who will turn 29 next month, was traded from Sacramento to Toronto in June along with Davion Mitchell in a deal that created additional cap flexibility for the Kings.

Around the time of that trade, reports surfaced indicating that the 6’8″ forward had reached a lucrative long-term agreement to return to Olympiacos, his former team in Greece. However, he remained under contract with the Raptors on a deal that included a guaranteed $6,658,536 salary for 2024/25 (plus a team option for ’25/26).

The Raptors’ release of Vezenkov creates a path for him to rejoin Olympiacos once he clears waivers and also generates significant cap savings for the team. According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), Vezenkov gave up his entire $6,658,536 salary for ’24/25 in a buyout agreement in order to facilitate his exit, leaving no dead money on Toronto’s books.

As for Freeman-Liberty, the former DePaul standout spent most of last season on a two-way contract with the Raptors before being promoted to the standard roster on March 1. He appeared in 22 games at the NBA level as a rookie, averaging 7.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 1.8 APG in 18.3 MPG.

Freeman-Liberty’s minimum-salary contract for 2024/25 contained only a small partial guarantee, which would have increased from $100K to $150K if he had remained on the roster through July 23. Toronto will carry $100K in dead money after waiving the 24-year-old.

The Raptors now have 14 players on standard guaranteed contracts and about $11MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line, according to Murphy (Twitter link). Toronto’s newfound financial flexibility gives the front office the ability to spend more than the veteran’s minimum to fill the 15th roster spot or potentially to take on unwanted salary in a trade.

Raptors Notes: Mitchell, Vezenkov, Agbaji, Diallo, Dick

July 13th, 2024 at 9:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors believe Davion Mitchell will bring a perimeter defensive presence they lacked last season, writes Josh Lewenberg of TSN. The 25-year-old was acquired from the Kings in a trade on the second night of the draft to fill Toronto’s need for a backup point guard.

“I’m trying to bring leadership, defensive mindset, being that dog, just doing the little things on the floor,” Mitchell said. “Over my career playing basketball, every team that I’ve been on, the guy that’s on the ball brings that energy. I think that me putting pressure on the ball up top, a lot of people are gonna want to play just as hard. No one wants to stand out by not playing hard. So, me bringing that energy is going to show.”

Mitchell’s defensive prowess convinced Sacramento to select him with the ninth pick in 2021, but he struggled to find playing time in a crowded backcourt. Even though he appeared in 72 games last season, he dropped to a career-low 15.3 minutes per night and his other numbers declined across the board. The Kings were looking to unload his contract to provide cap relief, and Toronto welcomed the opportunity to increase its toughness level on defense.

“It’s not just about him, it’s all the guys,” coach Darko Rajakovic said. “Everybody has to step up. We’re working a lot during the summer to really improve on-ball defense, aggressiveness. We’re really, really trying to – as you can see in the draft class as well – find as many possible two-way guys. We call them the most important guy. Most important guy is the guy who’s guarding the ball. He makes it easier for everybody else. And we’re really trying to develop everybody on our roster to be able to do a better job.”

There’s more on the Raptors:

Toronto hasn’t resolved the situation regarding Sasha Vezenkov, who was acquired from Sacramento in the same trade, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet. Vezenkov reportedly reached a deal with Olympiacos in Greece, but there’s one year left on his NBA contract, plus a team option for 2025/26. “We’re still having that conversation,” team president Masai Ujiri said today on a broadcast of the Raptors’ Summer League game. “He had a tough time in the NBA last year. We are trying to figure it out, and what he wants to do. The right decision will be made. … I think he’s a phenomenal player, had a tough season last season, those things happen, great shooter. Whatever happens, we’re going to make the best out of this situation. We support him in every way and we know where our team is going. So hopefully soon.”
Even though it’s somewhat rare for former lottery picks with two full years of experience to participate in Summer League, Ochai Agbaji and Raptors officials both believed it would be beneficial, per Lewenberg (Twitter link). Agbaji appeared in 27 games with Toronto after being acquired from Utah in February.
The Raptors hosted a private scrimmage on Friday in Las Vegas that involved representatives of the Clippers, Trail Blazers and Rockets, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). Iko hears that the standout performer was free agent swingman Hamidou Diallo, who played two games with Washington last season.
In an interview with Eric Koreen of The Athletic, Gradey Dick talks about the challenges of his rookie season.

Atlantic Notes: Martin, Sixers, Embiid, Vezenkov, Celtics

July 8th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

In order to maximize their cap room, the Sixers renounced the rights to nearly all of their free agents, including a handful of players who hadn’t actually been on the roster for years, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter links). However, there was one notable exception: KJ Martin‘s cap hold remains on the team’s books.

Martin’s cap hold is worth the veteran’s minimum of $2,087,519, but Philadelphia holds his full Bird rights, allowing the team to go over the cap to re-sign him to a contract worth any salary up to the maximum.

Of course, Martin won’t get the max, but it could be in the 76ers’ best interests to re-sign him to a deal worth more than the minimum. Besides potentially vying for rotation minutes, Martin might come in handy as a trade chip on a roster where so many players will be earning either maximum- or minimum-salary contracts.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

A year after James Harden‘s trade demand hung over the Sixers‘ offseason like a dark cloud, there’s more optimism this summer in Philadelphia about the new-look roster, headed by Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. Speaking to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, Embiid cautioned that the team still needs to make it work on the court, but admitted he’s excited about how the new big three looks. “On paper, and as far as the fit, it looks fantastic because you got both guys that can play off the ball, and they can play on ball and they’re great shooters and they can handle the ball, and then you also got me,” he said with a smile.“So, yeah, it looks great.”
Addressing the Sasha Vezenkov situation on Monday, Raptors president Masai Ujiri said he has had discussions with Vezenkov, his representatives, GM Bobby Webster, and head coach Darko Rajakovic about the matter. As Keith Smith of Spotrac details in depth, Vezenkov has reportedly reached a deal with Olympiacos but remains under contract with Toronto on a guaranteed NBA contract, preventing him from returning to Greece without the Raptors’ cooperation. “I think that should develop in the next few days or we’ll see whether it’s a few months,” Ujiri said. “We acquired a player in a trade and we feel we have communicated well. We communicated well with the agent and the team before. And so we’ll see how that goes.”
Taking a closer look at the Celtics‘ decision to put majority control of the franchise up for sale, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe says he believe H. Irving Grousbeck is ‘the one driving this sale” and that his son Wyc Grousbeck – the team’s governor and CEO – actually owns a “relatively small stake” in the team.

Eastern Notes: LaVine, Maxey, Vezenkov, Knicks, Prince

July 4th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bulls continue to explore the trade market for a possible Zach LaVine deal, agent Rich Paul wants it known that his client is handling the situation professionally and isn’t agitating for a move or taking issue with the team’s actions, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

“I want to make this clean and clear: This whole idea that Zach has been anything but professional in this situation is false,” Paul told Johnson over the phone. “This guy has played hurt. He has represented the franchise with class. A lot has taken place during his time with the Bulls and he’s taken the high road every time. Does every player get frustrated at times? Yes. But Zach has been the ultimate professional and deserves better. The Bulls have business to do. And we’re letting them handle their business.”

LaVine’s trade value is at an all-time low, primarily due to his contract — the three years and $138MM left on his deal look especially onerous in the NBA’s tax apron era. He’s also coming off foot surgery that ended his season in January, but Johnson reports that LaVine is healthy and going through his typical offseason routine after having beaten the estimated recovery timeline of four-to-six months following his procedure.

The Bulls have presented “upwards of 15” LaVine trade proposals to various teams this offseason, according to Johnson, who hears that the Kings and Golden State have shown the most interest in the two-time All-Star. However, the Warriors‘ imminent additions of De’Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield, and Kyle Anderson probably signal that they’re going in a different direction, Johnson acknowledges.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Speaking to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey said management is “doing a good job so far” in free agency adding players who will help the team win, adding that he was happy his willingness to wait a year for his own long-term contract helped Philadelphia open up enough cap room to land Paul George. “When we talked about it last year, it’s a trust thing,” Maxey said. “I trusted (the front office), and I feel like it worked out for us so far. It’s a cool deal. I wasn’t too worried about it.”
Rumors about a possible return to Europe continue to swirl around Sasha Vezenkov. According to Michalis Stefanou of Eurohoops, Vezenkov and his former EuroLeague team Olympiacos have agreed in principle on a lucrative long-term deal, but the 28-year-old forward remains under contract with the Raptors (with a $6.66MM cap hit in 2024/25), so his return to Greece would likely be contingent on negotiating a buyout with Toronto. Recent reporting indicated the Raptors expect Vezenkov to be with them in camp in the fall.
Ever since they agreed to an early version of the Mikal Bridges trade last week, the Knicks sought to expand it, making it clear to the Nets that they’d eventually circle back with more details, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Now that New York has amended the Bridges deal to ensure its hard cap is at the second apron instead of the first apron, Katz explores what’s next for the team, suggesting that re-signing Precious Achiuwa and adding another player using the taxpayer mid-level exception should be doable, assuming Achiuwa’s price is modest enough.
Following up on news that the Bucks have agreed to sign Taurean Prince, Eric Nehm of The Athletic considers what the veteran forward will bring to Milwaukee, opining that Prince looks like a good fit for the roster and should see regular minutes next season.

More Conflicting Reports On Sasha Vezenkov’s Future

June 29th, 2024 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Sasha Vezenkov officially has a new NBA team, having been traded from the Kings to the Raptors on Friday. However, that hasn’t quieted whispers from the rumor mill about what his future holds.

Alessandro Maggi of Sportando reported earlier today that Vezenkov is expected to return to the EuroLeague, where he earned MVP honors in 2023. According to Maggi, Vezenkov is close to finalizing a four-year contract with his former team in Greece, Olympiacos.

However, Toronto-based reporter Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca disputed that claim, noting that the Raptors have Vezenkov and his guaranteed $6.66MM salary on their books for the 2024/25 season and have no plans to waive him. The expectation from the team is that he’ll be in training camp this fall, Grange adds.

This isn’t the first time this offseason that there have been conflicting reports about Vezenkov’s future. Earlier in June, an Italian reporter claimed Vezenkov was told he was no longer in Sacramento’s plans and the team would look to trade him, while Eurohoops said that Vezenkov told the Kings he wasn’t going to return for a second season and that he was undecided on whether he would stay in the NBA or return to Europe.

A follow-up report stated that Vezenkov intended to honor his contract and indicated there was “no truth” to the rumor that the forward was considering an NBA exit. His agent subsequently said on the record that staying in the NBA was the priority, though he added that Panathinaikos and Olympiacos had interest in his client.

Given all that context, it seems likely that Vezenkov will continue on his current contract if the Raptors are interested in bringing him to camp, but this could be a situation worth keeping an eye on as the offseason progresses.

Kings Trade Davion Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov To Raptors

June 28th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 28: The trade is official, the Raptors announced in a press release, confirming the details outlined below. Toronto used the No. 45 pick to select Houston Cougars guard Jamal Shead on Thursday.

“This trade provides us with a mix of young and veteran players, as well as future flexibility and draft assets, as we continue our quest to win, and so we’re pleased to welcome Davion, Sasha and Jamal to the Raptors and to Toronto,” Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said in a statement. “We thank Jalen for his contributions, and we wish him all the best in the future.”

Because the trade was completed before the new league year began, Toronto completed it using salary-matching and the Siakam trade exception (as explained below) rather than using cap room, which is a signal that they intend to operate over the cap this offseason.

JUNE 27: The Kings have agreed to trade guard Davion Mitchell and forward Sasha Vezenkov to the Raptors, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Toronto is also receiving the No. 45 pick in tonight’s draft, per Wojnarowski (Twitter link), as well as Portland’s 2025 second-round pick, according to Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter link).

Sacramento will acquire forward Jalen McDaniels from Toronto in the swap, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).

The ninth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Mitchell averaged 11.5 points per game as a rookie but is primarily known as a defensive specialist. In 2023/24, he averaged 5.3 points and 1.9 assists in 15.3 minutes per game across 72 appearances for the Kings, almost exclusively in a reserve role.

Keon Ellis‘ emergence last season and the arrival of No. 13 pick Devin Carter created a crowded backcourt picture in Sacramento and it appears Mitchell will be the odd man out.

Vezenkov, the 2022/23 EuroLeague MVP, was selected 57th overall in the 2017 draft but didn’t make the move to the NBA until last summer, when he signed a three-year, $20MM contract with the Kings. It was an up-and-down NBA rookie year for the 28-year-old, who converted 37.5% of his three-point tries but averaged just 12.2 minutes per game in 42 contests, contributing 5.4 PPG and 2.3 RPG.

A series of June reports suggested that a trade involving Vezenkov was a possibility for the Kings, who projected to be up against the luxury tax after agreeing to re-sign Malik Monk to a four-year, $78MM contract. As cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets, swapping out Vezenkov’s $6.66MM salary and Mitchell’s $6.45MM cap hit for McDaniels’ incoming $4.74MM salary will give Sacramento about $7MM in spending flexibility below the tax heading into free agency.

The move will also open up a spot on the Kings’ 15-man roster and should generate a pair of trade exceptions for Sacramento, including one worth Vezenkov’s salary ($6.66MM).

McDaniels had a poor season in Toronto in 2023/24, averaging just 3.4 PPG on .344/.169/.730 shooting in 50 games (10.8 MPG). But the athletic 6’9″ wing is only one year removed from scoring a career-high 9.4 PPG, and he had a career shooting line of .465/.345/.784 prior to last season.

As for the Raptors, they’ll take on some extra salary for 2024/25 but neither Mitchell nor Vezenkov is owed guaranteed money beyond next season, and both players could vie for rotation minutes if they remain on the roster. Mitchell is extension-eligible this offseason before potentially reaching restricted free agency in 2025, while Vezenkov’s deal includes a $6.98MM team option for 2025/26.

Toronto now controls the No. 31 and No. 45 picks on Thursday after selecting Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter at No. 19 on Wednesday.

The Raptors have multiple options for how to complete the deal. If they intend to operate over the cap, they could use McDaniels’ outgoing salary to match Vezenkov’s incoming figure, then take Mitchell’s salary into a $10MM+ trade exception they created in January’s Pascal Siakam deal. If they plan to operate under the cap, they’ll simply absorb the two incoming salaries using their room. Taking the former route would hard-cap them at the first tax apron for 2024/25.

Pacific Notes: Thompson, Kerr, Durant, Dunn, Vezenkov, Clippers, Lakers, Casey, Vaughn

June 26th, 2024 at 2:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors coach Steve Kerr doesn’t want to go into next season without Klay Thompson.

Kerr told Tristi Rodriguez on the Jim Rome Show (hat tip to Zach Bachar of Bleacher Report) he doesn’t want to see the Splash Brothers broken up. Thompson is headed to unrestricted free agency unless he signs an extension in the coming days. The Athletic reported this week that negotiations between the two parties are “essentially frozen.”

“I want him back desperately,” Kerr said. “And we will have our conversations and he’s got to make whatever decision he makes, but we really want him back. He’s Klay Thompson.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Rockets swapped future draft picks with the Nets, acquiring numerous Phoenix first-rounders with an eye toward pushing the Suns to trade Kevin Durant or Devin Booker. However, the Suns are intent on “riding” with Booker, Bradley Beal and Durant, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
The Suns might target veteran guard Kris Dunn in free agency, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (subscription required). Phoenix, in the market for point guard depth, is limited to offering veteran’s minimum deals to free agents and rival teams expect them to take a long look at Dunn, who started 32 games for Utah last season.
Sasha Vezenkov would prefer to remain in the NBA, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net relays. There have been conflicting reports on whether the former Euroleague star wants to stay in the NBA, though the Kings wing has a fully guaranteed contract for next season. “Panathinaikos called me sometimes and expressed interest,” Nick Lotsos, Vezenkov’s rep, told the Greek newspaper Fos. “I told them that both Vezenkov and myself want to see if he will continue in the NBA first. If he leaves the NBA, we will give priority to his last European team, Olympiacos, in discussions. If negotiations do not succeed, then we will probably open talks with other teams.”
The Clippers don’t have a first-round pick but they do own the No. 46 overall pick. Law Murray of The Athletic explores which players the Clippers might target in the second round.
Former Raptors and Pistons coach Dwane Casey and former Nets coach Jacque Vaughn are candidates to join J.J. Redick’s staff with the Lakers, according to Marc Stein. The Lakers want to surround Redick with experienced voices.

Kings’ Vezenkov Reportedly Intends To Honor Contract

June 13th, 2024 at 2:45pm CST by Rory Maher

A couple of reports last week had conflicting information about the future of Kings forward Sasha Vezenkov.

An Italian reporter claimed Vezenkov was told he was no longer in Sacramento’s plans and the team would look to trade him, while Eurohoops reported that Vezenkov told the Kings he wasn’t going to return for a second season and he was undecided on whether he would stay in the NBA or return to Europe.

While the former EuroLeague MVP “remains frustrated” with the limited he role he played off the bench as a rookie last season, several sources tell Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 that there’s “no truth” to the rumor of Vezenkov considering an NBA exit (Twitter link). A source close to Vezenkov referred to that reporting as “off base” and said the Bulgarian intends to honor the terms of his contract.

Cunningham hears Sacramento would like to keep Vezenkov on the roster, but evidently there is external interest in his services as well. Given the Kings could be over the luxury tax line if they’re able to re-sign Malik Monk in free agency, it’s possible they might unload Vezenkov to save money, as our Luke Adams wrote when he previewed the Kings’ offseason.

Vezenkov signed a three-year, $20MM contract with Sacramento last summer. His $6.66MM salary for 2024/25 is fully guaranteed, while his $6.98MM salary for ’25/26 is a team option.

As we previously noted, Vezenkov can’t just terminate his contract. And since the 28-year-old’s deal for next season is guaranteed, Sacramento has no incentive to waive him unless he’s willing to give back some or all of the money he’s owed in a buyout. According to Cunningham’s report, that scenario is highly unlikely to occur.

Vezenkov averaged 5.4 PPG and 2.3 RPG on .440/.375/.800 shooting in 42 games last season for Sacramento (12.2 MPG). He missed 22 games with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain, but even when he was healthy, he wasn’t a consistent part of the team’s rotation.

Pacific Notes: Hurley, Suns, Vezenkov, Kerr

June 8th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

UConn submitted a new contract offer to try to keep Dan Hurley as its head coach, but a source close to the athletic department tells Adam Zagoria of NJ.com that the school can’t afford to get into a bidding war with the Lakers. Hurley traveled to Los Angeles on Friday to meet with team officials and is expected to consider his options throughout the weekend before reaching a decision. One of those options will be an offer from the university that would reportedly make him the third-highest-paid coach in the NCAA.

“We want to pay him certainly what he’s worth, but there’s a limit to how far we can actually go just because of the political pressures and all of that,” the source told Zagoria. “Even though everybody wants him to stay, and everybody’s behind it, I just think there’s a cap that exists.”

Zagoria points to a USA Today database that lists Bill Self with a $9.6MM annual salary at Kansas, while John Calipari will earn $8MM in the first year of his new contract at Arkansas. Hurley signed a six-year deal worth $32MM after winning his first national title last year, and he earned a $2MM bonus this season on top of his $5MM base salary.

“Obviously, they want to pay him,” Zagoria’s source added. “I just think at some point it’s not going to be Kentucky, it’s not going to be the place where you can just get some stupid number. I think there are just some realities at the school that make that tougher.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Suns will attempt to fill three needs this summer despite being bound by second apron restrictions, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 said on the Burns and Gambo podcast (hat tip to RealGM). After letting Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant run the offense this season, Phoenix hopes to find a point guard who can play at least 20 minutes per game, according to Gambadoro. The team is also in the market for a young wing player who can provide more athleticism, along with an upgrade on Drew Eubanks at backup center.
Conflicting information about Kings forward Sasha Vezenkov makes it hard to tell which parts of the story are legitimate, James Ham states in his latest edition of Kings Beat (subscription required). As we relayed earlier today, a Eurohoops report stated that Vezenkov has asked for a change of scenery and is considering a return to Europe. However, Ham notes that Matteo Andreani of Basketinside claims the Kings told Vezenkov that he’s not in their plans for next season and they’ll try to trade him. Either scenario could lead to a breakup this summer, and Ham states that team officials have been silent about Vezenkov’s future.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr understands the pressure on Team USA to capture an Olympic gold medal this summer, calling it a “win or fail” situation, per Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Part of Kerr’s early preparation has been watching past losses to see what went wrong, including a 113-111 defeat against Germany in last year’s FIBA World Cup semifinals. “One of the things we look at is, why has USA Basketball lost games in the past?” Kerr said. “There are some common themes, and the big one really is defense. The games we’ve lost, we just failed to stop the other team. This Germany game is one of them — they carved us up. So we’re going to have to be really good defensively this summer.”