BasketNews GM survey 2022: best EuroLeague signing & next NBA player / News - Basketnews.com

EuroLeague GMs picked Will Clyburn as the best off-season signing but predicted that Anadolu Efes Istanbul would have to deal with a significant departure in the upcoming free agency.

Credit: T.Adanali, R.Biard, P.Albertini - Getty Images | BasketNews illustration/A.Zaikauskas Credit T.Adanali, R.Biard, P.Albertini - Getty Images | BasketNews illustration/A.Zaikauskas

For the second consecutive year, BasketNews proudly presents the EuroLeague general managers survey 2022.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan / Schedule

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ALBA BerlinFri18:30 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade EA7 Emporio Armani MilanTue18:45 FC Bayern Munich EA7 Emporio Armani Milan10-2018:30

The majority of the EuroLeague GMs shared their views on off-season moves, the competition's future, and 2022-23 season predictions.

In the first part of the survey, we present answers from the off-season category, which include the best summer signings, the most improved teams, the rookies with the highest upside, and the next stars that will leave for the NBA.

The upcoming BasketNews GM survey editions will be published in the coming days.

They will contain new season predictions, crucial EuroLeague future decisions, and picks that define the best of the best.

BasketNews EuroLeague GM Survey:

Part II:BasketNews GM survey 2022: new EuroLeague format & first task for Bodiroga Part III:BasketNews GM survey 2022: surprising champion prediction & clear MVP pick

The best off-season signing

It was basically a race between two EuroLeague veterans who shook the European basketball world at the end of the last season.

In the end, EuroLeague general managers put Will Clyburn's signing ahead of Kevin Pangos' acquisition.

Efes reached an agreement with Clyburn during the Final Four in Belgrade. At first, it worked as an insurance move to prepare for the potential departure of backcourt stars Vasilije Micic and Shane Larkin. But it ended up completing a new Big 3 in Istanbul.

Pangos joined Milan as one of the top point guards in the market to form a solid pick-and-roll duo with center Brandon Davies.

Barcelona made a case for the best acquisition with mentions of Tomas Satoransky and Nikola Kalinic.

General managers also appraised Maccabi Tel Aviv's deal with Lorenzo Brown. Hejoined the Yellows after a remarkable EuroLeague season and tremendous gold medal experience in EuroBasket with the Spanish national team.

Points this season

42%69,0Points made:69,0Accuracy:41,7%Place in standings:14Record max:69Record min:69Best scorer:Billy BaronTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Fenerbahce's rookie Carsen Edwards came out as the most surprising mention in the survey.

Player Vote cast 1. Will Clyburn (Anadolu Efes Istanbul) 35.7% 2. Kevin Pangos (Emporio Armani Milan) 21.4% Last season: Shabazz Napier 36.4%

The most surprising off-season signing

If Nando De Colo came up short in the best off-season signing category, he didn't have a lot of competition for the most surprising move award.

De Colo had a decent offer to remain in Fenerbahce to compete for another Final Four journey. Instead, he chose to return to France after 13 years.

Partizan (Dante Exum, Ioannis Papapetrou), Barcelona (Tomas Satoransky, Jan Vesely), Fenerbahce (Scottie Wilbekin, Nemanja Bjelica), and Virtus (Tornike Shengelia, Iffe Lundberg) made a list with at least two surprising signings this off-season.

Player Vote cast 1. Nando De Colo (ASVEL Villeurbanne) 28.6% Last season: Mike James 36.4%

URBONUS podcast on Top off-season signings:

A team that had the best off-season

The question that included probably the least nominees.

EuroLeague saw four teams significantly improving their rosters for the 2022-23 campaign.

However, by a small margin, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan came out on top of the list with the additions of Kevin Pangos, Brandon Davies, Billy Baron, Johannes Voigtmann, Naz Mitrou-Long, and Stefano Tonut.

Real Madrid, Fenerbahce Istanbul, and Maccabi Tel Aviv were the other three that stood out in the survey.

Olympiacos was the only other mentioned team outside the Top 4.

Interestingly, the team with the summer's best signing (Will Clyburn, Anadolu Efes) didn't receive a single vote.

Club Vote cast 1. Emporio Armani Milan 28.6% 2-4. Real Madrid 21.4% 2-4. Fenerbahce Istanbul 21.4% 2-4. Maccabi Tel Aviv 21.4% Last season: Monaco, Baskonia, Fenerbahce, Zenit 18.2%

Best rookie with star potential

EuroLeague has plenty of rookies entering the league with the potential to become future stars.

Many EuroLeague newcomers received votes, but Fenerbahce Istanbul guard Carsen Edwards and another ALBA Berlin project Gabriele Procida stood out in the survey.

What's interesting, Real's signing Dzanan Musa, also received enough GM support to make the Top 3.

However, Musa wasn't eligible in this category because he already played 14 EuroLeague games in the past (4 with Efes in 2020-21 and 10 with Cedevita in 2015-16).

As the BasketNews survey shows, Baskonia's front office brought some intriguing new faces. Three of their newcomers - Daulton Hommes, Darius Thompson, and Maik Kotsar - were mentioned at least once.

The long list also included the No. 47th pick of the 2019 NBA draft Ignas Brazdeikis.

Player Vote cast 1-2. Carsen Edwards (Fenerbahce Istanbul) 18.8% 1-2. Gabriele Procida (ALBA Berlin) 18.8%

Next EuroLeague player to go to the NBA

Almost half of the EuroLeague GMs think this is the last Vasilije Micic season in Europe.

The Oklahoma City Thunder holds Micic's draft rights, but it remains uncertain if he'll ever join them. There's interest from other NBA teams, but few can offer a significant role the consecutive Final Four MVP expects.

Micic still has two years left of his contract with Efes. Per BasketNews sources, Micic makes close to €4M per season, and it's not going to be easy to lure him out of Turkey.

Among the other names mentioned in the survey by GMs were EuroLeague stars Mike James, Sasha Vezenkov, Dzanan Musa, and Rokas Jokubaitis.

Player Vote cast 1. Vasilije Micic (Anadolu Efes Istanbul) 46.2% BasketNews Top 50 EuroLeague players ranking

URBONUS podcast:

Like what we are doing? Support us by becoming BN+ member.