The Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker overnight announced that Euroleague MVP Nemanja Bjelica has exercised an opt clause in his contract to leave for the NBA,
Bjelica opts out of Europe deal, clears way to join Wolves
His Turkisk team announced that Euroleague MVP Nemaja Bjelica has exercised an opt-out clause in his contract to leave for the NBA, Expect him to sign a three-year deal with the Wolves.
July 1, 2015 at 3:53PM
That clears the way for the Wolves to sign him, five years after David Kahn drafted him 35th overall in the 2010 NBA draft.
Expect Bjelica to sign a three-year deal worth at least $12 million, possibly more. The Wolves will use a good portion of their mid-level exception to sign him.
He was under contract with Fenerbahce until the clock struck midnight last night.
That's one more frontcourt player -- Bjelica is a natural "stretch" power forward who has the skills to play small forward, but you'd have to probably hide him defensively at that position -- coming to a team that already has Karl Anthony-Towns, Nikola Pekovic, Gorgui Dieng, to-be-signed Kevin Garnett and probably Robbie Hummel, Adreian Payne and Anthony Bennett.
That's A LOT of power forwards and center, which means they'll be some kind of trade or move either before training camp or by opening night.
Bjelica is 6-10, but played guard before he had a growth spurt. He has a guard's playmaking skills, but in a power forward's body. No question he has NBA skills offensively.Defense will be the question,
Bjelica is expected to sign by next week, but he's not expected to play with the Wolves' summer-league team in Las Vegas.
If you haven't seen him, here's a clip from his Euroleague play the last couple years.
The Nittany Lions converted on three fourth downs while protecting a one-point lead to keep the Gophers from getting the ball back.
