By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Zeljko Obradovic is flying tomorrow from Belgrade to Istanbul, a decision that’s more connected to the fact that traveling is permitted again to Istanbul from Belgrade without restrictions and less with his future with Fenerbahce.
For a few more days, Obradovic remains under contract with the Turkish club, which has asked him to return to Istanbul, and a meeting is expected to be held during this week between him and the management.
That meeting will decide if he will remain on the bench of the team or not.
So far, there’s no offer on the table for a contract extension, and much more, there’s no clear plan for the future of Fenerbahce. It’s safe to assume that the budget will drop due to the COVID-19 crisis, and a lot of Fenerbahce players, including Kostas Sloukas, Gigi Datome, and Derrick Williams are already presented to be targets of other EuroLeague clubs, even if they are still under contract. Both Datome and Sloukas are not free agents this summer.
Τhat’s why the return at this point seems to be more a formality than a sign, either positive or negative. Obradovic will not be quarantined, as the entry rules in light of the COVID pandemic are changing in Turkey starting tomorrow, and that was a crucial part of the selection of the traveling date.
Turkish website BasketFaul reported first that Obradovic’s return to Istanbul on Monday.