By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Crvena Zvezda president Nebojsa Covic opened up about a couple of summer decisions, including the Shabazz Napier saga, while speaking on the Luka and Kuzma podcast.
Discussing various topics, Covic touched on the club’s budget for the 2023/24 season and the multitude of summer decisions and signings.
“Our budget for players this season, including the coaching staff, is around 12 million euros. When you add travel and other expenses, it goes up to 15 million. That’s an increase of about 20 percent compared to the previous season,” Covic stated.
Shabazz Napier, the club’s major summer signing, left in December to return to Olimpia Milano. Covic elaborated on Napier’s contract with the club.
“We signed a contract with Shabazz worth two million and 100 thousand dollars. We’ve already paid him three salaries, while the fourth and fifth will be given in five installments. That adds up to a total of one million and 50 thousand dollars. Olimpia Milano will also pay the same amount; however, Ettore Messina made a statement that has the Serbian people scratching their heads.”
Covic revealed that former coach Dusko Ivanovic chose Nemanja Bjelica, but not Chima Moneke, who signed with Baskonia. He also added that he went for Mike Tobey instead of Brendan Davies, who ended up in Valencia.
“Bjelica is, of course, Duško Ivanović’s choice. He chose Bjelica, and he didn’t choose the one from Baskonia… Moneke. So, he picked Mike Tobey instead of Brendan Davies.”
Additionally, Crvena Zvezda was apparently in talks with Mateusz Ponitka, who ultimately signed with their arch-rivals, Partizan.
“Ivanović was the first to talk to Ponitka. He agreed on everything with him except for the financial aspects. Then, it happened that for several days, he couldn’t get in touch with Ponitka. It turned out that he went to Partizan, even though he had said he can’t wait to come to us and play for Ivanović. Probably, he said the same thing to the Partizan coach,” Nebojsa Covic revealed