By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Tony Parker wanted to make LDLC ASVEL one of the big spenders in Europe, announcing a 59M euro budget and targeting top stars.
In the end, the restrictions of the French financial sports authorities (DNCG) forced ASVEL to revise everything, but as Parker stated, in the end his plan was just delayed by one season.
Speaking to Stephen Brunch show on RMC radio, Parker, who ultimately built a roster with 24M euros for the 2026-27 season, explained that ASVEL will have the ability to spend big next summer: “If I had drawn up this budget, it’s because we had it. But we’re clearly paying the price for Monaco’s mistakes. We weren’t able to finalize everything in time to satisfy the DNCG. The project will go ahead; it’s a shame it’s been delayed by a year, but I understand people’s frustration.”
A Malaysian fund was supposed to contribute to the club’s budget, but this funding was rejected by the DNCG.
“I’m focusing on the big picture; I’m looking ahead to the next 10-15 years,” added Tony Parker. “In two or three years, we’ll have forgotten this episode. In the meantime, we still have a very large budget and a great team. We’re going to be competitive; we’re going to play for trophies. It’s not easy to have big projects in sports in the current climate.”
Parker also admitted that he has to take the blame, even if he added that everything that happened was beyond his control: “We should be proud of what we’ve done, and next year, if all goes well, we’ll return to this large budget. I understand that people might think I went too fast, but that’s not at all what happened. I can’t go into details because of confidentiality agreements. I’m on the front line, and I take responsibility.”
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