By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
It seems that the upper echelons of the Toronto Raptors can’t take Nando De Colo out of their heads. While the French combo guard recently re-signed with CSKA Moscow until 2019, they extended a qualifying offer to him as it was officially announced.
However, according to Eurohoops sources, Nando De Colo’s contract with CSKA Moscow does not include any NBA buy-out clause. That was another reason why the French combo guard signed a quite lucrative deal with the Russian team, which is rumored to have a net worth around 10 million euros for three years.
Basically, the Raptors‘s goal is to achieve one single thing: Securing ownership of the player’s rights when (and if) he ever decides to return to the NBA by making him a restricted free agent. Not surprising, especially after the player’s last season in which he was crowned Euroleague champion, being the competitions first scorer and season plus Final Four MVP.
De Colo has said time and again that he is quite happy with the leadership role and responsibilities he has been given in CSKA Moscow that fulfill him on every possible level. He would consider going back to the NBA, only if he was guaranteed satisfactory time on the floor and if his part in the team that would not be limited to that of a minor character. But anyway, this possibility of him making another run in the best league of the world, can wait until 2019.