With a Euroleague Most Valuable Player award secured on a shelf somewhere, Nemanja Bjelica is ready for his next challenge.
The Serbian big man reportedly has his sights set on a jump to the NBA for the 2015-16 season, and while his financial expectations may make him a tough fit for some teams, the talent is obvious.
The Washington Wizards selected Bjelica 35th overall in the 2010 draft, immediately trading his draft rights to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Lazar Hayward. In the time since, he's established himself as one of the best power forwards playing outside of the NBA., performing well in both international competition and the Turkish Basketball League.
Playing with Fenerbahce Ulker this season, Bjelica averaged 11.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor and 37 percent on threes. The 27-year-old got the nod as Euroleague MVP after helping lead Fenerbahce to their first ever Final Four.
The Wolves are said to be interested in bringing him stateside next year, but Bjelica is believed to want a three-year, $15-million deal. Second-round picks are not held to the rookie wage scale that first-round picks are, but they also don't have a salary cap exception associated with them - if Minnesota wanted to add Bjelica at that price, they'd have to fit him into cap room or use the mid-level exception to bring him aboard.
For that reason, and because they already have a somewhat deep frontcourt - especially after they add the No. 1 pick in June - the Wolves may be open to moving him. If they do, the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls are all believed to be interested. It's unclear what the Wolves may be able to command for his draft rights, but the performance of Nikola Mirotic this season, a similarly valued Euro import who signed a mid-level deal, could create quite the market for Bjelica.
