Clippers Discussing Deal with Serbian Point Guard Milos Teodosic
By Noah Shatzer
The LA Clippers may end up looking overseas to fill their hole at backup point guard and are reportedly discussing a deal with Serbian guard Milos Teodosic.
Eurohoops.net, a site that covers European basketball, reports that the LA Clippers and Milo Teodosic are discussing/negotiating a three-year, $24 million deal that would bring the point guard to the NBA for the first time.
The point guard has been linked with many NBA teams this offseason, including the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Clipper’s upcoming meeting with Derrick Rose is expected to have a considerable impact on the negotiations between the Clippers and the 30-year-old guard out of Serbia.
Teodosic is a Euroleague veteran that has been playing at the highest level of basketball outside the NBA for most of his career over in Europe. In his last season with CSKA Moscow, the guard averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game, helping the team reach the Final Four. Teodosic is a career 44 percent shooting from the floor and 38.5 percent shooter from three.
Many NBA fans probably haven’t heard of Teodosic before, but may have seen him play with the Serbian national team in the Olympics or Basketball World Cup. Teodosic and the Serbian team were close to upsetting the USA team in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, losing 91-94 to the American team led by Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Teodosic had 18 points in that game and showed off his vast array of offensive skills and tricks. Here are some highlights of Teodosic’s in that slim American victory:
Teodosic’s game is very similar to Ricky Rubio’s with a more reliable jump shot and slightly worse defense. His ball handling skills and insane court vision is what makes him one of the most coveted European talents, even though he is older at 30-years-old.
Watching the veteran’s passing abilities and imagining him paired with three of the more athletic players in the league Griffin, Jordan, and Harrell should make Clipper’s fans drool at the idea, even if Teodosic’s price is a little high.
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