Zalgiris GM Motiejunas explains how the club signed Taylor and Polonara 0
Zalgiris Kaunas went on a roller coaster ride during the last several days. After first losing Keenan Evans to a season-ending Achilles injury, the Lithuanian club signed Isaiah Taylor and Achille Polonara to the roster.
The team’s general manager Paulius Motiejunas talked with the local press where he gave some insight into how the process was carried out.
“I want to thank the invisible members of our office who sent contracts at 3 or 5 in the morning. Those several days were difficult, we were walking on thin ice trying to do and register everything,” Motiejunas said.
“Talking about the process, Tyler Cavanaugh’s situation is still uncertain, and it’s been going on for a significant amount of time.”
“We started thinking about a power forward. Achille [Polonara] was on the list, and we were thinking about it until the very end. Then, the negotiations started and force majeure happened with us losing [Keenan] Evans,” the GM explained.
“We understood that with Achille arriving at the club, we aren’t getting stronger if we don’t have a point guard.”
Zalgiris had Isaiah Taylor on their radar for some time already, Motiejunas told Lithuanian journalists.
“I started texting Taylor’s agent while still sitting on the bench at the game, we already knew about the options. That’s how it went with us waiting until the very last moment for Achille until everything got into place,” he said.
“The negotiations weren’t difficult because we already knew what they wanted. We had no time to be sad. We talked with Keenan and his agent during the first part of the day and then started searching for new players,” Motiejunas broke down the process.
“We spoke with Anadolu Efes and the EuroLeague.”
Virtus Segafredo Bologna were also interested in acquiring Achille Polonara but the Italian forward chose Zalgiris as his next career destination. Asked to comment on it, Motiejunas gave an example.
“He sees where the club is. His position I believe is similar to that of a Lithuanian player that seeks to come back to Lithuania – you either play in Italy as an Italian or you try to prove yourself abroad,” the Lithuanian operative told.
“We talked with him, he’s going to get his chance, and he’ll be an important member of the team together with Rolands [Smits].”
“The player decided himself but we said that we wanted to fight. We’re in a pretty decent spot in the standings. We know how important he was in Vitoria but he got a little stuck in Fenerbahce. He didn’t get his chance with Anadolu Efes.
There are many players in his position in Virtus. Having lesser competition might have been important for him,” Motiejunas explained.
Keenan Evans was playing the best season of his short EuroLeague career, averaging astounding numbers before the injury. With him sidelined for at least 6 months, the prospect of him being picked up by a richer team in the competition has significantly decreased.
Motiejunas believes the team now has a bigger chance of retaining the player who was the undisputed leader of the roster throughout the first months.
“We discussed it with his agent immediately after the surgery,” the GM shared. “We have an option in the contract and we want to see him on the roster next year but all focus now goes toward his rehab and healing.”
“We have a clear plan. We have the option of keeping him. I don’t know which option he will choose because everything becomes really complicated for him now. Nevertheless, I think our chances of retaining him for the next season are bigger,” Motiejunas was hopeful.
Zalgiris are one of the clubs that doesn’t have vast financial resources to build the roster every year. Motiejunas admitted that the club went over budget signing the two players.
“No, we do not fit the budget but we hope to continue the wave of sold-out matches and good emotions,” Motiejunas answered.
“There’s some tension but we’ll deal with it. Ticket sales are compensating [the signings], although not fully, but if we continue like this for the entire season, we’ll find a way out.”
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