Freezing preparations for next season as the rest of the team grows stronger • Dependency on the audience causing financial uncertainty • And the fact that it still plays in the league • The Euroleague top teams open gaps from TAs and those below it • Light spot: existing base

• Wilbkin and Hunter. The existing foundation remains

  Photo: 

  Audio citation

Maccabi Tel Aviv was one of the first teams to take care of next season. Between mid-December and early February, the Yellows made significant strides, such as extending the contracts of coach Janis Sparopoulos, Scotty Wilbkin and Othello Hunter.

The uncertainty about this season's financial damage and financial preparedness for next season put Maccabi in "Hold," as half of its budget is built on revenue from subscription and ticket sales, and no one knows if and when will allow for a game audience. This should be added to the fact that Maccabi is the only Euroleague team still playing in the local league.

The Israeli champion has built a potential for the Final Four group this season, but according to what's been going on so far, it doesn't seem like she will be able to simply restore it next season. The gaps between the yellows and the top of the Euroleague have increased, and the price of the Corona crisis may well be that Maccabi will step back.

Despite the difficulties and the uncertainty, the European players market is awake and very active. Maccabi's problem, right from the first part of the transfer window, is twofold: the top teams run away from it and groups that were below the table or those who failed this season (like Milan and Penerbacha) close it or bypass it in the round. 

For example, suburbs of the past season such as St. Petersburg are getting stronger, and even a group like Panathinaikus, which is suffering from financial problems and dealing with managerial fog, is already building itself.

According to various reports, actors Maccabi has seen as candidates, such as Dashon Pierre (signed in Penerbahce), Ante Zhizhic (concluded in Real Madrid) and Lorenzo Brown (on the way to Penerbahce), have already found a new home. With the exception of Bayern Munich, all Euroleague groups have already operated in the transfer market, some of them massively. Maccabi is waiting for the circumstances, but the market is not waiting for it.

For groups that are much less dependent on the crowd (CSCA Moscow), for those who rely on football clubs (Barcelona and Real Madrid) or for those who enjoy Giorgio Armani (Milan) style owners, it is much easier to operate in existing market conditions, but not only And the others also perform intense activities.

Postponing the season's opening will only help

Majorities are significantly strengthened. Barcelona, ​​on the spoils of its stars, brought in Nick Clathes; CSKA landed Tokyo Toco and Nicola Milotinov, left Mike James and Will Claiborne returning from injury; Real needs to make sure Pecondo Campazzo stays and make adjustments (Zhizhic); Her break - aims to preserve her excellent faculty led by Shane Larkin.

The teams that looked at Maccabi from the bottom also make significant strides. Milan rioted in a sparkling procurement campaign that included Kyle Haines, Malcolm Delaney, Zach Lyday, Shevon Shields, and Kevin Panter. Penerbakhce recovered quickly from the departure of Jalimir Overdovich and the economic slump, worried about leaving Nando de Colo and Jan Wesley and already signed four players. 

A table center group like Valencia also made two quality signings in the form of Derrick Williams and Antony Gill. Zenit St. Petersburg, which closed the table before the Euroleague cessation, has so far provided four proper signings - Kevin Pangos, Arthuras Gooditas, Alex Poethers and Casey Rivers.

The advantage of Maccabi is the fact that it does not have to rebuild itself. She has a signed coach for next season and a good player base led by big star Scottie Wilbkin. Therefore, it does not need a revolution, but to improve, upgrade and deepen what it already has. Although she was late for the train, she could still get on the next train and arrive on time.

The Yellows, who are worried about fans, released a reassurance message on Thursday, stating that there is a coach and eight signed players, mentioning that the team is still playing and promised: "The coach and professional staff are working hard to complete the roster for next season." 

Last week, in Israel Today, we announced an initiative by several groups to delay the opening of the Euroleague in December, due to quite a few operational difficulties. It is still unclear whether this will come to fruition, but it seems that such rejection may only help.