Dimitris Diamantidis (out-of-the-box wing possibility)?

Gideon · Post #1 » by **Gideon** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:37 am

Diamantidis was the 2011 Euroleague MVP and is a great outside shooter/passer... he plays a point forward type game in Europe, and at 6-6 with long arms and strong defense (6-time (!) Euroleague DPOY), he would fit perfectly as a 2 in the NBA IMO. He is 31 years old, so it's probably just about now or never if he has any interest in trying the NBA.

He is currently shooting 47/46/94 and he is on a 3-year-contract that started in 2010. I don't know whether it would be possible to arrange a buy-out of the last season of that contract (or if he's even willing/interested in coming to the NBA), but waiting one more season and getting him in 2013-2014 could also be a possibility.

I first saw this guy play when the Greek National Team he starred on upset the USA in the 2006 FIBA Championships... I love how he plays... super-high BBIQ, makes everyone around him better, great touch on both shots and passes, goes 100% the whole game.

Maybe he's stated he's never coming to the NBA or there's something else I'm not aware of that makes him not worth discussing, but I've wondered for a while why he doesn't get more attention as a possible Euroleague-to-NBA difference-maker.

I think he would be perfect for the Wolves... a great fit with Ricky and Adelman, fills our position of most need, and would be a really positive influence on our young players. Anybody else think he's worth looking into/talking with?

Here's his Draft Express profile: http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Dim ... idis-5113/

VUK1 · Post #2 » by **VUK1** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:17 am

Top Player

Not sure whether he would go to the states though...

Would cost a fair bit also...

Devilzsidewalk · Post #3 » by **Devilzsidewalk** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:19 am

I"m guessing he wouldn't have re-signed w/ panathinaikos if he cared about the NBA, he'll probably retire there

Narf · Post #4 » by **Narf** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:07 am

Devilzsidewalk wrote:I"m guessing he wouldn't have re-signed w/ panathinaikos if he cared about the NBA, he'll probably retire there

Pekovic smash if not come over

Done and done

teven_1 · Post #5 » by **teven_1** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:34 am

I would take him in a heartbeat

cloudXXI · Post #6 » by **cloudXXI** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:01 pm

If wikipedia is right, he ears 10.8 million euros/year (before taxes). That´s around 14 million dolars/year. Way too expensive.

Anyway, a great player, no doubt.

lobishome · Post #7 » by **lobishome** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:14 pm

cloudXXI wrote:If wikipedia is right, he ears 10.8 million euros/year (before taxes). That´s around 14 million dolars/year. Way too expensive.

Anyway, a great player, no doubt.

I think wikipedia talks about 2000k € per year.

Wiki wrote:Due to these great individual and team successes, the president of Panathinaikos, pharmaceutical magnate Pavlos Giannakopoulos, signed Diamantidis in 2008, to a 3 year €5.7 million euros net income contract. In 2010, he renewed his contract with Panathinaikos for another 3 years, at €10.8 million euros gross income (€6 million euros net income).[

What about Spanoulis? He is 29 (30 years at August), he ends his contract at 2013 but the Greek basketball hasn't money as some years ago and he can play at PG or SG.

cloudXXI · Post #8 » by **cloudXXI** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:24 pm

Yes, you are right. It was too much.

http://www.ballineurope.com/european-ba ... ball-3298/

Narf · Post #9 » by **Narf** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 3:27 pm

It's not $10.8 mil per year. It's 10.8 euros total over the 3 years, or about 3.4 per year. After adjustment and taxes, that might be something like $7.5 mil a year?

We could sign him with our cap space.

Viljanen · Post #10 » by **Viljanen** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:59 pm

Even if he wanted, I don´t think his team would let him go.

Very very good player by the way. I guess he will be other of those great players that never wanted to try the NBA´s experience (I allways think about Dejan Bodiroga as an example of this). It´s a pity ´cause I would really had enojoyed seeing how good they would have been there.

Gideon · Post #11 » by **Gideon** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:38 pm

Viljanen wrote:Even if he wanted, I don´t think his team would let him go.

Very very good player by the way. I guess he will be other of those great players that never wanted to try the NBA´s experience (I allways think about Dejan Bodiroga as an example of this). It´s a pity ´cause I would really had enojoyed seeing how good they would have been there.

Same thing I was thinking (about how it would be great to see him in the NBA)... I believe next year is the last year on his contract. Whether he could get out of that final year or not, I have no idea, but if he couldn't, looking to arrange something that starts in 2013/2014 could also be a way to go after him.

sisibilio · Post #12 » by **sisibilio** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 2:06 pm

I don't think he has the NBA in mind.
If you're taking the euro route Shved is probably the best bet among guys who were undrafted.