RealGM

Lucas Nogueira has made the decision to leave Spanish club Estudiantes this summer and either sign with the Atlanta Hawks or with a Euroleague team. Encestando - See more at: http://hoopshype.com/rumors/tag/lucas_n ... WkFLE.dpuf

Still waiting for an English translation of the original story found HERE

Hawks 2013 first-round pick Lucas Nogueira has decided to leave his Spanish league team and either play for Atlanta or another European team next season, reports Javier Maestro of Encestando (translation via Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype). Nogueira still has a year left on his contract with Asefa Estudiantes of Spain, but his NBA buyout is $600K, which is precisely the maximum amount NBA teams are allowed to pay next season to cover a buyout from an international club without any money counting toward the cap.

This sounds like a power play by his agent for either more money from the NBA or more playing time from another league.

I don't think it's a coincidence that this is announced directly following D Ferry and Coach Bud going to see Lucas play in person this week.

Yeah Nogueira has made it perfectly clear that he wants to play here. I don't necessarily like the stunts he's pulling though. Maybe I have the situation misread, but suspending his contract and now making public his desire to wanting out of Estudiantes doesn't seem like a guy that is committed to growing within a system. Will that change when he gets here? Maybe, but it's a legit ? for me.

Jamaaliver wrote:This sounds like a power play by his agent for either more money from the NBA or more playing time from another league

It looks more like he wants to play against bigger and harder players.
He doesn't necessary need to change of league, but wants to play for a team playing in Euroleague.
It can still be a Spanish team, or Russian, or Italian, French,... but one of the best in its national league since only the best team of each national league are also playing in Euroleague. The following teams are playing in Eurocup, and the following are not playing any European league, only their national.

The best big men are in the best national teams, so are also playing in Euroleague.

Hawks’ first-round draft pick Lucas Nogueira is currently working out in Atlanta following the end of his Spanish League season last month. He has been joined by fellow 2013 draftees Dennis Schroder and Mike Muscala and a rotating cast of Hawks veterans.
Nogueira is expected to spend much of his offseason in Atlanta but may also work out in Los Angeles.

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/basketball/nogueira-working-out-in-atlanta/ngKyZ/

It'll be interesting to see how he looks in Summer League. I feel like we are so very much on the precipice of a full on rebuild. We might need to rely heavily on all three of these guys next season.