ACB teams struggle without centers in the EuroLeague

Price inflation in the Euroleague transfer market has created an unsustainable situation for Spanish teams. The emergence of new economic superpowers and the increased investment from entities like Panathinaikos have skyrocketed the amount of money flowing in. 

Although Valencia Basket has generated significant income from the sale of buyout clauses for its stars, these earnings do not offset the widespread increase in costs. Players at all positions are significantly more expensive, both in buyouts and salaries, but the most pressured market is for big men, where scarcity is particularly pronounced across Europe.

Centers, the European headache

Centers have been the major problem for Euroleague teams this summer. The need for reinforcements in the paint across much of Europe has intensified, and many teams have moved vigorously. Even players who had lost prominence have seen their value increase. Milutinov, for example, has transitioned from a secondary role to being a cornerstone of his team. For ACB teams, the difficulties have been immense. These teams find themselves one step below the major economic superpowers in European competition, which has severely undermined their ability to sign players. While the perimeter situation has not been particularly dire, the paint has been greatly affected.

The Spaniards have had to take advantage of opportunities that have opened up for them. Faced with the impossibility of accessing top-tier centers, they have opted for players with uncertainties, coming from the NBA in valleys of performance or from less-known leagues. This reactive approach defines the strategy of the four main Spanish teams in the continental competition.

Baskonia, the drama of Spanish paint

The paint of Baskonia represents the greatest Spanish drama in the context of Euroleague. The Vitorians parted ways with Khalifa Diop after losing Omoruyi and Diakité. Only Kenneth Faried, at 37 years old, has joined the organization, a signing that has not clicked, including the setback with Alex Len. Now it seems they will add Marcio Santos, but the veteran center got injured against Valencia Basket. For Paolo Galbiati, the context is truly adverse.

The results for the Vitorians have been negative in the European circuit. Although they salvaged the ACB match thanks to a surprising comeback, in Euroleague they consistently struggle to protect their rebounding. The defensive area is a desert that the Baskonia players suffer through in every match. Against Olympiacos, they were scored on very easily in the paint and were dominated on the boards. Against Valencia Basket, they tried to close off to compensate for their inferiority but received a harsh lesson in the form of successful three-point shooting. The significance of the problem is multifactorial and affects all aspects of the game.

Barça Basket: between bad luck and doubts

The interior line of Barça Basket has been one of the main headaches for the team. The departure of Moses Wright without debuting shook the entire project. Supposedly, a top-tier center was to replace him, but that never happened, considering Makoundou another profile. Furthermore, Josh Nebo, the player who would be the main interior reference, is very prone to injuries. With him sidelined, many question the extent to which it is bad luck or a lack of foresight.

Olek Balcerowski is carrying the weight for the Catalans in the paint, but it didn’t stop Dubai BC from occasionally overwhelming the blue and garnet team. Barça Basket has not been able to incorporate any truly established players. Josh Nebo was the gamble on a player with a history of injuries, the Polish player came from underperforming in Panathinaikos and Unicaja, and Makoundou was on loan in China. Nothing compared to high-level centers like Valanciunas, Milutinov, Kabengele, or Lessort, established references in European basketball.

Real Madrid: the exhaustion of Tavares

The paint of Real Madrid Baloncesto has been a topic of debate for some time. Edy Tavares has pulled the team out of tight spots for years, but the minutes taken season after season are taking their toll on a veteran player. Neither Ibaka, Bruno Fernando, Alex Len, Garuba, nor Almansa have completed the task of giving the Cape Verdean a breather. From those new interior signings, a replacement should emerge, sooner or later, for when the giant from Cape Verde is unavailable.

This summer, they were once again trying to close a quality five, but even a budget like that of Real Madrid Baloncesto has not allowed them to add a proven center at the highest level of Euroleague. The arrivals for the paint have been significant, but they are still players with little experience in European basketball. It remains to be seen how Damian Jones and Olivier Sarr perform. The Frenchman is possibly the biggest disappointment so far. Again, no established star from the Euroleague, more bets than certainties.

Valencia Basket: seizing opportunities

Valencia Basket, like the rest of the ACB teams competing in Euroleague, has had to make bets in a complex market to reinforce their interior play. Neal Sako is their purest center, especially after the possible departure of Sima. Jasiel Rivero and Dylan Osetkowski can also step in, especially knowing that mobile big men work very well with the dynamic taronja style.

The arrivals of Dylan Osetkowski and Jasiel Rivero come with very particular contexts. The Cuban previously left the club through the back door. He arrived in the capital of Turia with a temporary contract and has ended up earning a spot, seeming likely to renew, but he was not a guaranteed reinforcement from the start. The German-American has recently experienced a complicated period in his career following a suspension. Moves in and out marked his last campaign, but this circumstance definitively shaped his summer.

The tactic as a temporary solution

The playbook takes on even greater importance when it comes to covering the weaknesses that the roster may have. The three ACB coaches have been thinking about how to prevent their particular problems in the paint from becoming evident. With varying degrees of luck, they have tried to maximize the virtues of their members.

Real Madrid and Valencia: pace and Iverson system

The arrival of Pedro Martínez has 'Valencianized' Real Madrid Baloncesto, while Xavi Albert has maintained a continuity line in Valencia Basket. Both teams have been betting heavily on pace and many situations involving the Iverson system in half-court play. With this, they empty the paint from opposing interiors. In the case of the taronjas, it has yielded good results, while the Madrid team faces the dilemma of whether it is good to move Tavares away from the basket so much. The opposing interior game tends to be more dominant, and in both cases, they are trying to clear the area for penetrators.

Barça and Baskonia: power forwards and fast breaks

Barça Basket and Baskonia have had to face many minutes with power forwards at center. Both teams are trying to loosen the game and turn it into fast breaks where more mobile pieces can punish the opponent’s centers on the run. The main difference is that the Catalans have found some security playing systems like the Spain Pick and Roll. This system moves the opponent's big men away to penetrate the open side and blocks them from dropping into the paint.

The Vitorians, on the other hand, are completely stuck in half-court play. Paolo Galbiati's team seems only able to score on the fast break, a tactical limitation that reflects the magnitude of their structural problems in the paint. The solutions involve completely rethinking their offensive and defensive approach in the Euroleague.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los equipos ACB luchan sin pívots en Euroliga