Milos Teodosic: “I will go to the NBA for sure”

Over the last 12 months, Serbian point guard Milos Teodosic has been perhaps the best basketball player in the world outside of the NBA. Since January of 2016, Teodosic has led his Russian club, CSKA Moscow, to a Euroleague title, led Serbia to the gold medal game of the 2016 Rio Olympics, and in 2016-2017 has CSKA Moscow on target to make their sixth consecutive Euroleague Final 4 since he joined the squad.

Teodosic has already won a Euroleague MVP in 2010, and at 29-years old, appears to be the favorite to win his second this season, averaging 16.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game. He’s kept CSKA humming atop the standings even as they’ve been missing last year’s MVP, Nando De Colo, due to injury.

Teodosic has long been a player on NBA radars. He flirted with a contract offer from the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013, and last summer was briefly courted by the Brooklyn Nets, although those overtures never really went anywhere. The NBA has long been a dream for him, and he came out and said as much in an interview this week with Mozzartsport.

"2016 was my best year. I will go to the NBA for sure, but I still don’t know when, in which club and on what terms. We’ll see. CSKA Moscow certainly has an advantage in the negotiations of a new contract…I like to play and I don’t like to sit on the bench and I would not agree to any contract if I have to sit on the bench. This is my condition for going to the NBA.”"

For Teodosic, jumping to the NBA would be a no-brainer. He’ll be a free agent this summer, free to explore his options without the complication of a buyout. He’s also accomplished nearly everything you can at the European level: Euroleague champion and MVP (possibly twice after this season), two-time VTB League MVP, two-time Greek Cup MVP, and five All-Euroleague team nominations. At this point, Teodosic has solidified his reputation as one of the top three or four European players of this generation. Setting sights on a new challenge as he walks into the last few years of his prime makes sense.

He has been adamant about coming over into the right situation, though, as he has the right to be. Teodosic wants no part of being the eighth or ninth man on a team, resigned to a bit role as guys like Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Davis Bertans have been after coming to the NBA last summer. Teodosic wants to join the NBA, but he also appears more than comfortable with his high-salary gig as Europe’s craftiest point guard on a perennial titan.

As for the NBA side of things, Teodosic is going to get interest this summer. He would fit in on many teams as a strong facilitator and spot-up option, and his fit would be similar to that of Sergio Rodriguez in Philadelphia on an up-and-coming team. He also could make sense as a more potent sixth man, as your first guard off the bench that can give you a second steady hand with the ball. The biggest red flag for Teodosic is defense, as his quickness and effort level will result in some matador play from time to time. A strong defensive team would likely be the best fit in this regard.

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Sources tell The Step Back that the Utah Jazz are a team that’s very interested in Teodosic, and that’s a team that would make sense for him, given their fluid situation at point guard with George Hill hitting free agency this summer. A team like Milwaukee, who needs a secondary creator that can buoy their non-Giannis lineups, or Charlotte, who could benefit from the creativity he provides, could also jump into the mix, if willing to commit to giving Teodosic a big role.

Teodosic has proven all that he can at the Euroleague level, and now appears to have his sights set on the NBA in his near future. He only will have so many more chances at coming over, so his pending free agency is sure to be a dramatic one, with both Euroleague and NBA clubs fighting for his services. One thing is for certain, though — Teodosic is ready for that step if the situation is right.