Former Žalgiris player spoke about his negotiations with NBA clubs and revealed that the “Chicago Bulls” were one of the most realistic career stops on that side of the Atlantic.
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“Yes, there were free spots in the NBA, in at least five or six teams, many offered guaranteed two-year contracts. I had the opportunity to join the Chicago Bulls, but the deal they wanted to make got stuck because the NBA was all waiting for LeBron James’ decision. However, my deadline ended on July 20, and LeBron signed the contract… four days later.”
We remind you that July 20 was the last day to take advantage of the exit option from ASVEL.
“So that’s when all the teams really started working with players, making more trades. It’s a pity,” admitted S. Francisco.
“I was, let’s say, a bit upset. But this is something I cannot control. In the end, maybe it’s for the best, I’m staying in Europe.”
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After the financial situation changed at ASVEL, S. Francisco landed in Athens.
“I didn’t understand how I had to deal with this situation with ASVEL. So I let my agents take care of it. Let’s say it was a bit difficult. When the French financial institutions come, and they are so strict, it’s complicated. The project we were carrying out with ASVEL was very interesting.
With the team we would have had, we could have achieved something already in the first year, and later become a big, respected team capable of making the playoffs and the EuroLeague Final Four.”
S. Francisco was looking for a way out when it became clear that Tony Parker’s plan had failed:
“When we found out that ASVEL would need time to finalize the budget, I told my agents: ‘we have to leave.’ I think we had a good talk with Tony – he was honest about this matter. He worked a lot, wanted to act fairly, but there are things that cannot be controlled. The process took a little longer, and I decided it was time to leave.”
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