Barcelona acquires shooting guard Kevin Punter | Basketball | Sports

The resounding defeats against Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Endesa League, also a discreet third place in the ACB and the derailment on the way to the Final Four of the Euroleague were a hard slap for Barcelona to swallow. They had not drawn a blank for four years and their checkbook suggests much more, although from one year to the next the salary bill was reduced by 20%, disrupting the project – without coach Jasikevicius or franchise player Mirotic – to the point what was called the transition year. But the drought was not counted on. Therefore, Juan Carlos Navarro, manager of culé basketball, already warned that there would be changes, that another setback could not be allowed. The coach, Roger Grimau, was singled out—who accepted the fiasco and was publicly reprimanded—and also part of the locker room, which was uncompetitive and snubbed towards the coaching staff. As happened with Kalinic or Jokubaitis. All of them are already on the exit ramp, a path that Grimau already covered, fired and relieved by Joan Peñarroya. Thus, the locker room will be beautifully renovated and it is already known that Kevin Punter (New York, United States; 31 years old) has his number for next year.

It happens that this Barça is not yet the one of the first elections, since Xavi Pascual was wanted on the bench – the economic difference that existed between both parties was such that not even an offer was made – and as a guard they negotiated with Mario Hezonja, every time that the player agreed to sign a pre-contract that was left in the dark after some declarations of love for Madrid, his club, the consequent anger of the Barça basketball area and the definitive reversal of a Hezonja who let himself be loved to renew white. From Barça, in any case, they assure that Punter was an old claim, since last year he was one step away from going to the Palau, negotiations broken at the last minute because Partizan broke the bank – the best contract ever seen in the country. and Barça did not reach the counteroffer. A year later, however, Punter is close to the figures he wanted and arrives free to the Barça club to sign for a year.

Shooting guard with many points in his hands, protagonist when the game gets heated, Punter arrives to reinforce the three-point shot, also capable of playing as a point guard. “We have wanted him for a long time and the team improves with him,” the Barça entity resolves; “That is the idea, that those who arrive are important pieces and not complements.” Punter, for example, has earned his name, even though he has not had a typical career. Discarded in the 2017 NBA draft and after playing in the Summer Leagues with the Timberwolves, the shooting guard decided to cross the pond to try his fortune. He started in modest teams such as the Greek Lavrio, the Belgian Antwerp and the Polish Rosa Randon. In crescendo permanently, he reached AEK Athens, Virtus Bologna, Olympiacos, Red Star, Olimpia Milan and, finally, Partizan Belgrade. The numbers define him, since he has played 124 games in the Euroleague with an average of 14.5 points, two assists and a PIR of 12.6 with a 39.3% success rate in triples. He won’t be the last to arrive.

With Kalinic close to Red Star and with Jokubaitis choosing a team, Barça also does not have Nnaji or Da Silva, who is flirting with Bayern Munich. Therefore, from the sports area they strive to expedite the signings with centimeters, a small forward and a power forward. On the one hand, Barça is trying to close the operation with Jaron Blossomgame (Monaco), of recognized quality. It remains to be seen who he signs as a four, someone who will dispute the position of Parker, the revelation of the season. Likewise, it is not clear that Ricky Rubio is still at Barcelona, ​​since it remains to be seen if he continues with the orange ball in his hands after resigning from the national team to take some time to reflect, now also tempted by Joventut de Badalona, the club that formed him. Therefore, Barça awaits Juan Núñez, who has enlisted in the draft of the NBA waiting to know what position he is in, since it is known that if he continues in Europe (this season he has played for the German Ratiopharm Ulm) his future would be at the Palau Blaugrana. Núñez has his past in Madrid, as he trained him until he made the leap. Hezonja also had bridges with Barça, because before going to the NBA and Madrid he wore the Barça shirt. And even Punter has a connection with the whites, although on this occasion it is more of an insult, since he was in the brawl two years ago in the Euroleague quarterfinals between Partizan and Madrid, sanctioned with two games for being in the fray with Llull and Yabusele. From this year he will be able to argue with the archenemy with the ball in his hands and, incidentally, with the Barça shirt on.

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