Looking ahead: Is it finally time for Milos Teodosic to join the Memphis Grizzlies?

Milos Teodosic is on everyone’s radar following Serbia’s run in the Rio Olympics. Memphis has had their eye on him for much longer than the past two weeks. Is the backup point guard spot for the Grizzlies about to get much stronger?

It was just before the 2013  when the Memphis Grizzlies first tried to lure Milos Teodosic to the NBA. Then 26, the blossoming Serbian star point guard turned down a 2-year/$5M offer to back up Mike Conley. He opted instead to sign a 4-year deal with CSKA Moscow in the Euroleague. Three years later at the Rio Olympics, Teodosic has reminded everyone why why Memphis was interested in him in the first place.

Teodosic has shown a flair for the dramatic, a knack for making play, and has drawn comparisons to everyone from Jeremy Lin to former Grizzly Jason Williams. Like both of those players, Teodosic has cultivated a fan base through his swagger and unorthodox approach on the court. Fans and scouts alike talk about his unabashed confidence and awkward effectiveness in equal measure. The scouting of European players has improved in recent years, so what does Memphis know now that it didn’t prior to 2013?

Qualified for the job

Gone are the days of the United States having a stranglehold on the world’s best basketball. The last four Olympic games have taught the world that the international version of the sport is constantly evolving, catching up to, and influencing the American version. Players like Teodosic are a big reason why.

Playing “good, fundamental basketball” has been a backhanded compliment used to describe European players for more than a generation. Substance is more important than style internationally, or so we are led to believe. Teodosic doesn’t buy in to that. He is sometimes called “The Magician” while playing for CSKA Moscow, which should tell you everything you need to know about his flair for the dramatic. Teodosic has earned the aforementioned comparisons to Jason Williams with no look passes, overhand passes, underhand passes and thread-the-needle passes.

He’s not a bad shooter, either. Over the last two seasons, Teodosic has shot 45 percent from the floor, nearly 42 percent from 3, and has an effective field goal percentage of nearly 58 percent. All of those numbers are as good or better than Mike Conley’s. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to make an argument that Teodosic is better than or even as good as Conley, I’m simply trying to illustrate that he’s more than good enough to play in the NBA.

Don’t take my word for it, though. Teodosic has already proven it with a 26 point, nine assist performance against the Timberwolves during 2013’s preseason. He’s not afraid to take to the lane and he showed an ability to drain 3s from two steps behind the line three years ago.

Winners win

Pete Maravich remains a polarizing figure decades after his career ended because of the fact that his teams never sniffed a championship despite his overwhelming statistical greatness. Telling you that Teodosic can play basketball at a high level against the world’s best competition rings a little hollow if he falls in the same category as Maravich – highlight reel players with no other accomplishments.

Fear not. Teodosic has won at every level of basketball. He led Olympiacos to back-to-back Greek Cup championships in 2010 and 2011. He followed that by leading CSKA Moscow to championships in both the Russian League and the VTB United League in 2012 and 2013. Three more VTB United championships followed in 2014, 2015, and 2016 for an incredible five straight titles under Teodosic’s tenure as point guard. This year, CSKA Moscow finally broke through after four straight final four appearances to win a Euroleague championship as well. As Teodosic has matured and improved, so have his teams.

Winning in the NBA is much different than winning in Europe, but winning in general is a learned skill. Some players never master it. Teodosic’s run through the Rio 2016 Olympics (including a razor thin loss to the United States and a silver medal for Serbia) proves that he has a firm grasp on what it takes to win, whether moment by moment or season by season.

Obstacles to overcome

There are two major problems that prevent Teodosic from joining the Memphis Grizzlies. The first is his contract with CSKA Moscow. There are no “NBA outs” written into the contract, which means Teodosic would be responsible for $1.9M of his $2.5M salary with CSKA Moscow. The earliest that Teodosic could sign with Memphis or any other NBA team would be the summer of 2017 unless he wants to dig deep into his own pockets.

The second issue is money. The Grizzlies currently have $80.2M tied up in four players: Conley, Parsons, Gasol, and Randolph. They are well over the $94M salary cap for the league, though they’ll get some relief next year. In 2017, almost $20M drops off with Z-Bo, Tony Allen, and Vince Carter’s deals all expiring. Teodosic, as mentioned, is making about $2.5M in Russia. For a 30 year old point guard with good size (6’5″, 190 lbs.) and a proven ability to play against the league’s best talent, the price tag isn’t going to be cheap. Even without the CSKA Moscow contract barrier in place, Memphis couldn’t afford Teodosic this year unless it made a trade to clear cap space.

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2017 outlook

There is urgency on both sides to make something happen. While there is hope for Wade Baldwin IV behind Conley, there is absolutely no guarantee that Andrew Harrison is an NBA quality point guard. Memphis needs help at the most important position on the floor. Teodosic’s window of opportunity is closing. He is 29 years old, with a few short years of his prime left in front of him.

Conley and Chandler Parsons are ready to win now. Allen, Randolph, and Carter are all going to be on the wrong side of 35 by the all star break. Marc Gasol’s health remains a mystery. The remainder of the Memphis roster is unproven at the high level of basketball that the Western Conference demands and that their fans have come to expect.

Memphis needs another proven play maker. Mike Conley can’t play 48 minutes every night. ESPN’s Marc Stein reports that when asked  if playing in the NBA was still a goal, Teodosic responded “It was a long time ago.” Memphis and Milos Teodosic are made for each other. They’re just going to have to wait one more year.