Anadolu Efes has been one of the most fun teams to watch despite injuries and a relatively poor record with just 12 wins in 28 games. They are barely outside the play-in, and they still have the chance to make the postseason in the final 6 games of the EuroLeague regular season.
Efes have gone through a lot this season so a full-scale rebuild might be unwise. The team faced an enormous amount of injuries during the first months of the season playing almost in every game undermanned. The Turkish giants opted to change coach mid-season, firing Erdem Can after a heavy loss to Zalgiris Kaunas.
Since then, Efes won 3 of the 4 games under Tomislav Mijatovic who was upgraded to head coach after the departure of Erdem Can. The Turkish club has been starring an explosive offensive but a pretty poor defense that is hurting them especially in the EuroLeague. They have allowing 87.9 points per game lacking the much-needed size in the guard and center position.
They have been the worst team in defensive efficiency, allowing 120.8 points, while this number goes up to 126.0 points per 100 possessions on the road. That said, the Turkish club is registering explosive numbers in offense all season and especially under Tomislav Mijatovic. They have been averaging 95.7 points per game since February scoring 100+ points on two occasions.
Offense is unstoppable but you have to be capable to be at least respectable on the defensive end to create separation and get more wins in the long run. The team might opt to do some personnel changes after the season as they remain a very dominant team in the Turkish BSL with 19 wins in 22 games and they might be the favorites to win the league in June.
The contracts and free agent situation for Efes
Efes will head in the offseason having at hand important decisions to make, including the future of the superstar guard Shane Larkin. Larkin is a huge part of Efes’ success in the offensive end even without Vasilije Micic who moved to the NBA last summer. That said, Larkin’s contract is expiring this summer and there’s no word on the intention of the player and club or any word on potential negotiations between the sides.
When he signed a deal with Anadolu Efes on summer 2022, there was interest from the NBA with the Washington Wizards being among the teams that sought a potential deal with the star guard. However, Larkin elected to remain in Turkey after a successful stint with the club between 2018-2022. It remains to be seen if Larkin will explore his options this summer, or he remains in Europe with Efes or another European club.
Two more players are on an expiring deal without an option ahead of the offseason with Tibor Pleiss and Will Clyburn being the most notable names. Both players have seen injuries limiting their time on the court with Pleiss making 16 appearances so far and Clyburn registering 18 games. The American forward joined Efes on a 2-year deal on huge expectations in 2022.
However, the former EuroLeague Final-4 MVP hasn’t found his usual self playing for the Turkish side. His scoring efficiency is down (51.9% EFG%) and his playmaking, which was one of his primary selling points during his time with CSKA Moscow also fell off a cliff. He’s averaging 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest and Efes have a 9-9 record in the 18 games he played.
The ability to remain healthy will play a huge role for the veteran star forward and Efes will have to make a decision on if he can be available and work well in the current system. Let’s not forget that Efes is in danger of not making the playoffs for the second consecutive season after its dynastic run between 2017-2022.
In any case, Efes has many important decisions to make after the season ends, let’s see if the front office can right the ship and bring the team back to contention.
