Tornike Shengelia will be one of the most wanted players during free agency, and in this article, we look at the top 3 destinations for him.
Tornike Shengelia signed a 2+1 contract with Virtus in 2022, and there is a possibility that he may leave the club during the upcoming free agency. With the quality he brings, all EuroLeague clubs are aware of how much the Georgian would improve their power forward position and the entire team.
This season, he had a brief hiatus of about 15 days due to a back injury. During that interval, Virtus only managed one win (against Asvel), while suffering defeats against Fenerbahce and Barcelona. Tornike Shengelia is undeniably the most important piece of the puzzle for the Italian powerhouse in Luca Banchi’s mosaic.
On average, he has been scoring 14.5 points with five rebounds and 3.4 assists. His average Performance Index Rating (PIR) is 17.6, but beyond statistical parameters, everyone is aware of his contributions at both ends of the court.
According to Basketball Sphere sources, it is not expected that Tornike Shengelia will extend his collaboration with Virtus, and the club from Bologna is most likely facing a some kind of rebuild in the summer.
Top 3 destinations for Tornike Shengelia the next season are:
Barcelona
Barcelona is definitely weakened at the power forward position with the departure of Nikola Mirotic. Jabari Parker has certainly performed up to expectations, but Oscar da Silva has not met desired level. Considering the quality they possess throughout the team, one of Barcelona’s focuses during the summer will be to strengthen the power forward position.
Tornike Shengelia is one of the best players in the EuroLeague, and there is no doubt that he would drastically improve Barcelona on both ends of the floor. Moreover, having played six years for Baskonia, he is more than familiar with the situation in Spanish basketball, so he wouldn’t need any adaptation period. By joining Barcelona, Shengelia would play for a team capable of winning the EuroLeague, and the Catalans would acquire one of the best players at his position in Europe.
Anadolu Efes
Anadolu Efes is still in the race to secure a spot in the EuroLeague playoffs this season, but they are definitely not at the level they would like to be. Under the leadership of Ergin Ataman, they have been among the top teams in European basketball for five years, but the last two seasons have been below expectations. Therefore, it is expected that they will make a lot of changes during the summer. It is already mentioned that Xavi Pascual could be the next head coach, but in any case, significant roster changes will follow.
The power forward position is one of the areas where Anadolu Efes is weakest, and besides Derek Willis, they don’t have a proper option. The Turkish basketball giant could benefit from a power forward who excels in one-on-one play on low post, and there are not many better options than Tornike Shengelia in that regard. Although he is 32 years old, the current member of Virtus is still capable of playing at a high level, and there is no doubt that Anadolu Efes will be one of the interested teams. And they are one of the few who can afford to pay Shengelia.
Virtus
Although it’s most realistic that Tornike Shengelia changes team after a brilliant season, ruling out staying with Virtus definitively wouldn’t be wise. It’s clear that Virtus cannot find a better option than the Georgian on the market, but the question remains whether they can financially compete with some of the top European clubs?
Shengelia has repeatedly emphasized how great he feels at Bologna and truly is the leader of this team. He’s beloved by the fans, and everything revolves around him. Such a status surely wouldn’t be guaranteed in clubs like Barcelona and Anadolu Efes. Through his commitment to the national team, he has shown loyalty many times, and by staying with Virtus, he would cement his place in the club’s legends. Considering the rich history of Virtus, that’s definitely not a small feat.