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It doesn't really matter much anymore, but Bojan Bogdanovic wants everyone to know that his decision not to join the Nets wasn't really about money, but instead his desire to play for the best coach in Europe, Zeljko Obradovic, and "win something before I leave Europe." Obradovic was recently hired by Fenerbahce, Bogdanovic's Turkish team. He actively recruited Bogdanovic to stay in Turkey.
Basketball writer Igor Marinovic, like Bogdanovic, is from Mostar, Bosnia. He tweeted out a series of 140-character messages Monday explaining Bogdanovic's position. Bogdanovic added that he expects to play in the NBA "in one or two years." He and Fener are believed to be in discussions about a contract extension.
I spoke to Bojan Bogdanovic today and he wants to clarify some things regarding his choice to stay in Turkey and not to go in #BrooklynNets
— Igor Marinovic (@sofoklo13) July 15, 2013
Bogdanovic: "Financial deal and buyout to Fenerbahce weren't main issue for me to stay in Europe".
— Igor Marinovic (@sofoklo13) July 15, 2013
Bojan Bogdanovic: "I want to play for Zeljko Obradovic and to win something before leave Europe"
— Igor Marinovic (@sofoklo13) July 15, 2013
Bogdanovic: "I don't know if I will play in NBA in one or two years, but next season I'm all Fenerbahce".
— Igor Marinovic (@sofoklo13) July 15, 2013
That seems to conflict with what Billy King told Ian O'Connor Sunday: that the deal didn't go through because Bogdanovic "tried to get his buyout reduced, but couldn't." It was the first time King reported what had been rumored, that the problem was Fenerbahce's refusal to lower the Croatian's $2 million buyout.
The Nets of course moved on to "Plan B" after Bogdanovic, for whatever reason, wasn't willing to join the Nets. "Plan B" quickly became "Plan A+" as one team insider put it when Andrei Kirilenko agreed to a two year deal that's about $3 million cheaper than Bogdanovic's propose deal.
The Nets retain Bogdanovic's rights.