/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49684259/usa-today-9197658.0.jpg)
Sergey Karasev's father, named coach of the year in the Russian league, was interviewed Tuesday by Izvestia, the Russian newspaper, and was asked about his son's future. Vasily Karasev said that his son will no longer play for the Nets but is open to offers from both NBA and European clubs.
Here's the exchange, as machine translated...
- Is there any information about the future of your son Sergey Karasev, after the end of the contract with the "Brooklyn Nets"?
- He's all right, he plays tennis, preparing for the new season. We are waiting for offers from clubs. It is difficult to say where he will continue his career.
- The priority of the NBA clubs or variants are possible in Europe?
- I would not rule out any options. If there was a serious proposal from the European club that will fight for the title next season, all things are possible. One thing for sure. Sergey will no longer play for Brooklyn.
In November, Vasily Karasev, who coached his son as a teenager in Russia, complained publicly that Sergey was not getting enough minutes from Lionel Hollins and wanted to be traded. Sergey had just come off serious knee surgery and he promised, "a new Sergey." But the Nets had decided in October that they would not exercise his team option for the 2016-17 season, making him a free agent this summer.
The younger Karasev denied his father's claim back then and for a short period, he saw more minutes. He also saw some time near the end of the season. He finished with season averages of 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10 minutes per game. The Nets third youngest player, at 22, Karasev had been drafted at No. 19 by Cleveland in the 2013 NBA Draft. He came to the Nets in 2014 along with Jarrett Jack in a trade for Marcus Thornton. The Nets ownership had hoped he would develop into a rotation player.
As Vasily Karasev reports, Sergey Karasev has been playing tennis of late, not working out in Brooklyn.