Did CSKA up its offer to Teodosic?

The Nets have competition for Milos Teodosic and it isn’t in the NBA. That’s been known but there are conflicting reports out of Europe about how serious CSKA Moscow is about keeping the Serbian point guard.

According to the Italian sports site, Planeta Basket, CSKA Moscow, Teodosic’s long-time home, has upped its offer to him.

CSKA Moscow intends to keep Milos Teodosic close, even at the cost of covering him with gold. The Serbian star has repeatedly declared that he is ready to try the big jump overseas, with the desire to try the NBA which he has never had the opportunity to taste. The Russian club, however, is not ready to separate itself from its jewel, so their intention is to offer Teodosic a five-year contract of 30 million euros, about 6 million net per season. At the end of the contract, the Moscow society would like to entrust Serbian with an important role as a leader.

But David Pick, who has broke several stories about NBA interest in Teodosic, says the report is wrong, that there is only one offer, for three years.

Earlier this week, Eurohoops.net, the official blog of the Euroleague, reported the office was $13.5 million over three. In fact, even that number may be too high. TASS, the Russian news agency, reported last week that CSKA President Andrei Vatutin told their reporter, "We want his decision as soon as possible." One possible reason for the urgency, NBA clubs can start bidding soon and CSKA doesn’t want to get into a bidding war, which they would surely lose.

Under NBA rules, teams can only offer contracts on July 1 although there are often handshake deals with agents before that. European basketball writer David Pick has said he expects Teodosic would require an NBA package of between $25 and $30 million over three years.

Ironically, CSKA was owned by Mikhail Prokhorov for a decade before the team was sold as part of 2008 divestiture of his interest in a nickel company. The team went with the nickel company. Under Prokhorov, CSKA won two Euroleague championships and nine Russian league titles.

Teodosic, who led CSKA to the Russian League crown this week, is either the Nets top free agent target, having been the subject of multiple scouting trips to Moscow and elsewhere in Europe. The Heat and Kings are also reportedly interested.

• Nets won’t get added obstacle from Russia for free-agent target - Brian Lewis - New York Post