After being linked to the Denver Nuggets in late offseason trade rumors, Charlotte Hornets point guard Vasilije Micic tells reporters in Belgrade, “I am staying in Charlotte. That is official.” (h/t Eurohoops’ Johnny Askounis).
“All these rumors out there, I did not want to comment until something concrete,” he adds. “Probably, there was some interest, but nothing contract enough for me to comment. I am happy they want me here and I think the next season will be more productive for me.”
Hornets’ Vasilije Micic Talks Trade Rumors, Teaming With Nikola Jokic
Last season, the Hornets acquired Micic as part of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s trade package for Gordon Hayward. Tre Mann, Davis Bertans, two second-round picks and cash also changed hands as Charlotte moved off of the do-it-all forward.
In retrospect, the trade was lopsided.
Hayward wasn’t able to find his footing in Oklahoma and announced his retirement after the season. Meanwhile, Mann and Micic excelled in Charlotte while Bertans showed enough to get a look from the Golden State Warriors this offseason. In addition, they’ve already used one of those second-rounders to draft KJ Simpson, one of the best point guards in college last season.
Nonetheless, the 30-year-old isn’t exactly a perfect match for the young Hornets. To that point, nine of Charlotte’s players —three-fifths of their 15-man roster —are 25 years old or younger. Their two two-way players —Simpson and Moussa Diabate —are as well.
Micic’s Value To The Hornets
Young teams often want older players to step up as leaders, no matter what their on-court role is.
As a result, Micic could be valued simply because of his perspective and experience. Though he’s only played one season in the NBA, he’s a two-time EuroLeague champion, four-time EuroLeague Final Four MVP, and the 2021 EuroLeague MVP. He’s also won two EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer awards and the 2022 EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy.
Micic’s not just some older player who can provide words of wisdom though. He’s not just one of the EuroLeague’s most decorated players. The crafty floor general can actually ball at the NBA level. After being traded to the Hornets, he averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 assists per game. In March, he averaged 13.4 points and 6.4 assists per game in what was his best month of the season.
Of course, this is one reason that the Nuggets may have held interest in him. The other? His relationship with Nikola Jokic, who he’s played alongside for the Serbian national team.
Auditioning For Nuggets?
Micic candidly acknowledges that he “would like to play with” Jokic, who has won three of the last four NBA MVP awards. Interestingly, he believes that his lack of experience stateside may have played a part in the Nuggets holding off on the deal.
“I would like to play with Jokic, but I do not know what will happen… I think I need one more year to show what I can do in the United States.
Whatever you do outside American soil, they still only trust players proven in the USA. So, I think that one season with a trade and two solid months is not enough for a team of such caliber to be sure to bring me in. But maybe next season. We will see.”
Though Jokic has made curried favor for European players with his recent stretch of dominance, Micic has a fair point.
Professional hoopers from other leagues have to fight tooth and nail to get an NBA contract. This isn’t just about perceptions of athleticism and toughness anymore. The fact is simply that it’s a lower level of competition. Similar to collegiate players, their top performers may not excel in the NBA, be it because of physical limitations or their skillset.
The Nuggets’ experience with players like Facundo Campazzo, a highly accomplished player, proves that. For all his success abroad, he couldn’t replicate that the NBA. His lack of size and 3-point efficiency ensured that he didn’t receive a second contract from Denver.
Micic may be better than Campazzo, but it wouldn’t hurt for him to play well in the NBA for a bit longer.
