There was some talk in the last couple of days that Carlos Delfino had rejected a 4M/yr contract offer from the Raptors who he hoped would add one million to the deal. The rumors began when Olé, one of the most prestigious sports newspaper in Argentina, published this article. It is translated by our good friend Raúl Ruscitti.
Right now Delfino is much more likely to return to Russia than to come back to the best league in the world. About his participation in the upcoming World Championship Qualifications, “It’s very difficult” Hernandez (Argentinian National Team head coach) said. Toronto didn’t make the offer he was expecting and in Russia he has a huge contract.
It’s cold and it gets even colder every time. His participation with the National Team isn’t expected but, the clock is playing against him. The same happens with his situation with the NBA that has been freeze in the last hours. Today, Delfino is more likely to be out of both than in. It’s a shame for the National Team and for Carlos who really wanted to come back to the best league in the world.
Goodbye NBA? Delfino didn’t like that Toronto, who at first showed interest in bringing him back because they remember his performance from the bench in the 07/08 season, left him as their last target of the market. They still haven’t offered him a reasonable contract. Khimky, where he is under contract for the next two years, pays him about 10 millions dollars, plus a house, a car (with a driver), and less taxes. Carlos was hoping that the Raptors offered him 5 millions per year. He doesn’t mind take half the salary he was earning in Europe and paid his buyout clause of $500,000 with his own money, but they offered less. Sources around him said that there are some other teams interested in him but none of their contract proposals satisfy him. Khimky already signed a good PG tandem (Raúl Lopez and Carlos Cabezas) and just in case, agree to add an American SG (Keith Langford), expecting him for their EuroLeague debut.
Goodbye National Team? Sources aren’t optimistic either about his presence in Puerto Rico “If he stays in Khimky, it’s even more difficult because the team wants him to rest and recover from his shoulder injury… They haven’t even sent the airplane tickets for him to travel to Italy to make a medical test so we can know how his injury is healing”. Sergio Hernandez knows this “I talked to him two days ago and he told me that it’s still unknown. But I count him inn. He has time until the 24th” the national team head coach explained. The setback on subjects like his future and his injury really bothers him. “He told me that his shoulder still bothers him, even when he goes out to run”… He could be a very important loss to the team, but they still have hope.
Julián Mozo
Diario Olé
