After spending 11 seasons in the NBA, the last four years in Sacramento, Kosta Koufos has found a new home for next season.
In Moscow. With EuroLeague powerhouse CSKA Moscow.
NBA veteran center Kosta Koufos has reached an agreement with EuroLeague Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow that will make him the highest paid American in Europe next season, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 19, 2019
Sources: A two-year, $6 million deal that will include an NBA option should he decide to return to the league. Koufos, a career average of 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocks, will join a club freshly removed from winning its eighth EuroLeague championship https://t.co/iFRCFROIMm
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 19, 2019
Koufos struggled to fit in his big-man game with the new up-tempo Kings last season. Add to that the NBA moving toward “small ball” — which is more about skill and mobility than size — Koufos has decided to head overseason. He’s making more than the NBA veteran minimum, which is likely what he would have gotten from an NBA squad.
All but the elite big men in the NBA are finding reduced demand and with that reduced pay scale, so good on Koufos for doing what is best for himself.