"We had a gentleman's agreement..." Drčelić reveals all about Vučević's transfer to Zvezda, then announces new reinforcements!

"We haven't finished our work yet. All agreements and player acquisitions, or departures, have been made in consultation with the new coach and align with his vision for how the team should look and play. Furthermore, my role with the Board of Directors is to secure a budget that is realistic. We already had a core team, which many forgot even when Chris Jones was our only new signing for a long time. Many overlooked that we started assembling this team back in April with the arrival of Nikola Đurišić, from whom we expect a lot. A significant achievement was retaining all players who could have opted out of their contracts, starting with Jared Butler. He demonstrated great commitment by extending his contract and by remaining unfazed by multi-million-euro offers from Europe, despite having an NBA-only exit clause. Other players were brought in strategically and patiently, even though this summer's market conditions are completely different, as evidenced by the millions being spent in the EuroLeague. We have a good team, and if an opportunity arises to strengthen it further, we will certainly seize it. They are all excellent individuals and basketball players." - Željko Drčelić

"There were discussions. Nikola is, first and foremost, an excellent person, but also a huge Zvezda fan. That doesn't automatically mean he will play for Crvena Zvezda. He is a family man who has lived in the USA for over 20 years, since his high school days. Such moves are not easy, and in his case, money was absolutely not a factor. We had a gentleman's agreement that if no NBA offer materialized, he would don the Crvena Zvezda jersey. Given that he is a top-tier athlete who still takes care of his body and career, it's clear that those doors are not closed." - Željko Drčelić