Dzanan Musa, who was selected by the Nets with the No. 29 pick in the NBA Draft, became the last of 30 first-round picks to sign his rookie contract, the team announced on Thursday. Based on the rookie scale, which has a degree of flexibility, Musa’s four-year deal likely starts at $1.63 million and totals $9.15 million, but only the first two years are guaranteed.
Before the deal could be signed by Musa, who is in Las Vegas working out with the Nets’ Summer League team, the buyout with his European club team, Cedevita Zagreb of Croatia A1, had to be completed.
Musa is a 6-9 wing from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who averaged 13.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 23.5 minutes per game last season. He was named MVP of the U16 European Championship in 2015 when he led Bosnia to its first FIBA title.
Musa’s signing took place during a time when Bosnians were commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the massacre of Srebrenica when Serbian forces killed more than 8,000 Muslim Bosniaks, mostly men and boys, from July 11-22, 1995. Mindful of that national tragedy, Musa tempered his enthusiasm about signing with the Nets in an interview with Radio Sarajevo.
“Today is a great day for me but sad for Bosnia and Herzegovina and all of us,” Musa said. “I am thinking all day about the fate to sign the first NBA contract [on] these days. I sympathize with my Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I do not plan to celebrate this day because of Srebrenica and the tragedy that struck my people.
“I feel very emotionally, and as happy as I am, part of me does not allow me to show emotions. These people are part of all of us, and in today’s silence, I try to hide everything that is inside me.”
In other Nets news, European basketball website Sportando reported the Nets have reached a buyout and contract agreement with 6-9 Latvian forward Rodions Kurucs, who was the No. 40 overall pick in the second round. According to Sportando, the Nets agreed to pay a $750,000 buyout to Barcelona before agreeing with Kurucs on a four-year contract worth $7 million.
Such a deal would be unusual for a second-round pick and likely is not fully guaranteed, but Kurucs was considered a potential first-round pick in 2017 before withdrawing from the draft. Kurucs played limited minutes with Barcelona’s second division team last season because he was expected to head to the NBA rather than stay.
(Source: newsday, written by Greg Logan)
