The Jazz have informed draft-and-stash prospect Ante Tomic that they’re willing to pay the buyout of his contract with FC Barcelona Bàsquet, according to Joan Solsona of Marca.com (Spanish link, h/t Orazio Cauchi of Sportando). If the two sides finalize a deal, Tomic will get to realize his NBA dream in the 2015/16 season.
The 28-year-old center was the 44th overall pick in the 2008 draft and the Jazz were said to be weighing all options after selecting him. After thinking about trading his rights or buying his Spanish contract out immediately, Utah decided to exercise some patience and wait an extra year to bring the center over the to the States. Back in January, Tomic told David Pick of Eurobasket.com that he still had NBA aspirations and was hopeful that he could make the jump next season.
The collective bargaining agreement allows NBA teams to contribute up to $625K towards an international player’s buyout for the 2015/16 season. Teams can contribute more than that amount, but anything extra counts against the cap and comes out of the player’s paycheck. The cost of Tomic’s buyout has yet to be made public.