Former NBA second-round pick Rade Zagorac is expected to continue his career in his home country of Serbia, according to international basketball journalist David Pick, who reports (via Twitter) that Zagorac is committing to a new deal with KK Partizan Belgrade.
Zagorac, 22, was the 35th overall pick in the 2016 draft, and after spending one final season overseas, he appeared poised to join the Grizzlies this year. However, despite signing a contract that was fully guaranteed for two seasons, the 6’9″ forward was unable to earn a spot on Memphis’ regular season roster. The club waived him along with fellow 2016 draftee Wade Baldwin at the end of the preseason.
Assuming Zagorac finalizes an agreement with KK Partizan Belgrade, it will represent a homecoming for the Serbian, who spent several seasons playing for Mega Leks before making the leap to the NBA. Zagorac is on track to team up with Jazz draft-and-stash prospect Nigel Williams-Goss, who struck a deal with Partizan Belgrade earlier this year.
As for the Grizzlies, they’ll carry $950K in dead money on their 2017/18 cap for Zagorac, plus about $1.38MM for 2018/19. However, the club hasn’t given up on the idea of eventually trying to bring the young forward back to Memphis, as Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal noted last month.