With the new Euroleague season nearing, BallinEurope is once more break down each of the teams individually on 16 consecutive days in the run up to tip off. As with last season, we’re going in reverse order from the opening round of games. We continue our rapid catch-up process, because we are so behind schedule, with a look at the year ahead for Brose Bamberg
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, well actually don’t because I’ve got to write this column one way or another. Three of Bamberg’s arrivals have got reasons to need a new start and all three have landed in a spot well suited to them.
All Daniel Hackett did wrong was get hurt. The Italian’s year was ruined by injury and that eventually led to him parting ways with Olympiacos. Ricky Hickman’s had his share of injury woes but it was being part of a woeful Milano side that got him in need of a new start. Quincy Miller comes to Bamberg having left a Maccabi Tel Aviv side that was desperate to put out the dumpster fire that has been its past three seasons.
All three arrive at a club that lost more than its share of key contributors in the summer. Bamberg are supposed to stink this season, they are supposed to not be able to deliver much on the court. That sounds like a pretty low pressure environment for three guys who know they can do plenty.
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The basics
Coach: Andrea Trinchieri
Arena: Brose Arena, 6,249
Last season in Euroleague: 10-20, 13th
Last season in Bundesliga: 29-3, won finals
Who’s new? Daniel Hackett (Olympiacos), Richy Hickman (Olimpia Milano), Quincy Miller (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Luka Mitrovic (Crvena Zvezda), Malik Mueller (Baunach), Augustine Rubit (Ratiopharm Ulm)
Who’s gone? Daniel Theis (Boston Celtics), Nicolo Melli (Fenerbahce), Darius Miller (New Orleans Pelicans), Janis Strelnieks (Olympiacos), Fabien Causeur (Real Madrid), Yasin Idbihi (retired), Jerel McNeal (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Vladimir Veremeenko (TBD)
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The losses are huge. Miller, Causeur, and Strelnieks, were all vital to the backcourt of Bamberg. At the other end it doesn’t get prettier with Melli and Theis both leaving massive holes behind them. Trinchieri has lost some massive pieces and it’s not going to be an easy road for this side in the Bundesliga never mind Euroleague.
That being said, Bamberg wildly underachieved in Euroleague last season so while a run up the table isn’t to be expected after such losses a calamitous drop shouldn’t be either. There’s just as much chance of this new look side overachieving a touch as there was of last year’s side performing as awfully as it did in the win-loss column. Bamberg won’t be as good as they were last year on paper but it’s hard to see them dropping games in quite the same way as they did either.
Fearless prediction: 13th. The first but not the last time in these previews that I’m picking a side to repeat its finishing position from a year ago. There are enough teams that I trust less than Bamberg to book them in at the absolute fringe of playoff contenders.
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