Goran Suton

Another ex-NBA draft pick to have signed in Italy is Milovan Rakovic, whose rights are owned by the Magic. Rakovic was one of the best players in the Russian Superleague last year, averaging 15.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in 25 minutes per game for Spartak St Petersburg. He's cashing in on that and moving to Italy to play for Italian powerhouse Montepaschi Siena. There's lots of upheaval in Russia at the moment; the Superleague teams have all signed a pact vowing to break away from the current governing body, with whom they are thoroughly disenfranchised, and to begin running operations on their own. Amidst this upheaval, many players have left; Spartak also released James White (14.8/3.7) and Goran Suton (played 94 minutes all season). Additionally, Unics Kazan have released veteran Lithuanian jumpshooter Saulius Å tombergas, and Lokomotiv Kuban have released their imports James Gist, Andre Owens and Gerald Green. It's probably fair to say that Green will not be returning to the Dallas Mavericks.

Mehmut Okur is not the player he used to be. He has a had a strong career and is only 31 years old, but it's an old 31. Okur has declined for a couple of years, and his value has dropped off accordingly. It is probably not a coincidence that Utah drafted Goran Suton in the second round last season, a man who bears strong similarities to Okur at the same age, and that they have been drafting big men for a few years now (Kyrylo Fesenko, Kosta Koufos, Ante Tomic).

- Goran Suton

Suton, one of only about 2 big men taken in the last draft, signed with the Jazz for training camp. But due to their finances, he did not make the team, so he took his Bosnian and Croatian passports and went to Russia to play for Spartak St. Petersburg's. He had a nothing season, though, appearing in only 5 games and 31 minutes of Russian Superleague play, totalling 5 points, 9 rebounds and 6 fouls. Suton has had meniscus surgery, which has factored, but he didn't play even when healthy.