A perennial title contender, Lokomotiv-Kuban has undergone a complete makeover during the offseason, hiring a new head coachand inking 10 players for the season ahead. Valery Gitarkin provides a detailed look at a revamped Lokomotiv-Kuban and the team’s hopes in 2016-17.
Dmitry Khvostov
Position: Guard
Former Club: Nizhny Novgorod
2015-16 VTB United League Stats: 10.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.1 steals
Blast from the Past: Marcus Williams
Loko’s free agent activity can be divided into two periods: Before and after Bartzokas. Khvostov, Baburin and Ivlev were the first to join the Red-Greens. In addition to playing at Nizhny Novgorod and on the Russian national team, all three were signed prior to Bartzokas’s move to Barcelona. But Krasnodar boss Fotis Katsikaris won’t have any issue with the talented Russian trio, who have each shown tremendous potential in recent years.
After a disappointing stint with Khimki, Khvostov exploded onto the scene in Nizhny, becoming a leader both on the club and the national team. Expect the blossoming playmaker to get regular minutes in Krasnodar and continue to improve. Khvostov had the best season of his career yet in 2015-16, shooting 54-43-87, while making everyone around him better. Khvostov finished 5th in assists in the League last year and will also be asked to run the Lokomotiv offense. According to Katsikaris, the team wants to complement the Russian Olympian’s playmaking and is scouring the market for an attack-minded point guard.
Evgeny Baburin
Position: Guard
Former Club: Nizhny Novgorod
2015-16 VTB United League Stats: 7.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals
Blast from the Past: James Baron
Baburin is dangerous from outside, capable of hitting a big shot in crunchtime or lighting up a defense for 40 minutes. For Katsikaris, Baburin’s perimeter shooting combined with his competitive drive, effort on the court and positive influence in the locker room make him a valuable piece in Krasnodar’s rebuild.
Vladimir Ivlev
Position: Forward
Former Club: Nizhny Novgorod
2015-16 VTB United League Stats: 8.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists
Blast from the Past: Nikita Balashov
Ivlev was not a star at Nizhny and probably won’t be at Loko, either, but he’ll provide value to the team. Ivlev makes up for his limited offensive ability by being versatile on defense and doing the little things. Not to mention he’s only 26 and continues to improve in other facets of his game. Katsikaris doesn’t need to worry about playing the big man: He’ll get the job done during his 10-15 minutes on the court.
Denis Zakharov
Position: Guard
Former Club: Enisey
2015-16 VTB United League Stats: 9.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.8 steals
Blast from the Past: Maxim Kolyushkin
Zakharov was born in Belgorod, where he was coached by Viktor Shved, father of Khimki superstar Alexey Shved. That’s not the only thing the 23-year-old guard has in common with the ex-NBA guard. Denis employs a similar approach on the court, looking to attack the basket, drive the paint and beat his man 1-on-1. That said, he’s struggled with consistency. After being named one of the League’s biggest surprises of the first half, Zakharov had a disappointing finish to the 2015-16 campaign.
This is not the first time Lokomotiv has sought to balance success on the court with developing young Russian talent. But while the club has established itself as one of Russia’s premiere teams, it hasn’t always been the best destination for younger players. Zakharov should be excited about joining one of the VTB United League’s top clubs, but may need to scrap for playing time and opportunities to shine in Krasnodar.
Mardy Collins
Position: Guard
Former Club: Strasbourg
2015-16 Eurocup Stats: 13.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 steals
Blast from the Past: Krunoslav Simon
Lokomotiv tried to sign Collins last season, but the American decided to remain at Strasbourg and led his team to the Eurocup final. Now the All-Eurocup First Team guard has decided to join Krasnodar, where he will try to go one step further and win a Eurocup championship.
Last season, Kuban could have used another offensive weapon at the 2-3 position. Collins will be asked to address the issue. He’s an explosive scorer, capable of driving to the basket and pulling up for the jumper. His depth of experience, confidence in crunch time and leadership qualities make him a smart addition for Krasnodar. Katsikaris will have no fear turning to the ex-Clipper in big games.
Kevin Jones
Position: Forward/Center
Former Club: Partizan
2015-16 Adriatic League Stats: 16.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists
Blast from the Past: Ali Traore
Lokomotiv parted with three big men this summer–Randolph, Singleton and Claver–and set about rebuilding its frontcourt by signing Jones, who will likely play the center position, though he can also slide over to power forward. The American isn’t flashy, but he gets the job done: His soft touch makes him deadly from inside the paint, while his speed and size make him a valuable rebounder at both ends. He can also knock down the mid-range jumper. He couldn’t stick in the NBA because of limited athleticism, but the 27-year-old ex-Cavalier has thrived in Europe. Jones could very well be a double-double machine in the VTB United League this season.
Kenny Gabriel
Position: Forward
Former Club: Karsiyaka
2015-16 Euroleague Stats: 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks
Blast from the Past: Derrick Brown
Gabriel is one of Lokomotiv’s most exciting additions. After helping underdog Karsiyaka win the Turkish league in 2015, the forward stayed in Izmir for the 2015-16 campaign, where he further burnished his credentials and become a highly-sought free-agent target this summer. Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Unicaja both had interest, Olympiacos offered a contract and the Cavs even invited him to preseason camp, but Gabriel couldn’t resist Lokomotiv’s juicy offer and decided to join the Railwaymen for the 2016-17 campaign.
In Gabriel, Lokomotiv adds a talented jumpshooter (39% from downtown in the Euroleague), strong rebounder and defender, and exciting dunker (he’s won dunk contests in Greece and Turkey each of the last three seasons). That’s good news for the Loko fans, who will need to adjust to life without the high-flying Anthony Randolph. Gabriel’s modern game and lack of weaknesses mean that he should get big minutes in Krasnodar all season.
Ian Vougioukas
Position: Center
Former Club: Zalgiris
2015-16 Euroleague Stats: 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists
Blast from the Past: Aleks Maric
The Vougioukas signing was the final piece in the Loko frontcourt. Several factors explain Krasnodar’s choice. Katsikaris knows Vougioukas well from the Greek national team and the big man also played in Russia for several years with UNICS. Paired with Ryan Broekhoff, Loko will have one of the most imposing frontcourts in the VTB United League. The Railwaymen also know that Vougioukas is terrific with his back to the basket and poses a serious threat in the low post. Katsikaris’s Loko will be quick and aggressive, but if the Greek boss wants to slow the tempo and test an opponent’s interior defense, he’ll be able to turn to his 212-cm center for help.
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Lokomotiv has often waited until the last moment to pick up talent. Derrick Brown, Richard Hendrix, Mantas Kalnietis and Chris Singleton were all inked long after most clubs had finished making moves on the market. According to rumors, Krasnodar is hoping to do the same once again this season and snag one more star for the 2016-17 campaign.
For now, Krasnodar’s most recent signings are Alexey Zherdev and Denis Levshin. General manager Alexey Savrasenko spoke about “investing in the future” when discussing these additions. That’s all the average Krasnodar fan needs to know about the young forwards right now. The talented Russians spent last season in the Superleague and will not be expected to make a big impact in the upcoming campaign.
A reborn Lokomotiv is focused on returning to the Euroleague and making noise in the VTB United League after last season’s quarterfinal exit. The talent on hand bodes well for Krasnodar’s prospects as the team attempts to balance lofty ambitions and youth development. Now we wait and see what happens on the court.
Valery Gitarkin