Is Mirza Teletovic on the way out? Probably not, but a curious comment from his European agent has us questioning. In an interview on Bosnian television last week, Brooklyn Nets forward Mirza Teletovic’s European agent Miodrag Ražnatović said that his playing time had gotten better lately, but that he did not play enough and that he will try to find a “quiet and civilized way to agree with the club” on a different destination for Teletovic. (Though saying it on television may not be the quietest way.)
Ražnatović, who handles Teletovic’s representation in Europe, did not respond to a request for comment. Jeff Schwartz and Excel Sports Management handle Teletovic in the United States.
According to Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York, Teletovic says he has no knowledge of the report, and Newsday’s Rod Boone remarked that he seemed surprised by the question.
In an interview with The Brooklyn Game last week, Teletovic remarked that he wasn’t sure if he had a role on the Nets, but that he was optimistic that he could find success in Brooklyn. He gave no indication then that he’d requested a trade. Since that interview, Teletovic’s playing time and effectiveness have increased dramatically. He’s set career-highs in points twice and has made 9 of his last 18 three-pointers.
The Nets don’t have a lot of wiggle room to make trades, and Teletovic is one of their more valuable pieces considering his low cost. It’s also true that the Nets have a bit of a logjam at forward, with Mason Plumlee’s surprising start to the season, and Andrei Kirilenko may also cut into to some power forward minutes when he returns.
But given that he’s finally found his way into the rotation and seems comfortable, it’s surprising that this kind of report would surface now. Given that it seemed to surprise Teletovic as well, I’d be surprised if the Nets sent him away.
h/t NetsDaily
