Guard Alexei Shved has finalized a move to the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, he said Monday.
Shved’s agent had said the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers had also offered contracts to the Russian, who said he would decide on the basis of which team would give him most playing time.
“I’ve decided to try myself at the very top level, use the opportunity to play in NBA,” Shved said on the CSKA website.
“I hope that everything will work out for me in Minnesota and I will apply my best efforts.”
CSKA president Andrei Vatutin said that he was unsure whether Shved was ready for the NBA.
“Maybe it would be better that he spends another year or so in Europe, improves in strength and then goes to NBA,” he said.
“I’m sure that Shved has enough talent and skills to render proper help to his new team. I want to wish him not to stop progressing, make a big name for himself and represent Russian basketball worthily,” Vatutin said, adding that he thought Shved would adapt easily to life in the United States.
Shved, who won the Euroleague with CSKA in 2008, will become the second Russian in the NBA after Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov.
Shved will join his new team after the Olympics, where Russia will face Spain, Great Britain, China, Brazil and Australia at the group stage.
Last season, the Timberwolves finished 12th in the Western Conference, continuing their eight-year streak of failing to make the playoffs.
