Vasilije Micic to prepare for the NBA, skip FIBA World Cup

Finally, after many flirtatious Summers, Vasilije Micic is coming to the NBA. Micic was involved in the Al Horford trade that sent the veteran big man to Oklahoma City from Philadelphia. Each year since that deal was made, the EuroLeague star has teased an NBA arrival but ultimately backed out after his lofty demands were unmet. This Summer, that saga continued but had an unexpected ending.

Vasilije Micic inked a three-year deal worth 23.5 million dollars, with a third-year team option on the contract to join the OKC Thunder. Micic will come into Oklahoma City as a backup guard that will be entrusted to lead their secondary unit off the bench. With training camp ramping up at the end of September, the two-time EuroLeague MVP is focusing on the NBA.

Vasilije Micic to skip the FIBA World Cup for Team Serbia, focus on his NBA career.

The EuroLeague season ended on June 17th, when Vasilije Micic dropped 29 points in an 83-74 win over Pinar Karsiyaka. On July 17th, the official paperwork went through to make Vasilije Micic a member of the OKC Thunder. The FIBA World Cup begins at the end of August with games, but training camp starts in just a few weeks.

Going on the journey with Team Serbia would have stretched Vasilije Micic pretty thin before his rookie season in the NBA. At that point, Micic would have been looking at a month off, a month filled with contracts and travel, and he still needs to assimilate to a new country.

While Vasilije Micic and Nikola Jokic have bowed out of the FIBA World Cup this go around, OKC Thunder forward Aleksej Pokusevski will step in and join the roster for their Summer run.

Micic will provide a massive spark for the OKC Thunder as an excellent pick-and-roll ball handler, spot-up scorer, isolation threat, and knock-down catch-and-shooter going for 45 percent in those situations.