Larkin’s Future in Istanbul Turns into a Tug of War

Shane Larkin, 33, has become the center of a tense transfer battle after eight seasons with Anadolu Efes, where he won back-to-back EuroLeague titles and became a club legend. Despite a contract worth about $3.8 million per season, his relationship with the Turkish club has reportedly cooled after he played only 25 games across all competitions last season.

According to reports from Serbia, Crvena zvezda and its sporting director Milos Teodosic have been in talks with Larkin’s representatives, and there is now said to be an agreement on a salary split that would let him move to Belgrade. But the deal is complicated by another factor, Fenerbahce, Anadolu’s biggest rival, which also wants the guard. Serbian reports said Anadolu is unwilling to let him join Fenerbahce, telling him, “Go, but not to the biggest rival.”

Turkish reports added that Larkin has already reached a verbal agreement with Fenerbahce. The club, led by Sarunas Jasikevicius, is now trying to convince Anadolu to approve the move, and is reportedly offering to transfer domestic rights to Omar Yurtseven, who previously played for Fenerbahce, as part of the effort.

Larkin originally entered EuroLeague with Baskonia in 2016/17, then returned to the NBA for one season with the Boston Celtics before coming back to Europe and signing for Anadolu. Last season he averaged 15.3 points and 4.2 assists in 12 EuroLeague games. Separately, TJ Shorts was officially released by Panathinaikos and is expected to join Valencia as Jan Montero’s replacement; he averaged 8.1 points and 2.9 assists in 16:06 minutes per game last EuroLeague season.