Pedro Martínez rules out a signing after Deck’s injury

“We are not planning to go into the market because of Deck’s injury,” Pedro Martínez said. Real Madrid confirmed it would not sign a replacement for the Argentinian, who faces several months out after a dislocation and anterior instability in his left shoulder. Gabriel “Gaby” Deck is due to undergo surgery.

After his team won away against Armani Olimpia Milan, 98-89 in the EuroLeague, Martínez explained the decision by pointing to the depth of his squad. “It is not planned. We have a very deep roster. We currently have two long-term injured players, but we believe we can remain competitive with the players we have, as we showed today,” he said at the post-game press conference.

The coach also praised his team’s response after an opening stretch with too many turnovers. He particularly valued the third quarter, which he described as “our best moment of the season so far”. Made free throws and two good shots helped his side regain momentum, in his view. Martínez also stressed the connection between offensive success and defensive intensity in what he called a very emotional sport.

Asked about Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, who did not shine in this game, Martínez played down the performance. A busy schedule, sometimes involving three or four games a week, means that different players will take turns standing out, he said. “It is a team game,” he noted, adding that he was not concerned and that everyone would have opportunities to bounce back.

Martínez also spoke about Nick Smith Jr., who had delivered a strong performance two days earlier. He believes the young player, experiencing basketball outside his home country for the first time, needs time to adjust to different pace, defence and physical contact. The coach nevertheless praised his mentality.