Zalgiris Kaunas continued its offseason reshaping on Thursday, announcing that centers Moses Wright and Laurynas Birutis, along with wing Ignas Brazdeikis, will not return for the 2026-27 season after their contracts expired.
The departures mark another significant change for a Zalgiris team that reached the EuroLeague playoffs and finished fifth in the regular-season standings with a 23-15 record before falling 3-1 to Fenerbahce Beko in the quarterfinals. The club has already confirmed the arrivals of Saben Lee and Maxwell Lewis, while leading scorer Sylvain Francisco is also leaving to join LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.
Among the departing trio, Wright leaves the largest void. The 27-year-old center was one of the most productive big men in the EuroLeague during his lone season in Kaunas, averaging 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and a 17.1 performance index rating across 42 games. He shot 60.1% from the field and ranked second on the roster in scoring behind Francisco’s 16.5 points per game.
Wright also provided efficient production in Lithuania’s domestic league, posting 10.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and a 13.2 efficiency rating per contest. His athleticism and finishing around the basket helped stabilize a frontcourt that played a key role in Zalgiris finishing among the EuroLeague’s top five teams.
Brazdeikis departs after two seasons with the club. The 27-year-old forward struggled to establish a consistent offensive role in EuroLeague competition, averaging 4.8 points and 1.9 rebounds while shooting 36.8% from the field and 33.8% from three-point range in 38 appearances.
His production was stronger in the Lithuanian league, where he averaged 8.0 points and an 8.4 efficiency rating. Still, the former NBA wing never fully recaptured the form he showed earlier in his European career.
Birutis leaves after spending four seasons with Zalgiris. The 2.13-meter center served primarily as a reserve, averaging 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10 minutes per game across 41 EuroLeague appearances. He converted an efficient 69.2% of his field-goal attempts but saw limited opportunities behind Wright and other frontcourt options.
The Lithuanian big man remained a valuable contributor domestically, producing 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and an 11.5 efficiency rating in LKL action.
