It began with high hopes, but Great Britain star Joel Freeland will be leaving CSKA Moscow after two seasons.
The 30-year-old, Aldershot-born big man joined the Muscovites in 2015 from NBA D-League side Idaho Stampede, with the aim to provide stability at the power forward position, mainly off the bench.
Freeland’s time with the Portland Trailblazers between 2012-2015 further strengthened CSKA’s push for the Brit. While with the Oregonian outfit, Freeland averaged 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 151 games.
But upon arrival in the Russian capital, Freeland has struggled with various injuries, the first of which happened during the pre-season of the 2015-16 season which kept him on the sidelines for the majority of the campaign.
CSKA won the VTB League and EuroLeague titles mainly in Freeland’s absence in that season.
“I don’t have a contract with CSKA,” Freeland said to Israeli journalist David Pick.
“It’s been a tough season for me, I was trying to stay positive but for a moment I felt lost because I have never been out for so long. I missed nine months, but tried finding a rhythm in the few VTB game I played; I was feeling good. It was just too little, too late.
“I’m cool with where I am now. I’ll be 100 percent for next season.”
It has been rumoured that Unicaja Malaga is interested in Freeland and it was at that very club where the Brit excelled when he joined in 2009.
