Slovenian shooting guard Zoran Dragic and the Phoenix Suns have agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth slightly more than $4 million, according to NBA front-office sources.
The sides signed off on the deal Thursday, and sources say Dragic already has initiated buyout proceedings with his club in Spain. One source told ESPN.com that the deal, which is fully guaranteed for the next two seasons, will pay $1 million to Unicaja Malaga to release Dragic from his Spanish contract, with the Suns expected to contribute $600,000 to that amount.
Dragic is expected to join the Suns and his older brother, Goran Dragic, next week. Phoenix then will have two brother combos: Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris, and the Dragics.
ESPN.com reported earlier this week that the Suns had emerged as the clear front-runners to sign Zoran Dragic, 25, with Phoenix naturally hopeful that the move will help convince Goran Dragic to stay in the desert in July 2015, when he opts out of his current contract to become an unrestricted free agent.
The Suns on Wednesday reached terms on a new five-year, $70 million contract with guard Eric Bledsoe and signed Isaiah Thomas away from Sacramento over the summer as well, but team officials have been adamant that they also hope to retain Goran Dragic, who earned third team All-NBA honors last season after nearly leading Phoenix to the playoffs in the ever-deep West.
During the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Zoran Dragic averaged 14.1 points in 26.3 minutes per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and 43.3 percent shooting from 3-point range. The 6-foot-5 emerged as an NBA prospect as a hard-nosed player and tough defender who, though presumably not quite big enough to slide over to small forward in the States, can be effective at the top level at both ends.