Lleida Closes Door: Perrin Won't Leave Before January

iLERNA Lleida has ended speculation about Zach Perrin's future. Club president Albert Aliaga was emphatic with the media: "Perrin stays, he's not leaving no matter how much Baskonia wants him before the early-year clause." With those words, the Lleida club shuts down an immediate sale and postpones any departure until January, when the center can leave by paying his release clause.

A standoff dating back to September

Baskonia set its sights on Perrin in mid-September, following Alex Len's injury, and has been raising the stakes ever since. Lleida rejected an initial offer of €300,000, and in recent days a second offer of around €500,000 was reported—well above the €200,000 release clause for EuroLeague teams, which cannot be exercised until January. The player already had a financial agreement locked in with the Vitoria club, and Lleida had conditioned any deal on finding a replacement.

Aliaga's words go further: it's no longer about finding a replacement, but rather that Perrin will not leave before January.

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Lleida protects its interior anchor

The decision makes sporting sense. Perrin, 22, is one of the few bright spots for a Lleida side that has just one win in six games and has allowed over 120 points in two of its last three contests. In the Liga Endesa, he averages 12.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 17.8 in efficiency rating, and his mid-season departure would have left Gerard Encuentra's team severely weakened in the paint.

Baskonia forced to seek alternatives

For Baskonia, the refusal complicates planning. Velimir Perasović's team remains without Len and Tadas Sedekerskis, with very few big men, and before Perrin it had already seen Maccabi reject its offer for Roman Sorkin. Now it will have to decide whether to wait until January to pay the release clause or search the market for another center to help immediately, while also negotiating the arrival of Jabari Parker.