Talk of an exchange between Kosner Baskonia and Barça has linked Willy Hernangómez with a possible move to Vitoria. The discussions also involved Xevi Pujol and coach Paolo Galbiati. The proposed package was described as a direct swap without financial compensation, with Hernangómez heading to Baskonia and Pujol moving to Barcelona alongside Galbiati. Baskonia sporting director Félix Fernández later outlined a basic obstacle to the coaching move: the clubs did not reach an agreement over Galbiati.
Fernández told Mundo Deportivo that Galbiati had informed Baskonia he wanted to coach Barça, and said Barcelona contacted Baskonia directly. “We did not reach an agreement with Barça because we wanted Paolo Galbiati,” Fernández said. He added that Barcelona stopped pursuing the coach to avoid conflict with Baskonia and chose another candidate. The discussions centered on Galbiati’s contractual situation; they did not establish that the wider proposed exchange was completed.
Xevi Pujol’s move from Baskonia to Barcelona formed part of the context around the talks. Pujol, Baskonia’s former technical secretary, was associated with Galbiati’s arrival in Vitoria. Fernández said Galbiati’s wish to join Barça coincided with Pujol’s departure for Barcelona. The overlap linked the clubs’ sporting operations, but the reported talks over Galbiati remained separate from any proposed arrangement involving Hernangómez.
After Barcelona’s approach fell through, Galbiati and his representative reportedly sought improved financial terms and a contract extension of two or three seasons. Fernández also criticized the coach’s conduct, alleging that he wanted to leave for Barça while seeking to dispense with three prominent Baskonia players, including Tadas Sedekerskis. Those remarks reflected Baskonia’s account of the dispute as the relationship between the club and coach deteriorated.
In the proposed package, Hernangómez is the player moving from Barça to Baskonia. The wider account also presents the absence of a transfer fee as a practical way to meet both clubs’ needs, but Fernández’s public comments focused on the failed coaching negotiations, not the terms of a player transaction. Spanish basketball transfers can involve contractual rights as well as a player’s current deal, making the precise status of each arrangement basic to any completed move.
Direct exchanges involving players and coaching staff would be unusual in Spanish basketball. Baskonia and Barça are established Liga Endesa clubs preparing for the 2026 season, and changes to their rosters or coaching benches would shape their plans for the campaign. High-profile changes in Spanish sports have drawn public attention, as when Paula Badosa's comments on her split with Stefanos Tsitsipas sparked widespread discussion.
