top seed, and defeated Lietuvos rytas in the finals 4–0. This win was the club's fifth consecutive LKL title and their 17th overall. Žalgiris had a total of seven players who competed in EuroBasket 2015. Žalgiris finished the off-season by signing Ian Vougioukas at center. Žalgiris finished the 2016 regular season with a 5–5 record and qualified for the Top 16 phase for the seventh consecutive season. After a poor start to the Top 16, head coach Krapikas was replaced by Šarūnas Jasikevičius, but injuries to Javtokas and the departure of Kalnietis lead the team to a huge slump, and a loss to Lietuvos Rytas in the King Mindaugas Cup final. After strong criticism of the team management for not finding a center to replace Javtokas, Žalgiris signed new point guard Jerome Randle. While the EuroLeague season ended with a 2–12 record, a hugely disappointing result, the team later recovered, finishing in 1st place in the LKL regular season, over Cup winners Lietuvos Rytas. Žalgiris defeated Neptūnas Klaipėda with a 4–1 record in the LKL finals, winning a sixth consecutive LKL title. 2016–present: Žalgiris in the new EuroLeague format 2015-16 In November 2015, a conflict between FIBA and Euroleague emerged. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) announced the formation of the Basketball Champions League, and courted EuroLeague teams to their side. However, the top teams, the A-license teams including Žalgiris, decided to sign a ten-year contract with the Euroleague Basketball Company. 2016–17 Žalgiris's preparation for the 2016–17 season began during the 2016 LKL finals, when the club signed point guard Léo Westermann to replace the departing Jerome Randle. After the season, Pocius, Hanlan, Vougioukas, and long-time Žalgiris players Siim-Sander Vene and Kaspars Vecvagars, all left the team, while Žalgiris chose to retain the services of Seibutis and Motum. Žalgiris also re-signed Edgaras Ulanovas. Head coach Jasikevičius was pursued by FC Barcelona Lassa, but decided to remain with Žalgiris. To correct the previous season's lack of a good shooter, Žalgiris signed Kevin Pangos; the team was loaned Augusto Lima from Real Madrid to replace Vougioukas at center. Žalgiris also signed the returning Artūras Milaknis to a 3-year deal. German prospect Isaiah Hartenstein was scheduled to make his professional debut after being signed in the previous season. In August, Žalgiris signed Antanas Kavaliauskas, the captain of Lietuvos Rytas who had previously promised to never play for Žalgiris; Kavaliauskas apologized to fans after the signing