In the summer of 2006, Planinić and the Nets agreed to a buyout, in which he was sent back to Europe to spend the season with TAU Cerámica of the Spanish ACB League, a team that also featured talented NBA prospect Tiago Splitter.

On 25 June 2008 Planinić signed a two-year contract with the Russian Superleague A club CSKA Moscow.

[5] On 17 June 2010, he signed a 2+1 year contract with the Russian PBL club BC Khimki.

[7][8] In January 2014, he hit a long-range buzzer beater in the last second of the game to defeat Olimpia Milano by a score of 61–60.

In the summer of 2014, Dušan Ivković was appointed as Efes' head coach, and Planinić lost his place in the team.