Turkish forward Cedi Osman has joined PAOK from Panathinaikos after the Thessaloniki club paid a 2 million euro buyout fee to complete the transfer. The player agreed to a three-year contract worth 9 million euros in total with his new team.
Osman spent two years with Panathinaikos before finalizing the move to Thessaloniki. He had one year remaining on his contract with the Athens club when negotiations began during the off-season.
PAOK and Panathinaikos are two of Greece's most prominent basketball clubs competing in the Greek Basketball League. Panathinaikos play in Athens and are seven-time EuroLeague champions, while PAOK are based in Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece, and currently compete in the EuroCup.
Transfer negotiations and buyout terms
Osman revealed the details behind his summer transfer during an interview given in Turkey. He explained that interest from other teams emerged before PAOK completed the deal with Panathinaikos.
Turkish clubs Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahce both held discussions regarding a potential transfer. Osman rejected social media reports claiming he refused to return to Turkey or avoided specific clubs to prevent fan backlash.
He emphasized that he was not a free agent and could not choose his next destination independently. Panathinaikos required a buyout fee from any interested team before permitting a move.
Osman stated that he could not ask the Panathinaikos president to lower the buyout fee. He noted that Turkish clubs were likely unwilling to enter a formal buyout negotiation with the Athens team.
Panathinaikos adjusted the requested buyout figure once PAOK entered discussions. Osman explained that Panathinaikos viewed the transaction differently because PAOK do not compete in the EuroLeague this season, meaning the two teams will not face each other in European competition.
Roster competition and Panathinaikos departure
Discussions initially pointed toward Osman remaining at Panathinaikos for the final year of his contract. The Panathinaikos general manager called him to express satisfaction with his performances and requested to discuss contract extensions after coaching matters settled.
The situation changed one week later when Panathinaikos signed forward Isaac Bonga. Osman stated that he was never afraid of roster competition, pointing to his NBA rookie season where he earned a starting position on an elite team.
Following the signing of Bonga, two to three weeks passed without any communication from Panathinaikos management. Osman interpreted the silence as a sign that the club was open to letting him depart if he requested a move.
He decided to join a club where he felt genuinely valued after receiving inquiries from other teams. Osman later met former teammates at TJ Shorts' wedding alongside Kendrick Nunn, where he explained the circumstances surrounding his departure after teammates expressed surprise at his exit.
Osman also noted that he had spoken with Coach Obradovic and the club president prior to making his decision. He added that players can sense whether a club truly wants them to remain.
EuroLeague ambitions and Andrea Trinchieri
PAOK currently play in the EuroCup, but the club's stated objective is returning to the EuroLeague next season. Osman said the ambitious project presented by PAOK leadership convinced him to sign.
Head coach Andrea Trinchieri played a key role in convincing Osman to make the move. The two held a 10 to 15 minute phone conversation in Serbian, a language both speak fluently.
Trinchieri told Osman that he did not expect him to score 20 points every game, but demanded high energy on offense and defense while keeping the team united. Trinchieri sent him a text message one week later encouraging him to join PAOK, leading to an agreement within two weeks.
Osman reflected on his initial experience arriving at Panathinaikos, where head coach Ergin Ataman and Cenk had just won the EuroLeague title. He recalled struggling during his first four to five months before adapting to European basketball and earning the support of fans, staff, and president Dimitris Giannakopoulos.
Working under Ataman presented specific challenges because both were prominent figures in the Turkish national team setup. Osman noted that Ataman held him to strict standards to avoid any perception of favoritism.
Ataman benched Osman immediately following early mistakes, such as missing his first three shots or blowing a defensive assignment, sometimes leaving him on the bench for the rest of the game. Osman adapted after four months and secured his place in the rotation.
Season review and Greek league competitiveness
Reflecting on Panathinaikos's recent campaign, Osman described it as an unstable season that ended in a seventh-place EuroLeague finish. He attributed the inconsistency to the added pressure of Athens hosting the EuroLeague Final Four.
Panathinaikos secured crucial late wins against Red Star, Zalgiris, and an away victory over Barcelona. The squad also took a 2-0 lead against Valencia during the season.
Osman welcomed the growing financial investment across Greek basketball, stating that increased competition will improve the domestic league. He noted that Panathinaikos and Olympiacos had dominated Greek basketball for a decade, losing at most two or three domestic games per year.
During his first season at Panathinaikos, the team completed an undefeated 19-0 domestic run. Osman highlighted historic clubs like Aris and Panionios, noting that recent investments by Aris will make the upcoming Thessaloniki derby against PAOK highly competitive.
